Jeff Brazier reveals tradition of visiting Jade Goody’s grave with their sons on Christmas morning

Jeff Brazier has revealed that he takes his sons to visit their late mother Jade Goody’s grave at Christmas

Speaking to Woman’s Own, Jeff, 41, told of how he takes the boys – Bobby, 17, and Freddie, 16 – on Christmas morning to remember Jade – who died of cervical cancer 11 years ago.

‘We make the day about her, ultimately,’ he said. ‘After a couple of years, I recognised that if we didn’t speak about Mum and do something for Mum at the beginning of the day, then the day didn’t really go as well as a result.

‘So we always visit her grave first thing on Christmas morning.’

Speaking on Loose Women earlier this month, Jeff talked about promoting mental health at Christmas, with conversation turning to Jade’s untimely death at the young age of 27.

Jeff has become an advocate for mental health and grief survival, even releasing the book The Grief Survival Guide: How to Navigate Loss and All that Comes With It in 2017.

During his appearance on the show, he revealed he encourages his boys to seek therapy as he said: ‘For me to do that work and for the children to have that support. When children are teenagers, they’re less likely to come to you.’

Pained: Jeff Brazier has discussed how he coped after his ex-girlfriend Jade Goody's death and how he helps their two sons with grief

Pained: Jeff Brazier has discussed how he coped after his ex-girlfriend Jade Goody’s death and how he helps their two sons with grief

Jade sent shockwaves around the world in 2008 when she was informed live on Indian Big Brother, Bigg Boss, that she was suffering with Cervical Cancer, before she discovered the following year that she was terminal. 

She then passed away in March, one month after marrying Jack Tweed. She is survived by her boys, who Jeff has guided through both his and their heartache.  

As Loose Woman Stacey Solomon admitted she was awestruck by his ability to cope, something Jeff agreed with, while also speaking about how he would advise people to deal with mental health and grief in the pandemic. 

He said: ‘I gave a great impression that I did. That gets you so far and I’m proud of how well I did. The biggest lesson you can learn is you’re not meant to have all the answers. It’s good you show them an example to express themselves freely…

Amazed: As Loose Woman Stacey Solomon admitted she was awestruck by his ability to cope, something Jeff agreed with, while also speaking about how he would advise people to deal with mental health and grief in the pandemic

Amazed: As Loose Woman Stacey Solomon admitted she was awestruck by his ability to cope, something Jeff agreed with, while also speaking about how he would advise people to deal with mental health and grief in the pandemic

Sad: Jade passed away in March, one month after marrying Jack Tweed (pictured at their wedding with her sons)

Sad: Jade passed away in March, one month after marrying Jack Tweed (pictured at their wedding with her sons)

‘A lot of people, their coping strategy is to suppress. We’re in a pandemic and death is all around us. We’re having it presented as statistical data….

‘When this is all done, I think we should go back and have some national memorial. People who’ve died recently have had far fewer people attending their funerals and it’s not fair.’

On mental health at Christmas, he said: ‘It’s the day of the year it’s most obvious that the person isn’t there. I learned early on when the boys lost their mum to have her at the top of the priority list…

Careful: On mental health at Christmas, he said: 'It's the day of the year it’s most obvious that the person isn’t there. I learned early on when the boys lost their mum to have her at the top of the priority list' (Jeff pictured with the boys in 2009)

Careful: On mental health at Christmas, he said: ‘It’s the day of the year it’s most obvious that the person isn’t there. I learned early on when the boys lost their mum to have her at the top of the priority list’ (Jeff pictured with the boys in 2009)

‘There’s a lot of people who probably try to just get through the day. Just make sure you pay your respects early and then you grant yourself the ability to enjoy the rest of the day’.

Stacey then asked: ‘How do you talk about it with the boys?, to which Jeff responded: ‘When you have teenagers, hormonally, they’re not going to open up about anything let alone that particular subject….

‘That took a lot of pressure of, by recognising that. As parents, you’re handing the baton over to the children. You and I were on The X Factor tour Stace and it was a crazy time. 

Tough: Stacey then asked: 'How do you talk about it with the boys?, to which Jeff responded: 'When you have teenagers, hormonally, they’re not going to open up about anything let alone that particular subject'

Tough: Stacey then asked: ‘How do you talk about it with the boys?, to which Jeff responded: ‘When you have teenagers, hormonally, they’re not going to open up about anything let alone that particular subject’