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Freddie Brazier has opened up about the loss of his mother Jade Goody, revealing he has no memories of her.
Appearing alongside his father Jeff Brazier, on BBC’s Celebrity Race Across the World, the 19-year-old fought back tears as he reflected on the death.
The Bafta award-winning series, which fans have dubbed “the best show on TV” for its moving storylines addressing real issues, follows four celebrities as they compete to make their way across countries without the aid of transport, smartphones and bank cards.
Instead, they will have to rely on their own wits, skills, and cunning to make it to the other side.
In a moving moment with Jeff on the anniversary of Goody’s death, Freddie said, “I lost my mum when I was four and that was on Mother’s Day, which is really hard. I don’t really like showing my emotions. I don’t even speak to my dad much about my mum either. I just avoid it. I prefer to bottle it up.”
He continued, “I don’t want to feel like I’m a burden to them. A lot of my memories that I have of my mum have come from watching a documentary, YouTube clips, newspapers, they are not my memories.”
Goody died on Mother’s Day in March 2009, after suffering from cervical cancer. Freddie was just four-years-old at the time.
Her diagnosis led to a national campaign for women and girls to be screened for the illness earlier, and changed the way the country tackled the issue. The TV personality who shot to fame on Big Brother, was 27-years-old when she was diagnosed, by which point the condition was terminal.
“I don’t really remember being held by my mum. If I had more memories of her, it would have made it a whole lot harder for me,” Freddie continued.
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“But I think I would rather that than not really remember the things that I had done with my mum. It’s just life really and I’ve kind of accepted that.”
Starting their journey in Belém, Northern Brazil – the gateway to the Amazon – the Braziers will pass through five checkpoints across the entire length of South America to finish in the Andes, Frutillar in Southern Chile.
As father and son headed to a scenic spot in Salvador to honour Goody, Freddie suggested, “Maybe Mum’s pushing us in the direction of where we need to go.”
Jeff shot to fame after appearing on Shipwrecked in 2001. Since then, he’s remained famous for his cheeky personality, appearing on shows such as I’m A Celeb, This Morning, and Finders Keepers. He has two children with the late Jade Goody; Freddie, who will be joining him on the show, and Bobby Brazier who recently finished as runner-up on Strictly Come Dancing.
