On International Men’s Day this year, *Loose Men* made its highly anticipated return to ITV with an emotional and heartfelt conversation on the topic of coping with loss.
Guest host Craig Doyle was joined by panellists Brian Conley, Jeff Brazier, and Jordan Banjo for a discussion
that touched on the personal struggles and challenges that men face when dealing with grief.
Among the most poignant moments of the show was when Jeff Brazier, known for his role
as a television presenter, opened up about the profound impact the death of his ex-partner, Jade Goody, had on his life.
Jade Goody, a popular figure thanks to her appearance on the reality show *Big Brother*, tragically passed away from cervical cancer in March 2009 at the age of 27, just months after her diagnosis.
At the time of her death, Brazier and Goody had separated, but they remained parents together to their two young sons, Bobby and Freddy. During the *Loose Men* discussion, Jeff bravely admitted that despite their separation, he didn’t feel “worthy” of grieving for Jade, which was a deeply personal and emotional revelation.
“I didn’t feel worthy of grieving for Jade,” Brazier confessed to his fellow panellists. “We hadn’t been together for two years, but I still had this intense connection with her, because of the boys. And because of that, I avoided the grief for a long time, focusing instead on caring for Bobby and Freddy.”
In an emotionally raw moment, Jeff shared how his sons initially struggled with the loss of their mother, revealing that they didn’t exhibit the kind of grief that he expected in the early months after her death. “For the first six or seven months, they didn’t really show the behavior I thought they would after losing their mum. Then, all of a sudden, their world completely turned upside down, and it was chaos,” Jeff reflected.
As he navigated his own sorrow, Jeff acknowledged how the emotional journey of grief is different for men compared to women. He spoke candidly about the ways men tend to process difficult emotions. “Men tend to try and sweep it under the carpet, avoid it as long as possible, hoping that they can just get away with it,” Jeff noted. “We don’t always deal with it head-on, but it will eventually catch up with us.”
Contrasting this with how women often handle grief, Jeff pointed out that women are generally more willing to talk about their emotions, connect with others, and seek support when faced with loss. “Women are really good at being natural and human, saying, ‘Something really bad has happened, and I need to talk about it.’ Men, on the other hand, are more likely to avoid that and hope it just passes.”
Despite his initial reluctance to address his emotions after Jade’s death, Jeff bravely admitted that the grief eventually became too overwhelming to ignore. It was a moment on the show *Loose Women* that made him confront his emotions head-on. When presented with a montage of Jade’s moments, Jeff was struck by the full weight of her loss, which left him feeling overwhelmed with grief.
“Seeing the montage of Jade on *Loose Women* was a turning point for me. It made me realize how much I had been avoiding dealing with my grief, and I had to face it. I had been putting the kids first, which is what any parent would do, but I hadn’t really dealt with my own feelings,” he explained.
That realization ultimately led Jeff to seek help, recognizing that processing grief was crucial for his own well-being as well as his ability to support his children through their own loss. His experience resonated deeply with viewers, as it highlighted the often-overlooked aspect of male grief, as well as the importance of seeking support when dealing with loss.
Jeff Brazier’s openness about his emotional journey serves as a powerful reminder of the struggles many men face when coping with the death of a loved one, especially when societal expectations may discourage them from expressing vulnerability. His courage in addressing his grief on *Loose Men* has sparked important conversations about the need for emotional support and understanding in times of loss.
In sharing his story, Jeff not only honors Jade’s memory but also offers hope to others who may be grappling with similar challenges. His message is clear: it’s okay to grieve, it’s okay to seek support, and ultimately, it’s okay to feel.
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