The TV presenter has shared an update on his life after splitting from his wife after seven years of marriage and a rather awkward moment on Loose Women went viral
From family rows to looming separations, the past year has proved a turbulent journey for Jeff Brazier and his sons. When Jade Goody heartbreakingly passed away from cervical cancer at just 27, her former partner Jeff faced the agonising task of telling their two boys – five-year-old Bobby and four-year-old Freddy at the time.
Since that crushing moment, he’s shouldered the responsibility of being both mother and father to his children, thrust into solo parenting with an overwhelming determination to preserve their mum’s legacy. In the final days before Jade’s passing, the former pair poignantly penned a story for their sons explaining how she would transform into a star in the heavens that they could always glimpse.
“She didn’t want to tell them, but she knew she had to do it because she wanted them to know the truth. The thought of that always reduces me to tears. Our poor boys, poor Jade,” Jeff said. Sixteen years later, the tight-knit family unit that Jeff has battled so fiercely to safeguard seems to be crumbling.
The television personality parted ways with spouse Kate Dwyer for the second time, earlier this year. Sources suggest that PR expert Kate, 35, departed their family home two months ago, with Jeff announcing on social media that their relationship had reached its end. In November, Jeff, 46, wrote: “‘I’m so full of love and gratitude for Kate. For all we achieved, for how much we grew, for everything we endured. We separated in the summer and kept it private for as long as we could to give us some time to adjust. We both deserve complete happiness and we’re upset that we ultimately couldn’t be that for one another and It felt time to let it go.” Ahead of announcing the split, he appeared on GMB without his wedding ring, whilst Kate reportedly also removed hers following a trip to Las Vegas for the Grand Prix. The pair had previously separated in 2022 before getting back together seven months down the line.
Kate has reportedly returned to her Hackney flat, according to The Sun. A source said: “It’s been an incredibly stressful year for all of them. It’s been one thing after another. The pressure they’re under has exposed the weaknesses in their marriage and it’s become too much. Kate has told friends she’s had enough. She left three weeks ago and is now living in an apartment in London.”
Discussing his fresh living arrangements, Jeff explained he’d finally chosen to branch out and prioritise his own needs. “After three years in the commuter belt to make things easy for everyone else, it was when I ultimately became a storage facility that I realised it was time to suit myself and open fields make me happy,” he penned.
It comes after Jeff left Loose Women viewers open-mouthed after appearing to take a swipe at show host, Ruth Langsford.
In a very awkward exchange, Jeff went viral after taking time during the live TV show to criticise Ruth for ‘eating into his screen time’ as he presented the competition segment on the ITV show.
Just moments after telling Ruth she looked gorgeous in her outfit, Jeff told the mum-of-one she was ‘taking up his time’ on air after she replied, briefly, to his compliment. Ruth looked stunned after Jeff’s retort, but simply said: “Whatever” before adding: “Your wish is my command.”
Insiders have since claimed while Ruth did not want to make a complaint about the comment, Jeff was given a talking to about the on-screen incident.
A Loose Women source told The Sun: “Jeff’s cross words came out of nowhere and really took Ruth aback. He was spoken to by bosses who understand he’s dealing with a lot of stress at the moment, but warned there’s no excuse for taking it out on Ruth.”
On Sunday, Jeff shared a behind the scenes set of photos following his trip to the Caribbean Island of Saint Kitts for ITV, writing: “Just had the perfect week in St Kitts thanks to @stkittstourism Celebrating the sunshine and time to reflect on life & work while spending time with the team filming for one of our big @itvwin January competitions.”
Earlier this year, Jeff had initiated court proceedings to prevent Freddy, who is set to become a father soon, from visiting his maternal grandmother, Jackiey Budden, in a bid to ‘keep him safe’ – though this has since been abandoned.
The acrimonious dispute erupted into the public arena when Jackiey delivered a scathing interview attacking Jeff, even asserting that she’s the “closest thing” the boys have “to a mum”. In a crushing blow, Freddy echoed these sentiments, stating in an interview that he ‘doesn’t want to see’ his dad and branding him as image-obsessed with no regard for ‘his own sons’. “I don’t want to see him, and I won’t see him next week on Father’s Day either,” he declared in June.
“But that’s because I feel like I’m being hung out. I don’t really deserve it.” Freddy also seemed to aim a dig at Kate when he reeled off a list of things that irritate him – including ‘step parents’. The bond between Freddy and his elder brother Bobby has also taken a battering.
Freddy confessed that he and Bobby are no longer tight – a far cry from the heartwarming moments during Strictly when Freddy and Jeff were spotted enthusiastically supporting Bobby from the audience. He revealed they are “all barely speaking,” despite having once been thick as thieves.
Following the youngest sibling’s explosive interview, Bobby finally spoke out about his brother’s conduct. Speaking to The Sun in July, he said: “Freddy’s very sensitive and wants to please. And when he grows up a little bit that will serve him well. There are things I don’t like about him and there are things about me he doesn’t like. Freddy will be OK, I don’t know if he looks up to me, but I look up to him in many ways, but he’s a good boy.”
