My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding scandals: From dress wars, jail time and ‘grabbing’ 14-year-olds – where are the cast now?

THE astir costly gypsy wedding is said to person outgo £250,000.

Louise Durant, 21, said "I do" to Billy Maguire, 22, astatine the infamous Dorchester Hotel successful London, successful December.

The bride had 12 bridesmaids who matched her successful all-white decorator dresses of their own, implicit with fur draped implicit their shoulders, a lavish three-course meal, earlier jetting disconnected for a honeymoon that lasted astir a month.

This isn't the archetypal clip parties occupation the traveller assemblage person made headlines, arsenic My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding shocked the federation with each azygous occurrence that aired. 

From arguable scenes of “grabbing”, to jaw-dropping wedding dresses, and beardown assemblage rules, tons happened disconnected surface too. 

The amusement archetypal aired connected Channel 4 with a one-off occurrence successful 2010 but it was truthful groundbreaking that it ran for 5 years followed, on with spin-offs and a US version. 

But what happened to the stars of the show? 

Paddy Doherty

The amusement was centered astir Paddy and his family, truthful it’s nary astonishment that helium went connected to beryllium the biggest occurrence communicative from the world amusement having appeared successful bid 8 of Celebrity Big Brother successful 2011, which helium won. 

The Irish property past took portion successful a two-part tv documentary, When Paddy Met Sally, a twelvemonth later, alongside erstwhile Speaker of The House of Commons, Sally Bercow, successful a Wife Swap-style world show. 

But pursuing respective palmy TV appearances, Paddy’s beingness took an unexpected crook erstwhile helium experienced respective wellness issues and tragic deaths of those closest to him. 

In 2014, the CBB victor mislaid his 22-month-old large nephew David McDonagh erstwhile helium was tally implicit and killed by a van.

Three years later, Paddy’s nephew - talented boxer Tom Doherty - died aged 17 aft a car crash.

And successful the aforesaid year, his ain begetter Simon besides slipped away - leaving him caput of the family.

In 2018, Paddy’s parent Queenie died from dementia and helium turned to intoxicant saying helium was “unable to grip it”. 

And a twelvemonth later, the TV gypsy revealed exclusively to The Sun that helium was battling prostate cancer. 

Paddy, who was 60 years aged astatine the time, spent 7 months successful agony, adding: “The symptom got truthful atrocious that I really thought astir taking my ain beingness connected 2 occasions. But I conscionable couldn’t bash that to my household - and alternatively I conscionable drank myself into oblivion.” 

After high-powered steroids didn’t dainty the cancer, Paddy underwent 2 operations; 1 to region his prostrate and the different to rectify humor loss. 

A mates of years later, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Paddy contracted Covid which near him chronically sick and struggling to respire successful hospital. 

Then a twelvemonth later, successful April 2022, Paddy shared connected societal media that helium had suffered a bosom attack. 

Paddy vowed to springiness up drinking intoxicant and embark connected a healthier lifestyle. 

In a video posted to his authoritative Instagram relationship past month, Paddy, who had conscionable returned from a run, said: “Everyone takes fittingness for granted...the encephalon tin bash everything but the assemblage can’t bash it. That’s what’s called getting old.

“I’ve lone ran a fewer mile, but it’s knocked the stuffing close retired of me.” 

Thelma Madine

When the gypsy girls attended dances oregon got married, determination was lone 1 formal store they went to for an outfit - Nico, owned by Thelma Madine’s, and she rapidly made a sanction for herself arsenic the Queen of over-the-top dresses. 

After the Channel 4 amusement ended, Thelma starred successful her spin-off show, Thelma’s Gypsy Girls. 

But, soon aft filming concluded, she became progressive successful a tribunal lawsuit with erstwhile caput designer, Leanne Phillips. 

Leanne claimed she was unfairly dismissed aft a shouting lucifer betwixt her and Thelma ended successful her calling Thelma a “horrible b***h”. 

Despite the row, the tribunal favoured Leanne and argued the determination to sack her had been “unreasonable” and based connected personal, not concern reasons. 

Leanne went connected to acceptable up her ain formal shop, Leanne Alexandra, and it wasn’t agelong earlier she was being sued by Thelma for “copying” 1 of her astir celebrated designs. 

Thelma besides claimed Leanne had robbed designs and asked Leanne to wage £20,000 successful damages, arsenic good arsenic £90,000 successful ineligible costs. 

Despite winning the tribunal lawsuit successful 2017, the ordeal was achy for Thelma, who adjacent compared it to her clip successful situation successful 2001 pursuing a lawsuit of payment fraud.

Since then, Thelma has kept a alternatively debased illustration until her daughter’s wedding earlier this year.

Now 73, Thelma is said to person made 3 customized wedding dresses worthy £32,000 for her daughter’s large day. 

She, alongside 22 unit members, spent implicit 300 hours making a formal for the ceremony, the evening party, and different for comfortableness aboriginal successful the evening. 

Danielle Mason & Tony Giles 

Danielle starred successful play 2 of My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding erstwhile she joined cage-fighter, Tony Giles. 

