Rio Ferdinand gives update on 'scary' Dubai lockdown as city faces barrage of Iranian missiles
The former England ace has said he and his young family were forced to shelter in their basement amid the attacks
Manchester United and England legend Rio Ferdinand has spoken out about being locked down in his Dubai home as missile strikes rock the Middle East.
Listen to this article
Ferdinand, 47, and his wife Kate moved their young family to the UAE in August last year.
Dubai has faced attacks from Iran in the wake of the US-Israeli strikes on the rogue nation.
The Ferdinands' children, Shae, two, and Cree, five, as well as Rio's daughter Tia, 14, were forced to shelter in their basement due to the barrage, Kate revealed on Instagram in recent days.
Speaking on his football podcast, Rio said: "Been a different week for me, not going to lie".
Read More: Sunbathers flee for their lives in Dubai as fresh Iranian explosions rock the region
He added: "Firstly, I'm in great condition this morning as the whole family did a workout. A bit like in Covid, the whole family is doing things we wouldn't usually be doing together.
"Home-schooling a bit today. It's frightening when you hear missiles, planes and fighter jets - I don't know what it is - going above us, and you're hearing big bombs, and what that is we don't know as we don't know the details of what they are.
"It's telling your kids what it is and helping them navigate through this moment, which is important, especially as the dad of the house. You want to try and remain calm and keep everybody as calm as possible.
"I've got to be honest guys, it's been a bit of a scary situation but at the same time weirdly enough I've felt very secure and looked after. My studio has become my bunker.
"We were advised to go into the basement on the first night of all the noise started and we were down here sleeping with duvets and stuff. We are utilising the space wisely."
Rio's former reality star wife Kate took to Instagram on Sunday to give an update on her family's situation in the United Arab Emirates.
She wrote: Thank you for all of your messages and sorry for the silence, I haven't wanted to worry you all I just haven't been able to find the words. We are safe.
"The government are doing an amazing job of keeping it that way and despite my nerves I feel we are in very safe hands.
"We are hoping for a calmer evening tonight, last night was very scary. Although Cree and Shae loved it as they couldn't believe we all got a sleepover in the basement.
"Thank you for all of your prayers, this whole experience is very eye-opening and I am praying for anyone affected. Lots of love to everyone."
Speaking to LBC's Tom Swarbrick shortly after his family's move to the Gulf, Rio said his relocation came down to the tax policies in Britain and poor quality of public services.
He said he loves his country but questioned the high rate of taxes which have been brought about in recent years.
Rio told Tom if services such as the NHS were "working perfectly well" then people "don't mind" paying tax.
"But when there's things that are falling apart and going wrong in the country, then I sit there and go, we pay towards tax and is it really going towards the things that are actually benefiting the people that live here?" Ferdinand said.
"And that's the big question that needs answering. I think a lot of us know the answer to that," he added.