Television star Jeff Brazier has made a heartbreaking admission regarding the early days of his relationship with late girlfriend Jade Goody, prior to her tragic passing in 2009.
The presenter and currently Race Across The World contestant, 45, claimed he was put in a 'difficult position' when former Celebrity Big Brother star Jade fell pregnant with their eldest son Bobby, but insisted he pledged at the time to do everything he could to give his child the life he deserved.
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Jeff was just a 23-year-old aspiring media personality when he discovered his girlfriend Jade, only 21 herself, was pregnant.
The couple had only been seeing each other for three months.
Their first child Bobby - now an award-winning soap actor and former Strictly Come Dancing star - was born in June 2003.
By this point, however, the couple's relationship was beginning to break down, and they endured an on-again off-again status for the next few years.
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When their second son, Freddie, was just six months old, however - having been born in 2005 - they made the decision to end their relationship for good.
Speaking to the MailOnline this week, however, Jeff admitted that, though he can boast a close-knit relationship with his sons now, it wasn't always smooth sailing.
In fact, he confessed to feeling totally underwhelmed when he discovered he was set to be a father in his 20s, not having been romantically involved with Jade for very long.
"I was always going to be a hands-on dad," he claimed. "Obviously, one of my first thoughts was, 'God, I hardly know you'."
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Despite lifting the lid on his 'difficult position', Jeff added: "We were always going to have our baby."
In the years that followed their split, Jeff and Jade boasted an amicable joint-parenting relationship, sharing custody of their children.
While Jeff, who went on to wed girlfriend Kate Dwyer, had Bobby and Freddie for three nights per week, Jade, who subsequently struck up a relationship with CBB co-star Jack Tweed, had them for the other four.
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This set-up lasted until Jade's death in 2009, following her terminal cervical cancer diagnosis a year prior.
Recalling his ex-partner's passing, Jeff claimed it was 'unavoidable'.
"I regret that for her and for the boys because they shouldn’t have to be going through their childhood without her," he said.
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Thinking back to the day Jade died, the on-screen favourite continued: "I knew I had to be the one to tell Bobby and Freddie, but I wasn't sure how to do it. I waited until bedtime and called them outside.
"In the end, I didn't have to say anything because the stars were out and they said, 'Is that one Mummy?' They knew."
Topics: Celebrity, UK News, Bobby Brazier, TV And Film
Rhianna Benson