Jeff Brazier reveals how kids cope without Jade at Christmas

It’s almost seven years since Jade Goody tragically lost her battle with cervical cancer aged just 27 – and Jeff Brazier says Christmas is still the most challenging time of the year for their kids Bobby and Freddie.

Jeff has raised the two boys single-handedly since the Big Brother star’s death, and says he’s found a way to make the festive season easier to deal with for the pair, now aged 11 and 12.

“Christmas is the one day of the year when it’s most obvious someone’s missing. It had to become less about the presents,” he told the Daily Record.

The 37-year-old life coach is the first to admit that for the few years following their mum’s death he spoilt the boys rotten with Christmas presents – but now he’s found a much better approach.

“It did not make for a enjoyable day. They have everything they could ask for, yet they’re still sitting there upset and arguing. Because they’re angry and frustrated,” he continued.

“Now I take them to the cemetery first thing in the morning. Then we have dealt with this, we go home and can enjoy the day,”

‘”They have paid respect to their mum and they don’t feel guilty about enjoying the day at home.”

Jeff also revealed that the boys, who were just 5 and 6 when their mum died, each take something they’ve made, a card and some flowers for the grave.

Asked about the strict measures he put in place following Jade’s death to protect Bobby and Freddie, Jeff explained: “The first thing I did eight years ago was get a privacy ban. That meant there could be no photos of them in any publication, so they could have as normal a childhood as I could give them.

“They had the space they needed to grieve as well as they could. As a result they’re very normal kids.”