Jade Cerisa Lorraine Goody (born 5 June 1981)
is a British celebrity. She came into the spotlight while appearing on the
Channel 4 reality show
Big Brother in 2002; an appearance which led
to her own television programmes and the launch of her own products after
her eviction.
[2][3][4]
In January 2007, she was a housemate in Celebrity Big Brother.[5]
During the show she was accused of racist bullying against Indian actress
Shilpa Shetty.[6] Following
her eviction from the show, she admitted her actions had been wrong and she
subsequently made many public apologies.[5]
In August 2008, she appeared on the Indian version of Big Brother,
Bigg Boss,[7] but
withdrew early from the show and returned to the UK after being told she had
cervical cancer.[8] In February
2009, after the cancer metastasised, she was told that it was terminal.[9][10]
She married her boyfriend Jack Tweed on 22 February 2009.[11]
Career
Big Brother 3
When she appeared on Big Brother 3 Goody became a target of
ridicule in the British tabloid press[12]
for displaying a severe lack of general knowledge for a British native.
Goody thought that the English city of Cambridge was in London.[13]
On being told that Cambridge is in East Anglia, she assumed that to be
abroad, and referred to it as "East Angular".[14]
She also was criticised by the tabloid press during her time in the Big
Brother house for an evening during which she cavorted drunk and naked
[15] and also was criticised
for "backstabbing".[16] She
avoided eviction long enough to outlast the media's apparent resentment and
become popular. She also provided what was believed to be the first instance
of sexual contact on Big Brother UK, with a drunken grope with fellow
housemate PJ, though it is unclear what sexual acts, if any, took place.[17]
Period between BB3 and CBB
Goody has fronted her own reality TV shows[18]
and appeared regularly in celebrity, trivia, and gossip-oriented women's
magazines such as heat and OK!. Goody signed up for the 2006
London Marathon.[19] She did
not finish the course, collapsing after 34 km (21 miles) of the 42.195 km
(26.2 miles) and was taken to the Royal London Hospital to recover
overnight.[20] Before the
race, Goody described her preparations to TV chef, Gordon Ramsay. "I've been
eating curry, Chinese and drinking." Afterwards, she explained:
"I don't really understand miles. I didn't actually know how far it
was going to be. I'll be honest, I didn't take it seriously which is
really bad of me because there's people out there who actually want to
do the marathon. I didn't realise how much commitment the marathon was.
I had four training sessions, that's all I did. At most I could run half
an hour on a treadmill."[21]
Goody raised over £550 for her chosen charity, the NSPCC.[22]
On 2 May 2006, Goody published her autobiography titled Jade: My
Autobiography[23] and in
June she launched her own fragrance, Shh . . . Jade Goody.[24]
It was launched by Superdrug in the summer of 2005[3]
and became the store's third best selling fragrance behind Kylie Minogue's
and Victoria Beckham's.[25]
However, due to allegations of racism, The Perfume Shop decided to remove
the fragrance from its shelves.[26]
The Perfume Shop has since resumed selling Shh... and it was in their
top five best online sellers in the run-up to Christmas 2007.[27]
Until November 2006 Goody also contributed a weekly column to Now
magazine.[28] In an April 2006
column she admitted having the Burberry nova check pattern tattooed on her
left buttock.[29]
Celebrity Big Brother
Just before entering the house Goody ranked number 25 in a poll by
heat for the most influential person in the world.