The glamour and leafage 3 exemplary is the younger sister of EastEnders histrion Jessie Wallace and is not primitively from the traveller community. 

Instead, she lived the precocious beingness jetting disconnected crossed the satellite and reportedly earning arsenic overmuch arsenic £10,000 per modelling shoot. 

Danielle met Tony successful 2010 and fell large with his kid the aforesaid year. Their narration caused a disturbance successful the assemblage arsenic they had a kid retired of wedlock - thing that is frowned upon successful traveller culture. 

As for her narration with Tony, Danielle’s prime of enactment was seemingly 1 of the main reasons wherefore their narration was tumultuous; a marriage, a split, a 2nd proposal, and past different break-up. 

Danielle told The Sun: “It was the glamour modelling that drove america isolated due to the fact that helium was rather jealous.” 

The mates had 2 children during their relationship. 

In 2021, Danielle started dating ex-convict Ben Hatchett, who had antecedently served clip successful Broadmoor Hospital, a installation that treats men detained nether the Mental Health Act and has besides been location to respective infamous criminals including Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe and London gangster, Ronnie Kray.

Ben was convicted for weapon crimes helium committed arsenic a teen and was sent to Broadmoor aft helium attempted to flight from infirmary aged 21.

He was past moved to Ashworth high-security situation and was aboriginal released successful 2020, wherever helium launched a YouTube podcast and began a vocation arsenic a bare-knuckle boxer.

As for however Danielle met Ben, it was erstwhile helium interviewed her for his podcast. Explaining wherefore she fell for him, Danielle told MailOnline: “He's passionate astir anti-knife crime. He wants to marque a affirmative quality successful the satellite and helium is precise passionate astir inspiring the younger generation.

“We got a truly beardown connection, he's caring and protective towards me. It's decidedly love.”

But their narration didn’t past long, arsenic Danielle admitted to The Sun: “It lasted for 5 months and each I tin accidental is that it was a mistake.” 

As for Danielle’s existent relationship, she is engaged to scenery gardener Lee Dopson, aft gathering him successful her section Co-op.

And she is moving arsenic a cleaning adept posting tips and tricks connected societal media, and occasionally presenting connected TV and radio. 

Josie McFayden & Swanley Smith

Irish traveller Josie McFayden was the archetypal pistillate connected the amusement to get married, aged 16. 

She celebrated an extravagant nuptial with English traveller Swanley Smith who she met lone a fewer months prior. 

And it wasn’t agelong earlier they were expecting their archetypal kid together. 

In 1 occurrence of My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, Josie was 5 months large and was talking astir what she was astir looking guardant to successful the upcoming years. 

Swanley joked: “There’s lone 1 time successful the aboriginal that I’m truly looking guardant to - divorce.” 

Unsurprisingly, their matrimony didn’t past long, arsenic 2 years aft saying ‘I do’ successful beforehand of 6.5 cardinal viewers, the mates split. 

Josie and Swanley were known for blazing rows and vicious arguments, and their separation was confirmed erstwhile Josie threatened to pain her five-stone wedding dress. 

Appearing connected This Morning soon aft her divorcement was announced, Josie, who was 18 astatine the time, addressed her fury: “No, I would ne'er pain it, my mummy and my daddy got maine that formal and that thing they didn't cognize was going to not enactment out, it's not their fault, it's not the dress's fault, it's Swanley's fault.

“At the clip I was truly aggravated with Swanley.”

If she thought she near each the play down erstwhile she divorced Swanley, she was wrong, due to the fact that successful 2019, Josie and her relatives were accused of attacking an eight-month large partially unsighted woman, Margaret Doyle, and her sister Eileen, successful a nail bar.

A tribunal heard however immoderate attackers stamped connected Margaret's caput and tummy portion 1 shouted: "Go on, footwear the babe retired of her."

Josie’s mum, Josie Doherty, her girl Barbara McFadyen, lad Isaac McFadyen and their relative Charlie Collins were besides accused of attacking the sisters.

Kingston Crown Court heard however some families were portion of the travelling assemblage and progressive successful a long-standing feud.

All 5 denied convulsive disorder.

Now, Josie shares beingness updates connected societal media, and is successful a narration according to her Facebook page, and has six children. 

Joan Furey & Patrick Ward 

Whilst Josie was the archetypal bride connected the show, Joan’s wedding was arguably the astir memorable. 

In 2009, she arrived astatine the religion successful a Cinderella-style carriage donning a formal with a whalebone corset, 7 layers of nett skirts sprinkled with hundreds of heart-shaped Swarovski crystals, and a 20ft train, to wed 22-year-old Irish traveller and part-time labourer, Patrick Ward. 

Joan vowed to ne'er divorcement her groom, but 1 twelvemonth later, Joan and Patrick divided erstwhile she was 8 months pregnant.

According to Joan, Patrick was “controlling and jealous”. 

Looking back, Joan told the Mail successful 2012 that “the wedding should not person gone ahead” and admitted she “didn’t emotion Patrick”. 

She said she “had doubts during the six months of our engagement”, which she claims was “evident connected the show”. 

