Rio Ferdinand has spoken out in support of his wife Kate after she faced online criticism for posting bikini-clad holiday snaps.
The former TOWIE star, 34, gave a glimpse of her recent family holiday to Portugal on Instagram on Saturday.
The post included a sweet shot of Kate and Rio holding hands by a front door, a mouthwatering spread of food, and adorable beachside fun moments.
Among the carousel were two photos of Kate in bikinis - one in olive green, the other black - showing off her stunning figure as she soaked up the sun.
Alongside the post she penned: 'July has been full of memories (& food) in our home from home'.
But not everyone was impressed. One social media user took aim in the comments, writing: 'Don't think you need to show in a bikini [sic.].'
Rio Ferdinand has spoken out in support of his wife Kate after she faced online criticism for posting bikini-clad holiday snaps
The former TOWIE star, 34, gave a glimpse of her recent family holiday to Portugal on Instagram on Saturday
Among the carousel were two photos of Kate in bikinis - one in olive green, the other black - showing off her stunning figure as she soaked up the sun
While it's unclear which image drew the criticism, Rio, 46, wasted no time clapping back.
Within minutes, he replied: '@brendaweav1 ffs Brenda, have a day off.'
The podcast presenter is a stepmother to her husband Rio's three children: Lorenz, 18, Tate, 16 and Tia, 14.
And she also has two children with Rio: son Cree, born in December 2020, and daughter Shae, born in 2023.
It comes after Rio shed light on the early stages of his relationship with Kate earlier this month, and admitted his kids' reaction decided the future of their union.
Appearing on Kate's podcast Blended, the former footballer revealed how he dealt with introducing a new romance after losing his beloved wife Rebecca, and being left a single father to his three children.
Rebecca died aged just 34 after a short battle with breast cancer. She appeared to be in the clear only for a scan to reveal the disease had spread to her bones five weeks before her death, prior to which she planned her own funeral.
Amid his grief, Rio met Kate, who he began dating in 2017, however he revealed her introduction to his family was slow moving. The couple wed in Turkey in September 2019 and share two children; Cree, four, and Shae, who turns two later this month.
The post included a sweet shot of Kate and Rio holding hands by a front door, a mouthwatering spread of food, and adorable beachside fun moments
Kate also posted a fun moment of her splashing in the sea with her son Cree and they walked through the waves along the shore
But not everyone was impressed. While it's unclear which image drew the criticism, Rio wasted no time clapping back
Discussing introducing his relationship to his children, Rio told his wife: 'It's hard, you don't really get over it if you do it wrong, if it's done abruptly without conversations and done the wrong way.
'But if people are saying no, the kids are saying no I don't know, man. I'm just lucky, fortunately we didn't get to that point...
'But if my kids have said no, we're probably not here right now. Because we don't get the chance to get to where we are, where we're like madly in love...
'Because as soon as the kids say no - we were in love at that time, but it was still early enough to think where you go, but on both sides, you go, 'The kids ain't accepting me, I can't get into this. It's too much stress.'
'And I'm going, 'The kids ain't happy. They're going to have to be number one.' And I think there's a lot of relationships that would end up because of that...
'I don't know how you push on after you've just found someone, you fell in love with them, you two together, and the kids aren't involved in that...
Rebecca's death left Rio a single father to Lorenz, 18, Tate, 16, and Tia, 14 (the family pictured with Kate in 2020)
'And then when they get involved and not happy, I don't know how you still move forward together like that unless you separate it.'
On navigating the introduction stages, he said: ''I do think it's important in the way that you introduce this new person into the house. We very much were on the basis, we talked a lot before we even broached the idea with the kids...
'We brought Kate in as a friend first, they started seeing her around at different things that we go into friends' houses, et cetera. Kate will be there. And Ronnie, the dog, which is a great softener as well...
'But those moments of familiarity and, 'Oh, it's only Kate,' soften that next move where you go, 'Right, guys,' and you bring that. I just think we were really much about bringing them into the conversation, make them feel, have some ownership over the whole situation...
''Listen, guys, you remember Kate?' Let's see where we go then, Dad.' I think if you do it wrong, I've been in a situation, my own family recently, where it's done wrong. And I've been part of the ramifications of that and the repercussions'.