Her lifetime earnings were cited to be between £2 million and £8 million by
this point.[30][31][32]
On 5 January 2007 Goody, her mother Jackiey Budden, and her boyfriend Jack
Tweed entered the Big Brother House for Celebrity Big Brother 2007.[5]
Upon entering the Big Brother House, Goody was informed that she and
her family (later joined by Jermaine Jackson, Shilpa Shetty and Ken Russell)
would stay in the main house in luxury, while the 8 other remaining
celebrities would become their servants and live in the house next door.[33]
Goody was not informed that she and her new family faced an eviction in
which the public voted for their favourite to keep in the house. Her mother,
Jackiey, was the first to be evicted, on 10 January 2007.[34]
Goody was accused of making racist comments about, and derogatory
comments to, her fellow housemate Shilpa Shetty, which led to the Celebrity
Big Brother racism controversy[35]
and for hypocrisy because of her support for an anti-bullying charity.[36]
A number of complaints were received by the British broadcasting regulator
Ofcom about the behaviour of Jo O'Meara, Danielle Lloyd and Goody towards
Shetty.[37] By 20 January,
Ofcom received a record of more than 44,500 complaints from members of the
public,[38][5]
while Channel 4 received an additional 3,000 complaints.[39]
Among Goody's comments were: "I've seen how she goes in and out of
people's a********",[40] as
well as suggesting Shetty "makes [her] skin crawl".[41]
She also referred to Shetty as 'Shilpa ****whiler' and 'Shilpa Poppadom'.
Goody said afterwards: "She is Indian, thinking of an Indian name and only
thing I could think of was Indian food. Wasn't racial at all. It was not to
offend any Indian out there."[42]
Cleo Rocos to Shetty: "I don't think there's anything racist in it." Shetty:
"It is, I'm telling you."[43]
However Shetty later changed her opinion stating "I don't feel there was any
racial discrimination happening from Jade's end... I think that there are a
lot of insecurities from her end but it's definitely not racial," Shetty
said in the show's diary room.[44]
The incident created an international outcry, gaining heavy coverage in the
Indian media. Gordon Brown, then British Chancellor of the Exchequer, who
was visiting India at the time, condemned the programme on the grounds that
he is against anything which might damage the perception that Britain is a
country of tolerance.[45] In a
statement on 17 January Channel 4 defended the programme against charges "of
overt racism or racial abuse".[46]
Goody was evicted from the Big Brother house on 19 January 2007 receiving
82% of the vote when up against Shetty.[47]
On 19 January, she was evicted. Channel 4 banned crowds gathering outside
the house to greet Goody and cancelled a press conference with her.[48]
In her interview with Davina McCall immediately afterwards, she stated that
she was "disgusted with [her]self" after watching a video of the alleged
bullying.[49] Her much
publicised return to the Big Brother house was branded "a terrible decision"
by publicist Max Clifford, who also said "it looks like she has ruined a
very lucrative career".[50]
Ultimately Channel 4 received a rebuke from Ofcom over its handling of
the Celebrity Big Brother race row that resulted in more than 54,000
complaints.[51] It emerged
that there were various other, unbroadcast incidents of alleged racism.[52]
They included a late night "limerick game" between O'Meara, Lloyd, Goody and
her boyfriend Jack Tweed in which the use of the word "Paki" was allegedly
implied but not said.[53] In
the others, Goody speculated on whether Lloyd used "the p-word" and Goody
referred to the Bollywood actress as "Shilpa Pashwa whoever you ****ing
are".[54]
Comeback
Goody lent her face and name to a cookbook "Christmas Dinner with Jade
Goody" which specialised in traditional Christmas food. The book was
released with a DVD featuring Goody and her two sons.[55]
In late 2007 and early 2008, several public polls put Goody in an
unfavourable light.[56][57]
In early 2008 she purchased a brand new Bentley Continental GTC sports car
worth £130,000.[58]
In March 2008, the Daily Mail reported Goody had become involved
in "vicious fight with a female partygoer at an Essex nightclub before
turning her rage onto a security guard".[59]
Goody stated in April 2008 that she would be releasing her second perfume
range, Controversial,[60]
in June 2008 although it has yet to appear.[61]
In 2008, Goody appeared in the Indian version of Big Brother, Bigg
Boss. She was rumoured to have been offered £100,000 to take part. Goody
entered the house on 17 August and in the opening VT of herself she claimed
the incident with Shetty was "in the past" and that she was "not proud of
it". Two days into the show, Goody was told she had cervical cancer and she
subsequently withdrew, immediately flying home to England. Scenes of Goody
being told of her diagnosis and her emotional reaction were not broadcast in
India.[62]
In October 2008, she released a new autobiography, Jade: Catch A
Falling Star.[63][64]
It is published by John Blake Publishing and covers her time in Celebrity
Big Brother 2007.[65] In
Christmas 2008, she played the role of the Wicked Queen in a pantomime
version of Snow White at the Theatre Royal, Lincoln,[66]
and was praised for her strength and determination in doing so. Goody had to
withdraw from the production in January for health reasons.[67]
A reality television documentary, Living With Jade Goody was shown in
September as a one off special, as part of the Living With . . .