“I thought I loved him, but…I conscionable convinced myself due to the fact that helium loved maine truthful obsessively and had pursued maine truthful persistently. I thought anyone who loves you that overmuch has to beryllium worthy a chance, but helium was not the bully lad I thought helium was. He turned into thing else, thing nasty, jealous and controlling.” 

As for however Joan met Patrick, they were introduced to each different astatine a ceremonial successful Ireland successful 2006. She said helium was “persistent” and “followed [her] astir each night”, which she “was flattered” by. 

Joan was “wooed” by Patrick implicit 3 years, but whenever they were together, they were ever chaperoned. 

Then Patrick projected to Joan implicit the phone, earlier travelling to Manchester to inquire her manus successful matrimony successful person. Joan’s begetter had already agreed to the proposal. 

But, unbeknown to My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding viewers, Joan had called the wedding disconnected 5 weeks earlier the day, lone to beryllium talked astir by Patrick.

Joan added that if she “broke disconnected the engagement”, it would’ve caused a “huge scandal” arsenic “no gypsy pistillate ever does that”. 

To adhd to this, the wedding preparations and readying had been filmed for weeks, and she felt that she would “not lone beryllium humiliated wrong [her] assemblage but besides connected nationalist television”. 

After splitting up with Patrick, she believes helium returned location to Ireland and got joined to different young traveller bride. She besides believes helium is unaware that their lad is named Roman. 

Cheyenne Pidgeley & John McFadyen

Cheyenne Pidgeley, was conscionable 14 erstwhile she archetypal appeared connected the show, successful a precise arguable scene. The traveller, from Hersham, Surrey, was held up against a partition by 17-year-old John McFadyen, who attempted to buss her, successful a contented that is known successful the Traveller assemblage arsenic ‘grabbing’.

"I'm lasting retired here, helium got a clasp of me, pushed maine up the road, helium was trying to get a buss disconnected me, and it's called grabbing," Cheyenne explained connected the show. "It's not bully astatine all, but you conscionable person to unrecorded with it, and support trying to get him disconnected you. That's astir it, that's each you tin do."

The courting method shocked viewers, but the mates dated for a fewer months and past Cheyenne accepted John's proposal. 

In March 2012, the brace got joined successful St Peter's Church successful Hersham. 

Cheyenne was dressed successful an extravagant achromatic lace and crystal formal truthful wide that she struggled to compression done the beforehand doorway of her household bungalow. 

As with each traveller weddings, guests dressed to the nines, with 1 spotted decorating her physics ankle tag with pinkish integrative gemstones.

Despite the wedding being a blessed juncture for the full community, Cheyenne’s mother, who had died of crab a fewer months prior, was sorely missed. The mates honoured her by putting her photograph connected the beforehand of the Order of Service for the ceremony.

In 2018, Cheyenne and John’s narration was enactment to the trial erstwhile John, past 24, was sentenced to 2 years and 8 months successful situation for conspiracy to rob, aft helium and his brother, Isaac, threatened to instrumentality a toddler from his parent successful a bungled robbery. 

As for wherever the mates are now, judging by Cheyenne’s societal media accounts, the mates are inactive together, and they person 3 daughters and a son. They besides look to unrecorded successful a house, alternatively than a accepted trailer connected a caravan park. 

Sam Norton & Pat Lee

17-year-old Sam, a non-traveller, joined 20-year-old Pat successful 2011, and fans of the amusement volition retrieve her for her 20-stone pinkish formal which was covered successful butterflies and fairy lights, which were illuminated for her archetypal dance. 

Sam had known Pat since puerility and described him arsenic her “best mate” increasing up. But contempt this, Pat faced disapproval for not choosing a miss from the traveller assemblage to marry. 

To wed Pat, Sam had to springiness up the beingness she was acquainted with, and immerse herself successful the traveller culture. 

During an interrogation with The Mirror, Sam spoke astir her caller beingness successful a caravan: “I bask it much than I did being successful a house.” 

She referenced the assemblage and however if you’re unwell, idiosyncratic comes and “sees if you’re each right” and volition assistance with cooking and cleaning. 

“If you were successful a house, your neighbours wouldn't travel successful and bash that for you, would they? Here they volition store and instrumentality attraction of you – conscionable similar your mum would,” she added. 

Sam discontinue her occupation erstwhile she joined Pat and became a homemaker, cleaning the floors of their location up to 7 times a time to guarantee they’re spotless.

She besides explained the respect she’s gained being a joined woman. 

“[The lads] don’t travel into trailers. If immoderate of the lads travel to talk to Pat, they volition basal successful the doorway, adjacent if they chat for a agelong clip they won't travel in. 

“Even nights retired to the pub are different, adding that the men and women volition often portion successful antithetic boozers and beryllium separately if they are successful the aforesaid one.” 

Shortly aft marrying connected the TV show, the brace became insignificant celebs, making their red-carpet debut astatine the BAFTA TV Awards nominee's party, wherever they announced they were expecting their archetypal child. 

Sam revealed she had already been successful interaction with Thelma - who designed her wedding formal - astir making a christening outfit for the baby.