Katherine Jenkins doesn’t want to ‘get dragged into’ Beckham drama
Katherine Jenkins doesn’t "want to get dragged into" any drama over David Beckham’s comments about her OBE.
The 36-year-old soprano was handed the prestigious title by Queen Elizabeth in 2014 for her services to music and charity but earlier this year, in a series of leaked emails, retired soccer star David Beckham, 41, is alleged to have called it a "f***ing joke".
He reportedly fumed: "Katherine Jenkins OBE for what? Singing at the rugby and going to see the troops plus taking coke. F***ing joke."
However, when asked about the emails, Katherine chose not to retaliate, telling the Daily Mail’s Weekend magazine: "I didn’t say anything about it at the time, which means I’m definitely not going to be saying anything now or in the future.
"It was a situation I didn’t want to get dragged into. So, I’d like to stay out of it please."’
After the emails were made public, Katherine’s manager Professor Jonathan Shalit, hit back at David, saying she has done a lot of charitable work during her career, and pointed out that the Welsh star has previously been open about her use of drugs.
He said: "Beckham says, ‘Katherine Jenkins OBE for what? Singing at the rugby and going to see the troops plus taking coke. F***ing joke’.
"I say Katherine was awarded an OBE for her services to music and charity.
"With regards to the taking of coke which Katherine has courageously publicly admitted with great honesty – this was when she was in her early 20s still studying, over a decade before she was awarded her OBE and started her recording career."
Professor Shalit also said Katherine, 36, has made frequent visits to see British troops in different war zones around the world.
He explained: "She visited troops in Iraq 2005 and 2006, Afghanistan 2007 and 2013, Cyprus 2007 and 2009 and Kosovo in 2009.
"These visits have continued consistently since her OBE was awarded.
"She has made various visits to UK-based regiments and in 2006 became a Trustee of the British Forces Foundation.
"Katherine’s continual participation in charity events have helped raise tens of millions of pounds for important causes."