series on Living TV.[68] A one
off film "Jade's cancer battle" was aired on 11 December,[69]
although there are plans for further shows if Goody feels able or wishes to
take part.[70]
Also in October 2008, Goody opened her second beauty salon named "Homme
Fatel", catering exclusively for men.[71]
Personal life
Parents
Her father, Andrew Robert Goody (February 1963[72]
- August 2005), who was of mixed race,[73]
was a drug addict and habitual criminal, who served prison sentences
including a four-year term for robbery.[4]
He died of a drugs overdose in Bournemouth, aged 42.[74]
Her mother, Jackiey Budden, was born in April 1958.
Relationships, children and marriage
Goody had a relationship with TV presenter and fellow reality television
regular Jeff Brazier, the father of her two sons, both of whom were born in
Harlow, Essex: Bobby Jack Brazier, born on 6 June 2003, and Freddie Brazier,
born in September 2004. In 2005, Goody had a six month relationship with
footballer Ryan Amoo; they cohabited at her house.[75]
She was subsequently in a relationship with Jack Tweed, who appeared
alongside her on Celebrity Big Brother. In June 2007, Goody suffered
a miscarriage, during the relationship.[76]
Following numerous allegations of Tweed being unfaithful the pair broke up.[77]
Goody confirmed she was dating again, and said of Tweed: "Some days, I felt
more like his mum than his lover...I’ll never date a toy boy again.".[78]
However, they resumed their relationship. Tweed lived with Goody and her
children in Buckhurst Hill, Essex,[79]
until he was imprisoned. He, along with another man, were convicted of
assault occasioning actual bodily harm for attacking a 16-year-old boy in
December[80] 2006.[81]
He served four months of an eighteen-month sentence before being released,
on 27 January 2009, on electronic monitoring.[82]
On 15 February 2009, Goody exchanged rings with Tweed in a private informal
ceremony on the banks of the River Thames.[83]
Tweed and Goody married on Sunday 22 February at Down Hall country house
near Hatfield Heath.[84] The
couple signed an exclusive £700,000 deal with OK! magazine for
photographs of the ceremony.[85]
Tweed was granted an exemption to his curfew for the night of 22/23
February.[86] On 3 March 2009,
Tweed was convicted of common assault for attacking a taxi driver in May
2008.[87] Goody is also
planning to have her sons christened.[88]
Cancer
Goody had a number of health scares throughout the 2000s. In 2002,
shortly before her Big Brother 3 appearance, she had a cervical smear test
which revealed abnormal cells, a possible indicator of cancer.[89]
She was later tested for ovarian cancer in 2004 and bowel cancer in 2006,
but was given the all-clear on each occasion.[89][90]
She underwent hospital tests in early August 2008 after her fourth cancer
scare. She had already collapsed four times. The test results confirmed she
has cervical cancer; she was told of this on 19 August 2008 while in the
Indian version of Big Brother, called Bigg Boss.[90]
Her spokesperson said, "It looks like her cancer is at an early stage but we
will have to wait until she gets back to Britain and sees a specialist and
has more tests".[91]
On 1 September 2008 it was reported that Goody's cancer was "advanced and
life-threatening" and that she would be having an operation followed by
chemotherapy.[92] Doctors
warned that her survival chance could be as low as 65%.[93]
Further tests, and a radical hysterectomy,[94]
"went well" according to her publicist, and Goody began a course of
chemotherapy and radiotherapy.[95]
In an interview with Irish broadcasting company RTÉ she admitted having
started planning her funeral.[96]
Furthermore, Goody told the broadcaster that she was losing all her hair and
had decided not to explain her illness to her children.[97]
On 4 February 2009 Max Clifford, Goody's publicist, confirmed that
Goody's cancer had spread to her liver, bowel and groin. Therefore, the
previous estimate of a 40% chance of survival was withdrawn and she
underwent treatment to prolong her life. On 7 February, Clifford reported
that Goody had undergone emergency surgery in London to remove a tumour on
her bowel.[98]
On 14 February, Clifford confirmed media reports that doctors at the
Royal Marsden Hospital in London[99]
had declared her cancer as terminal and that she could be dead within weeks,
and at the most was unlikely to survive more than a few more months.[100]
He stated "She was informed yesterday that tragically, she's terminally ill.