The Strictly sensation also allegedly pulled away from his father Jeff as the family drama escalated, relocating to his own pad in Soho. He’s reportedly thrown himself into spiritual pursuits whilst trying to work through the troubled dynamic with his dad. A source close to the family revealed: “Bobby’s always had a spiritual side, but this is intentional. It’s clear he’s trying to leave all the fighting and noise behind. Freddy’s rebellion is loud – drugs, public slanging matches, and legal battles about his nana – while Bobby’s is quiet. But actually it’s just as defiant. He’s turning his back on the life his dad created for them in Essex and following his own path.”
Dr Jane Halsall, a chartered counselling psychologist, spoke to the Mirror about how grief is central to the family feud. She said: “Grief is very individual and I think that is really clear in the family system with the Braziers. Each person has tried to find their own identity but clearly struggled over the years – one struggling with addiction, one child embracing religion – it is that search for meaning and identity.
“When Jade died, the loss will have created a profound disruption to the emotional structure of the family, removing a key figure whose role had anchored the children. In stepping in to fill the gap, Jeff appears to have prioritised protecting the children and managing the practical and emotional demands of single parenting, which may have limited his ability to process his own grief.”
The expert went on: “Trying to control the dynamics, I believe has worked against Jeff. This is not his fault as he has taken on a huge responsibility but I believe that his unprocessed grief will have been the driving force. Often people try to control areas of their life as a defence to avoid sitting with their feelings. With two young children and a wife, it would make sense that they became his focus. However, as the boys have grown up and become more independent, he has less control and I wonder if that has triggered a sense of emotional dysregulation.
“With family systems theory, such role shifts can create strain over time, particularly when each family member is grieving differently and communication becomes shaped by overprotection rather than openness. The uniqueness of individual grief responses, combined with the significant developmental impact of losing a parent at a young age, can create long-standing emotional patterns that influence adult relationships.”
And Jeff wasn’t the only one caught up in the fallout, with Bobby allegedly pulling away from his stepmother as well. Last year, Kate admitted she ‘felt like a failure’ in her marriage to Jeff before coming to terms with the fact that every couple faces challenges.
She opened up about matrimony after a follower sought guidance on salvaging their own relationship. The publicist responded: “I think we are all guilty of portraying only the good bits on social media.
“Anyone who says marriage and raising kids is easy is lying in my opinion. I felt like such a failure until I realised everyone has their struggles. I would never share the details of our relationship, but the one thing I am grateful for is that my husband is just as willing to put the work into himself and the relationship as I am. You can’t ask for anything more than that.” Delving deeper into what caused the marital breakdown, Dr Halsall went on: “It is possible that Jeff has remained in a functional, caregiving mode for years, leaving little space for his own emotional integration, which in turn may have affected the couple’s intimacy, communication, and capacity to reconnect.
“Hence why the marriage has struggled. Therefore, it is really important to be able to communicate and sit with how you feel, otherwise, it can result in what we call complicated grief, which disrupts your daily functioning and emotional recovery.”
A turning point finally emerged in the Brazier family rift when Jeff’s lads set aside their differences to rally behind their father during his West End debut in 101 Dalmatians: The Musical towards the end of July. Beaming dad Jeff shared an adorable photo of the threesome and penned: “So lovely to have both the lads come along to watch me in @101dalmatiansuk. I love how much it made them laugh and it was really special that they were both there to support me. Thanks for coming @freddybrazier_ @bobbybrazier.”
Freddy appeared to signal that their rift had been resolved, responding: “What a show, loved every minute of it! Most of all I loved watching you just play and have fun. I love you Dad.” Just days following their public reconciliation, the troubled young man opened up about the devastating truth behind his bond with his grandmother Jackiey, and what created distance between him and his father.
“I’ve been smoking since I was 12,” he revealed. “I’ve been to rehab, I’ve been sectioned, I’ve had manic episodes, I’ve been in cells. There’s been a real journey and it’s been a tough one.” The 21 year old also seemed to disclose that he had heartbreakingly ‘tried to end it all’ by ‘crashing his car’ during a ‘manic episode’.
He further alleged that his grandmother Jackiey was responsible for getting him “hooked” on drugs. “My nan was definitely the person who not only introduced me to weed but got me hooked,” Freddy revealed.
Speaking about his bond with father Jeff and explaining why he spent considerable time with his grandmother, Freddy poignantly shared: “I feel like if I didn’t prioritise the relationship with my mum’s mum Jackiey… I was scared that if I wasn’t [around her], she’d kill herself. And I had that in my head for so long to the point where I pushed my dad away and I was at my nan’s for months, go on mad ones..
“I’ve been smoking from the age of 12 and it’s time to stop,” he openly admitted. “It was a bad coping mechanism that turned into an addiction – something I relied on and something that made me feel sane and somewhat OK.”
Freddy revealed his desire to get “clean” in order to repair his bonds with Jeff and Jackiey. He stated: “I want to be happy and be in a healthy relationship and have a healthy relationship with my Nana and my father.” Freddy’s courageous confession about his battles offers hope for healing between the two lads and Jeff. With a baby on the horizon and his dad apparently navigating a tough separation, they’ll probably require each other’s support more than ever.
Never one to dodge the challenges of raising children whilst grieving, Jeff reflected last year: “I think when the boys lost their mum I really doubled down on putting all of my time, effort, attention, focus on my children. I needed to be there, helping them to navigate whatever the future was going to look like for them given their loss. And I’m still playing that role.”
Source: Mirror
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