How Jade Goody revolutionised celebrity culture – she was never perfect but she was always real

AS you may be aware, this great newspaper turns 50 years old later this year so it is time for us to start looking back at the stories that mattered most to our readers.

I’m sure many will be surprised to learn that in the history of The Sun’s famous letters page there are two stories that have generated a more overwhelming response from you than any other – the deaths of Princess Diana and Jade Goody.

That’s why the tenth anniversary of the death of Big Brother contestant-turned-genuine pop- culture icon – the first actual member of the public to become a millionaire superstar through reality telly – is a significant moment.

The change to our culture that Jade became the face of has been derided by many as the downfall of true talent in favour of putting crude normality on a pedestal.

But I disagree.

Jade helped to democratise the entertainment industry.

It didn’t matter where you were from. Even an uneducated dental nurse from Bermondsey, South London, with no unique talent but a unique personality could become a much-loved household name.

Jade ushered in an era of very normal superstars, from Leona Lewis to Susan Boyle to Harry Styles.

As we all discovered – especially during the nasty Celebrity Big Brother Shilpa Shetty race row – Jade was far from the perfect celebrity.

Nor was her husband Jack Tweed, who became a star in his own right, but mainly for the wrong reasons.

This week I sat down with Jack for the first interview he has given in many years.

For the past decade he has been treated as the villain in Jade’s story – a cheating scoundrel trying to milk a life of fame on the back of his cancer-stricken wife.

But I’ve never bought into that narrative and believe Jack deserved to have his say on such a significant anniversary.

After all, this was the man who married Jade in the weeks before her tragic, untimely death in March 2009.

And the man who helped to raise her two beloved sons Bobby and Freddie in their early years.

Jack admits much of his behaviour was appalling back then.

But he also points out he was a normal 21-year-old bloke thrust into the public spotlight as his wife died before his eyes in the most heart-breaking of circumstances.

He went totally off the rails. Ended up in prison. Abused alcohol. Slept with young women for the sake of it.

But all these years on, he has never recovered from losing Jade. He feels guilty the moment a woman becomes interested in him. He’s never loved anyone else.

And he mourns the loss of his baby that Jade miscarried because he longs to be a dad but doesn’t know if it will happen.

Most importantly, he’s eschewed the showbiz lifestyle entirely to get a normal job. He’s a builder now. He gets up at 6.30am each morning and does an honest day’s work.

And he knows in his soul that it is that normality that makes Jade, wherever she is, proud.

What I've learned...

CELEBRITIES turn up on red carpets to promote themselves –­ regardless of what they’re actually attending. Case in point this week was Kelly Brook at the Cirque du Soleil Totem premiere, attended by Prince Harry and Meghan, at the Royal Albert Hall.

She posed for a copious number of pictures, went to her seat, watched the show for ten minutes, then promptly left to get dinner at Wagamama!

• Gemma Collins is a diva many people can’t understand. But here’s a fact to the haters – not only has the controversial and outrageous figure known as The GC added a million ratings for ITV’s Dancing on Ice this year, she’s dominated online traffic, too. If you have any sense of fun you should join my campaign for her to win the show.
• Hiring one of the Beckhams may seem like a no-brainer for a fashion brand, but it doesn’t necessarily lead to instant success. Hot on the heels of Victoria’s fashion company making a £10.2million loss, the parent company to David’s menswear line Kent & Curwen has lost £10.7million. Perhaps the public have decided they both look ridiculous.
• It's been a terrible year for music, especially if the Brit Awards nominations are anything to go by. I am on the voting panel, but think it’s inexcusable Kylie Minogue was snubbed in the International Female category after her epic country comeback album. At least the ridiculous omission of Sam Smith in the British Male category last year has been reversed.

Wootton's week