09 December 2023 , 11:17
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Strictly Come Dancing star Bobby Brazier has been setting the dancefloor on fire the last few weeks with his twinkle toes, however, there has been one notable family member absent from the crowd cheering him on. His late mum Jade Goody’s mother, Jackiey Budden, 66.
Her absence is rumoured to be down to the long-running feud with the EastEnders actor’s father Jeff Brazier, 44, who has been allowed into the BBC studios to see his son compete every week.
Friends and family of Bobby, 20, will no doubt be in the audience to support him during Semi-Final week as he dances alongside partner Dianne Buswell, 34 . However, reports claim his grandmother Jackiey Budden isn't 'allowed' to watch Bobby perform while being seated in the crowd - even if he gets to the final.
The 'feud' between Jeff and Jade Goody's mum, Jackiey Budden, has been bubbling for a long time. Earlier this year it appeared to blow up again when Bobby won the Rising Star award at the National Television Awards, leaving his dad and viewers emotional with his heartfelt acceptance speech.
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However, Jackiey reportedly overshadowed this moment by criticising Jeff at the ceremony. She is said to have attended the event without letting them know and was overheard saying: "I'm so proud of him [Bobby]. He's incredible. They didn't know I was there. I didn't allow them to know I was there. I didn't want to see their dad. He's a c**k. But I'm going to wait until they're older before I let rip."
Discussing her comments at the awards show, Jackiey recently said: “When I came out for the NTA Awards, I'm loud and it's the drink and someone went 'oh I bet you're really proud' and 'how do you get on with Jeff Brazier' and I said 'he's a c**k'. Next minute I'm on the internet and all over the papers. As I came out of the O2, someone overheard me say it, so they sold the story.”
And when asked about if she had indeed said it, Jackiey fumed: “Of course I said it. I haven't got a problem with (calling Jeff that). He's been a c**k for f****** nine years. Bobby doesn't need that stress on his head. He's my grandson.”
Jackiey Budden, Jade Goody's mum, has been vocal about her feelings for Jeff (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)The feud between Jeff and Jackiey seems to stem from a difficult relationship. In 2012, Jeff shared with HuffPost that his late ex's mother made him feel like he was a "mean parent".
He explained that there were numerous "pitfalls and stumbling blocks" in trying to maintain an amicable relationship after a separation, especially with kids involved. For Jeff, he claimed Jackiey spoiled his sons with 'unsuitable' purchases that he had to 'confiscate' as a result. According to Jeff, Jade's mum bought Bobby and Freddie, who were both under 10 at the time, items including a hamster and mobile phone without consulting him first.
He said: "Late nights and excessive amounts of sugar are a grandparents prerogative and were the least of my concerns. I got a phone call from an excitable Freddy telling me he was now the proud owner of a hamster! Great, I feel I have more responsibility than I really know what to do with as it is, let alone introducing a pet into the equation. As I explained to Jackiey, it would have been nice to have been asked because now I've been put into a position where I have to be the mean parent who says no and ruins the fun.
He continued: "This happened before with mobile phones. Yep, a year ago she got them a phone each so she could have direct contact with them both and I don't remember being asked if I minded on that occasion either. I understand she wants direct contact but they are just too young to be carrying these things around responsibly so we keep them to the house. I can't fault Jackiey when she's got the boys, I just wish we could work together a little better."
Jeff has brought up Bobby and Freddie on his own since their mum Jade Goody died in 2009 (Instagram/jeffbrazier)Jeff previously appeared on This Morning and spoke about the rocky relationship with his mother-in-law, Jackiey Budden. He said: "It has ended very well, but five years ago she went off on her own path and it wasn't quite right to have that contact and she made it quite difficult because she went to Tenerife. But as she settled in herself, the boys kept a lot of contact with her and at the moment she's very helpful and very prominent in their lives."
He also emphasised the importance of his sons, Bobby and Freddie, maintaining a relationship with their maternal grandmother. Jack stated: "I would never want to stop" them from seeing Jackiey, as she is the "last blood link to their mum". He added: "I think the most important thing in these circumstances is for children to have a sense of where they come from. They were so young when it happened and I don't want them to lose that or forget that."
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However, he didn't hold back his feelings about Jackiey after the release of Channel 4's documentary, Jade: The Reality Star Who Changed Britain, which chronicled the life of the former Big Brother contestant who tragically died from cervical cancer in 2009 at the age of 27.
Big Brother star Jade Goody died in 2009 aged 27 (Getty Images)Jeff was interviewed for the show because he didn't want his sons to one day watch it and see he hadn't got involved. Speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival in 2019, he explained: "I agreed because I thought it would be better when [Bobby and Freddie] watched that they saw me giving some positive, really glowing remarks about their mum, as opposed to being an absence." He went on to share that a producer told him that it could either be his own words or Jackiey's words on his behalf. He added: "That definitely got me in. Nobody wants to be represented by Jackiey."
Two years later, Bobby revealed on social media that he had reconnected with Jackiey after years apart. Asked by a follower online if he still saw his Nan, said that his biggest goal in life was to have a christmas-dinner>Christmas dinner surrounded by his family - including 'both his grandmothers'.
Elaborating on their relationship, Bobby said: "Yeah. I didn't see her for ages for way too long. But I went to see her twice recently and honestly if there's one woman you shouldn't underestimate it's my nan. Honestly, she's like a wizard! It's nuts."
Jeff has been watching in the audience with his wife Kate (Instagram/jeffbrazier)In 2022, Bobby was spotted with his grandmother and Jack Tweed, Jade Goody's widower, participating in a charity walk in honour of Jade. They gathered in Buckhurst Hill, Essex to raise funds for The Trust for Complementary Cancer Rehabilitation, which supports cervical cancer patients.
Despite being estranged for several years, Jackiey has always spoken highly of Jack. She once told the Mirror: "He is the only man who never took anything off of her. He always took her on holiday, he's always taken the kids on holiday. Jack doesn't do it for the wonga. Everyone used to think Jack used to be with Jade for money but it's not true."
Jack Tweed, Jade Goody's widower, has also given his take on the situation, telling MailOnline: “Jade would not want that. She would just want peace for everybody. That is what is important.”
Celebrity-turned-electrician, Jack, 36, enjoys a much healthier relationship with Jeff, Bobby and Freddie, 19, revealing that he knows Jade, who he was in a relationship with until she died in 2009, aged 27, would be “immensely proud” of her sons.
He added that he thinks Bobby is “absolutely amazing” on the show and that he sees a lot of Jade in him. He gushed: “He has fantastic stage presence and lights up the room and the television when he is on. He has that unique and cheeky personality that Jade had. He's smashing it and I am very proud of him.”