16 December 2023 , 17:00
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Late Big Brother star Jade Goody would be 'the most proud person in the world' of her son Bobby Brazier on Strictly Come Dancing, his dad Jeff Brazier has said.
EastEnders actor and model Bobby, 20, has made it to the final of the BBC competition with his professional dance partner Dianne Buswell, alongside Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin, and Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola. The three finalists will take to the dancefloor for the last time tonight and the Glitterball Trophy winner will be crowned.
Bobby has been a fan favourite on the show, with many viewers remembering his late mum Jade, whose harrowing cervical cancer battle moved the nation when the illness took her life in 2009. Jeff, the father of her sons, has shared how 'amazing' it is that Bobby is such a 'shining light' after everything he's endured.
Jeff Brazier is the father of Jade's sons and has shared how immensely proud she'd be of Bobby (PA)
Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell are in the final of Strictly Come Dancing tonight (BBC/Ray Burmiston)Speaking to The Mirror earlier this month, dad-of-two Jeff shared his pride in his eldest son's achievements and what Jade would be feeling if she were around to watch Bobby on the dancefloor. "It all came together [for Bobby] reasonably early in his young adult life and as a result, he's gone on to do things that make us all proud," he said. "We know what he's faced and endured, and the fact that he is still such a shining light is amazing. He's making everybody proud and obviously, the most proud person in the world would've been his mum."
Earlier in the competition, Bobby and Dianne performed an emotional routine in tribute to his 'superhero' mum for Couple's Choice week. It was a decision that Jeff had no involvement in and praises Bobby for having the courage to do so. "Grief is a very personal experience and I've always made sure they [Bobby and brother Freddie] grieve in a way that's natural. I don't push things onto them or set any expectations. The routine came about because it was what Bobby wanted to do. He felt ready to do it," Jeff explained.
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Jeff explained that he's fulfilled Jade's final wish for her sons to be 'healthy and happy' 15 years after her death (Instagram/jeffbrazier)The dad-of-two continued: "He's been on the show for a little while so no doubt felt comfortable with everyone around. It would have required some trust in the people making the VT. He was sharing his vulnerability and loss with the nation effectively, so he would've wanted it to be represented in a way that felt right." Praising the Strictly team behind the cameras, he added: "I think that's a credit to production for being so wonderful. It's like one big family and I know they've made him feel really comfortable, so I think that's why it happened. Otherwise, he might not have done it because he doesn't like to speak publicly about particularly personal things."
When Jade died aged 27, her final wish was that her sons would be looked after, and she left a £3million trust fund to pay for their private schooling to provide them with opportunities she didn't have. "One of her biggest wishes was for her kids to be healthy and happy," Jeff explained. "So the fact that 15 years on, they're all in one piece, I think I've fulfilled her wish." Jeff made sure to protect Bobby and Freddie from the media frenzy during their early years of grief, and said it was the "most natural decision" he could have made to keep them out of the public eye. Bobby has naturally found his way back into the spotlight and watching him grow makes Jeff beam with pride.
- Strictly Come Dancing: The Final will air live on Saturday, December 16, at 7pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Jeff Brazier and son Freddie appear in a new Christmas-ad style video to launch a board game by Natwest aimed at raising awareness of common scams. 'All Mod Cons' will be available to play in select branches from December 1 so visit the website to see if your local branch is taking part.