Peter Andre apologises for letting daughter swim with dolphins in captivity after PETA slams star

‘I don’t get everything right’: Peter Andre vows ‘not to make the same mistake twice’ after backlash from PETA for letting daughter Princess swim with dolphins in captivity


Peter Andre has continued to apologise for letting daughter Princess swim with dolphins in captivity after coming under fire from animal rights activists PETA.

The Mysterious Girl singer, 48, posted a video featuring the 13-year-old daughter he shares with ex-wife Katie Price, 43, on holiday in Portugal on YouTube earlier this month.

The reality star was then contacted by PETA after he shared the video, who educated him in the ‘damage done to dolphins in captivity’.

Apology: Peter Andre, 48, has apologised for letting daughter Princess, 13, swim with dolphins in captivity on holiday in Portugal after he was criticsed by animal rights organisation PETA

The one-time pop star wrote in his new! magazine column: ‘It was a case of Peter vs PETA recently after I revealed I had edited footage of Princess swimming with dolphins in Portugal when I was contacted by them.

‘The animal rights group weren’t necessarily having a go – just trying to get the point across about what goes on with dolphins in captivity. Initially, I just thought, “wouldn’t this be a brilliant experience for my daughter as it’s her dream?”‘

He added that the organisation sent him a letter explaining what happens to dolphins who do not live in the wild.

Holidays: The Mysterious Girl singer posted a video featuring Princess (pictured with brother Junior) on holiday in Portugal on YouTube earlier this month

Holidays: The Mysterious Girl singer posted a video featuring Princess (pictured with brother Junior) on holiday in Portugal on YouTube earlier this month

Peter added that people have the option to look away or become educated and make others aware, which he has chosen to do.

The Australian star concluded: ‘At the end of the day, we’re always learning and I’m not going to get everything right every time. I’ll make sure I’ll continue to make mistakes, but I’ll try not to make the same ones twice.’

Peter first apologised for the incident last week and said he would replace his original video, a thumbnail attached featuring Princess and the dolphins and any previous posts about swimming with dolphins.

Emotional: In the clip, Princess gasped and burst into tears of shock before Peter gave her a hug after he told her she was going to realise her dream of swimming with dolphins

Emotional: In the clip, Princess gasped and burst into tears of shock before Peter gave her a hug after he told her she was going to realise her dream of swimming with dolphins

Captive: Peter said people have the option to look away or become educated about the damage done to dolphins in captivity, and to make others aware which he has chosen to do

Captive: Peter said people have the option to look away or become educated about the damage done to dolphins in captivity, and to make others aware which he has chosen to do

He told his 1.7million Instagram followers: ‘I wasn’t aware of what I was about to read and I’m sure millions of other people wouldn’t be either.’

In the video, now viewed more than 330,000 times, he said: ‘We’re going to re-edit the video and remove the thumbnail so you don’t have to see dolphins in captivity.

‘What you will see is the dolphins swimming in the wild, which is beautiful.’  

PETA responded to the video, saying: ‘Once we know better, we can do better.

‘Thank you for your honesty and your openness to being educated about these facilities. We’re so grateful to you for helping to spread the word.’

Change of heart: Peter first apologised for the incident last week and said he would replace his original video featuring Princess swimming with the dolphins

Change of heart: Peter first apologised for the incident last week and said he would replace his original video featuring Princess swimming with the dolphins

Peter shares Princess, and older brother Junior, who turned 16 this week, with ex Katie Price.  

Peter gave fans an insight into his family life while on holiday in Portugal after he took his children away during the half term break.

He shared the moment he told Princess she would be swimming with dolphins online, telling his subscribers: ‘My lovely daughter Princess has always dreamed of swimming with dolphins and I was supposed to do it for her birthday last year but it didn’t happen because of lockdown and everything. 

‘So I’ve brought her here today and she has no idea that she is going to meet a dolphin face to face.’

Princess then gasped and burst into tears of shock before he gave her a hug.

She was later seen swimming in the pool with the creatures.

New clip: Later, Peter changed the thumbnail - which had featured Princess and the dolphins, with one of himself and his wife Emily instead

New clip: Later, Peter changed the thumbnail – which had featured Princess and the dolphins, with one of himself and his wife Emily instead