Jade Goody’s eldest son Bobby turned 18 this week – and he’s increasingly becoming just as famous as his late mum.
His Big Brother icon mother tragically died in March 2009 after a battle with cervical cancer, leaving Bobby and his younger brother Freddie in the care of dad Jeff Brazier, who dated Jade from 2002 to 2004.
The boys were just four and five when Jade – who rose to fame on Big Brother – passed away on Mother’s Day, but she is never far from their minds.
In recent years, Bobby has become well known in his own right as a successful model – and dad Jeff is now concerned that he could be swayed by offers of reality TV shows such as Love Island.
Making it as a model
(Image: Instagram)
The teen got into modelling after getting into trouble at school.
Bobby told fans on Instagram how a Costa coffee visit with dad Jeff ended up with him being scouted by an agent and later signed to Unsigned models.
“I was in trouble at school and had to go in for a meeting,” he said.
“So before I go, I go Costa for a little pep talk with my dad and then when we leave [Cesar Perin] is chasing me down the street asking me if I’m a model.”
Cesar Perin is the model scout who signed Bobby to the top agency.
Speaking about his turbulent time at school, Bobby has since revealed: “I used to be a little s*** and stuck in my ways, didn’t want to hear no different from no one.
(Image: Getty Images for BFC)
“Heard the same things hundred times and nearly got kicked out of school before I realised I was being a wally.”
Since being signed as a model, Bobby has done campaigns for the likes of Tommy Hilfiger and Dolce and Gabbana and has featured in publications including Man About Town and TINGS.
Speaking to Mail Online about his blossoming career, he admitted: “Modelling has been great fun, I’m loving it: you get a chance to do something exciting.”
And Bobby has credited his model looks to his mum.
Revealing how he inherited her famous features, he added to Mail Online: “I look like my mum, I’m always being told that by everyone. I have her lips and smile – and her eyes.
“The rest of me is dad’s. As I grow up I’m starting to look more like him.”
Dealing with trauma
(Image: Getty Images)
Bobby has been open about how losing his mum at such a young age has affected him growing up.
When answering fans’ questions on his Instagram stories, Bobby revealed that he struggles to “let go”.
“I know that because of past trauma I find it hard letting go of something even if I don’t want it no more especially when it comes to relationships.”
But one thing that keeps Bobby going is the thought of making Jade proud.
“Like every boy, you want to think your mum would be proud of you,” he said.
“I hope she’s looking down on me and smiling, probably laughing, thinking, ‘Look at Bobby lying in a field in his designer gear’.”
And on what would have been Jade’s 39th birthday last year, Bobby posted a touching tribute on Instagram, writing that his mum “always kept it 100” and that “legends never die”.
Reality TV
(Image: Instagram)
While Bobby’s parents rose to fame on reality TV shows – Jade on Big Brother and Jeff on Shipwrecked – Jeff doesn’t want Bobby following in their footsteps.
Speaking earlier this year, Jeff said that if Bobby was offered a spot on Love Island after turning 18 they’d “have a good chat about it, let’s just leave it there”.
He added: “The thing that works against him is he has on his CV that he has walked the Milan fashion show for Dolce & Gabbana.
“My thing to him is, ‘You can’t do both. So which do you want to do? Are you going to show some patience, back yourself and ignore the offers that you are inevitably going to get?’
(Image: Instagram)
“Some people might feel that sounds quite ironic, me saying that. I’m very grateful for my life, my life experiences and career.
“But there are a lot of difficulties attached to being known in a certain way and we always want our children to avoid pain, obviously.”
Jeff, who is now a trained life coach, has said that he fears Bobby will go through the same public pressure he and Jade did at the height of their fame.
He said: “Have I ever had a conversation with Bobby about what he’s going to do and completely fretted about the fact he might experience anything like what myself or his mum has done? Yeah. I’ve spent quite a lot of time worrying about that.
“I say, ‘If that’s all you’ve got going for you and you hadn’t done that modelling and it doesn’t look like there’s plenty of opportunities available to you, then go ahead. It’ll be a great experience no doubt and you’ll learn a lot about yourself. Or, [you could do] as I say…’
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“We’ve had the conversation so many times. It’s very obvious which one I prefer, but it’s not me making the decision. It would be scary.”
Jeff also told The Mirror about his concerns.
“Definitely, as this particular parent who obviously not only had his own difficult experiences but also can cite many occasions when when his mum went through the same,” he said.
“I think that I do enough worrying on behalf of both me and his mum when it comes to what he might be subject to.
“I just hope that everyone’s kind, I hope that he looks after himself and makes good decisions.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
