EVER since Jade Goody's tragic death 16 years ago her ex-boyfriend Jeff Brazier has devoted himself to raising their sons, Bobby and Freddy, to the best of his ability.
The media personality and wellbeing advocate shielded his boys from the glare of life in the spotlight all the while making a living on TV as a Sky Sports presenter and reality show contestant.
Along the way, Jeff, 45, admits he lost his sense of fun and play, something he addressed during the BBC‘s Race Across The World, which he took part in last year with youngest son Freddy, 20.
He grew emotional as he spoke about rediscovering the man he was before Jade's untimely death from cervical cancer.
While he's given his all to his family, Jeff and Freddy's relationship has been strained at times.
The protective father recently began legal proceedings to prevent Freddy, 20, from seeing his nan, Jackiey Budden,due to fears she's a bad influence on him.
One of the reasons Jeff signed up the popular BBC reality show, which saw the duo travel from Belém, Brazil to Frutillar, Chile, without the use of mobile phones, was to reconnect with Freddy, admitting he rarely spends time at home.
He's been known to stop at Jackiey's Bermondsey flat when things aren't going well between them and has even filmed himself taking drugs there.
A source told the Mail: “He and Jeff often argue, the rows can be bad, things go really, really pear-shaped between them, and that's it, he leaves.”
Ahead of their South American adventure, Jeff said: “D'you know what I'm most looking forward to about this trip is that I feel like I'm about to learn a lot more about my son.”
He told Radio Times: “I feel like at some point he's going to move out and I'll lose him. So, I guess I'm just trying to squeeze every last bit out of him that I can.”
Their journey was open, honest and fraught at times as they clashed over strategy and their inability to adequately share their feelings with one another.
Freddy 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. I don't want to feel like I'm a burden to them.”
In one telling exchange after Freddy secretly spent some money on food, Jeff told him: “You don't have to do things on the quiet, surely it only makes life easier for us as a family if we're all just honest?”
Freddy responded: “I don't think we are even open as a family though, I stay quiet because I feel like that's what everyone else does.”
Shocked, Jeff reminded his son how he's been speaking out on the power of communication for years.
He asked: “Are you joking? Freddy, don't be unfair, what have I done for the last seven or eight years?”;
Despite all the struggles, proud dad Jeff has high hopes for his son and expects him to succeed outside the conventions of stereotypical success.
He said: “I couldn't hazard a guess on how Fred‘s mind works, but I know he's going to do something amazing in his lifetime. We need the pioneers, we need the people that give a completely different opinion.
“That's what Fred's role is gonna be. And I see it. I've always seen it and I look forward to him realising it, one day it's all gonna click and fall into place.”
Jeff recently hired a leading barrister for an upcoming court hearing regarding Jade Goody‘s mum, Jackiey.
A source close to the Brazier family has said of Jeff's action: “This is something Jeff and anyone who cares about Freddy hopes will help keep Freddy safe from a relationship that has been incredibly detrimental to his well being for a long time now.
“The fact that he is going down this route shows how concerned we all are and how our efforts to keep Fred safe are being grossly undermined by other people.’’
Jackiey broke her silence after the legal battle was revealed, telling the Mail: “Do I want to see Freddy? Of course I do. I see Freddy all of the time. I will see him.”
