Social media influencer and WAG Taylor Ward has assured her followers that the recent missile strikes and suicide drone incidents in the Middle East, which persisted for five days, are now “a thing of the past,” allowing Dubai’s celebrity scene to continue its opulent lifestyle without disruption.
Taylor relocated to the Saudi Arabian port city of Jeddah in 2023 following her husband Riyad Mahrez’s high-profile £30 million transfer from Manchester City to the Saudi Pro League team Al-Ahli.
The couple, along with their two young children, now divide their time between a sprawling mansion in Jeddah and Dubai, where Taylor’s mother, Dawn Ward, known for her role in Real Housewives of Cheshire, resides.
On Wednesday morning, Taylor shared a series of Instagram Stories from Dubai, apologizing for her recent “radio silence” and expressing optimism by saying it’s “onwards and upwards.”
While applying her morning skincare routine, the blonde influencer addressed her three million followers: “I think everyone has seen the news about what’s been happening in Dubai, so I won’t bore you by repeating it all.”
“For those who are here, it was obviously a frightening situation. However, I am confident that it’s all behind us now, and we can move forward with our lives. So, onwards and upwards,” she added.
Social media influencer and WAG Taylor Ward has insisted the missile strikes and suicide drones which have rocked the Middle East for five days ‘are in the past now’
Taylor moved to the Saudi Arabian port city of Jeddah in 2023 when her then-Manchester City star husband Riyad Mahrez booked a lucrative £30m move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli
Parroting the likes of fellow Influencer expats Petra Ecclestone and Lusia Zissman, Taylor insisted that despite messages from fans asking if she planned to move back from the Middle East ‘I feel like it’s had the opposite effect.’
‘If anything it’s actually restored my trust in the government here and how amazing they are at keeping their people safe and looking after everyone.’
‘The fact that what happened happened and they only managed to have such minor injuries and fatalities. I’m just hoping that’s all in the past now.’
The Influencer, who earns an estimated $9,000 per month from her Instagram account, then launched into her review for a skincare gadget as she continued with her Get Ready With Me video.
Taylor, who was born and raised in Manchester, was vocally against her family’s move to Jeddah when her husband broke the news of his new contract three years ago.
She was seen breaking down in tears in front of cameras during the first season of Amazon Prime’s Married To The Game, a reality show centred around the lives of women married to Premier League footballers, as she packed up her life in Manchester.
But like thousands of other Dubai-based social media stars, Taylor is now doing her bit for the information war, sending out the message that the city is ‘in one of the safest places in the world’.
This comes despite the area being the target of missile strikes and suicide drones for the third day running, which the defence team are working to intercept.
Others like Love Island star Arabella Chi have been busy publishing evidence of life going on, with a date night at a Dubai sushi restaurant.
Posting from Dubai on Wednesday morning, Taylor uploaded a series of Instagram Stories apologising for her ‘radio silence’ this week as she gushed it’s ‘onwards and upwards’
The Daily Mail has learned that behind the glitzy, public relations messages of solidarity lies a different reality and the hard-line regime would not hesitate to imprison or deport anyone whose output was judged ‘harmful’ to the reputation of the UAE.
The government has even cracked down on those reposting genuine footage of the first of the attacks on Saturday, which included drones or debris causing damage at the five-star Fairmont Hotel on the Palm Jumeirah and the iconic sail-shaped Dubai hotel Burj Al Arab in flames.
The Dubai Media Office announced within a few hours of the first strikes that ‘outdated images of past fire incidents’ in Dubai were being spread to stoke fear among the city’s residents and thereby garner clicks.
‘Legal action will be taken against those who publish or republish such content in violation of UAE law,’ the post read.
One influencer, insisting on anonymity, told the Mail: ‘Influencers are terrified of speaking out against the Dubai government.
‘They believe it’s a huge risk to voice their fears or reveal what’s really happening and are worried they could be deported or lose their homes.
‘British citizens can be deported, lose their jobs, or even face arrest for stepping out of line.
‘Influencers and celebrities in particular have been instructed to present a rose-tinted image of Dubai on social media, acting as though everything is normal. They’ve been strictly warned not to scaremonger on platforms with massive followings.
‘The government wants the impression that life is continuing as usual – and any suggestion otherwise is treated as a serious offence.’
In a briefing on Tuesday by Brigadier General Abdulnasir Al-Humaidi, the official figures for the missile and drone strikes since the Iranian attack began were released.
Of 186 ballistic missiles launched, only one landed on UAE territory, with 172 intercepted and destroyed, and 13 falling into the sea, the General said.
The UAE government has cracked down on anyone reposting genuine footage of the first of the attacks on Saturday, which included drones or debris causing damage at the five-star Fairmont Hotel on the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai
Vicky Pattison (pictured in Dubai) has claimed the city is still ‘one of the safest places in the world’ – as the Daily Mail has learned that behind the glitzy, public relations messages lies a more menacing reality
The defence against drones was less effective, with 57 of them getting through, out of 812 launched.
Gen Al-Humaidi spoke of 3 people killed (whose identities have never been released) and 68 others with ‘minor injuries’, none of whom have featured in the media.
As for the buildings and infrastructure, only ‘mild’ damage was caused, he said.
Former Geordie Shore star Vicky Pattinson, currently holidaying in Dubai, was clearly following the official line when she told her followers that the portrayal of ‘Dubai being bombed’ was ‘hyperbolic’ and insisted that any damage was caused by falling debris.
She added: ‘Currently what we’ve been advised through government channels is that they are intercepting missiles competently and efficiently and what has subsequently caused damage and tragically harm is falling debris.’
Luisa Zissman has said she was forced to retreat to her basement in Dubai after hearing four massive explosions while out at the park with her children
Petra Ecclestone told her followers: ‘This is what safety feels like. This is what resilience looks like. This is UAE’
British model and influencer Petra Ecclestone seemed to depart from the official script when she told her followers: ‘We came to Dubai to feel safe, and we finally felt like we were settling in, and now this has happened.’
But she posted in her Instagram stories: ‘This is what safety feels like. This is what resilience looks like. This is UAE.’
She added: ‘Covid. Floods. Missiles. Every time, the same story told differently, the world watching, waiting for Dubai to break. Every time, the same answer. It didn’t.’
Former Apprentice star Luisa Zissman similarly described Dubai as ‘the safest country in the world.’