She was obviously devastated."[101]
Goody has now begun drawing up a will and making plans for the future care
of her two sons.[102]
On 5 March 2009, Goody requested to be christened from her bed at the
Royal Marsden Hospital;[105]
on 7 March she and her sons were christened.[106]
Clifford confirmed that this would be Goody's last public appearance, and
that she had already said her goodbyes to her family. He stated, "We're
hoping and praying that Jade pulls through, but the fact of the matter is
that she now only has a short time to live."[105]
He also confirmed that doctors had said the next 24 hours were crucial to
assessing how long it will be before she dies, but that she had only a very
short time left regardless. Her husband Jack Tweed was allowed to extend his
curfew so he could spend a final night with his wife before she said her
final goodbyes to her family.[105]
When news broke that Goody's cancer was terminal, medical authorities in
the UK began reporting a surge in requests from women, particularly younger
women, for screening for cervical cancer. This reversed a trend which had
seen demand for screening decline overall in the past decade, with the
highest decline being among women aged 25-29.[107]
As a result of the publicity surrounding Goody's illness, on 13 March
2009 the UK Government agreed to review its policy of not offering screening
for cervical cancer until the age of 25 in England (it is 20 in the rest of
the UK). Goody issued a press release the same day, saying that she was
"immensely proud" that she had helped prompt the review.[108]
Death
Goody died in her sleep at home at around 3.15 am on March 22nd, 2009.
[109]
Tribute, funeral and burial
Goody's funeral service took place at noon on 4 April 2009 at St John's
Church, Buckhurst Hill, Essex.[104]
Later that day she was buried near her home in Epping Forest.[105]
The funeral cortège consisted of 21 cars, one of which was a Bentley used by
the family. Several celebrities sent flowers, including David and Victoria
Beckham. Davina McCall, Jamelia and Antony Costa were among the celebrity
guests. It was estimated that the funeral cost £30,000. Goody's coffin was
white, and she was buried wearing her Harrods wedding dress and with two
pictures, one of each of her sons, by her side. Goody's two sons didn't
attend the funeral, having been taken by their father to Australia.[106]
Thousands of mourners followed the funeral service on big screens outside
the church; the funeral was also broadcast live on Sky News, which followed
the service from outside, as Goody had wished to keep it a private ceremony
for friends and family.[107]
Fitness DVDs
- Jade's All new diet by Jade Goody and Steve Kemsley (DVD -
2003)
- Jade's Shape Challenge by Jade Goody (DVD - 2006)
- According to the Daily Mail, Jade's Shape Challenge was
"ridiculed" when it emerged she had actually paid £4,500 for
liposuction at a private clinic.[104]
- Jade's Workout/'Workout with Helen'/The "Girls" from Big
Brother - by Jade Goody and Helen Adams (DVD - 2004)
- Jade (2002) by Jade Goody and Steve Kemsley (DVD - 2004)
- The Big BrotherCollection : Jade's Dance Workout/
Dance Workout with Helen Adams and Latino Dance Workout with
Nadia (2002) by Jade Goody, Helen Adams, and Nadia Almada (DVD -
2005)