I don't remember my parents together, ever: my father was much older, and really only interested in collecting magazines and bathroom suites; we were the only family in the area to have a bathroom suite on the lawn.

While Yates was fighting for custody of Tiger it was reported in the media that Jess Yates had not been Yates's natural father. Yates also wrote that Bob Geldof had threatened them repeatedly with "Don't forget I am above the law". Until late in her life Yates believed her father to be Jess Yates who was known as "the Bishop" and hosted the ITV religious programme Stars On Sunday Yates and Smith were married from 1958 to 1975; Yates was 16 years older than his wife and their marriage was unconventional.