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Jade Goody thought cancer was ‘punishment’ for Celebrity Big Brother

Reality star's mum reveals shocking secret

Jade Goody’s mum has claimed she believed her illness was a punishment for the race row she sparked on Celebrity Big Brother two years before.

The reality TV star died from cervical cancer in March 2009 at the age of just 27.

The mum-of-two was accused of racism and bullying towards Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, 44, on the show in 2007.

jADE gOODY'S MUM Jackiey
Jade Goody’s mum Jackiey made the claims in a new documentary (Credit: ITV)

During the series she told Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, 44, she needed “a day in the slums” and called her “Shilpa Poppadom”, sparking outrage.

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Now in an upcoming documentary Jade’s mum Jackiey, 62, reveals how her daughter thought her cancer was punishment for the remarks she made.

She said: “One night she felt really scared because, obviously, she knew she was going very soon.

Jade Goody referred to Shilpa Shetty as ‘Shilpa Poppadom'(Credit: Splash)

“She said: ‘Mum, I feel like they’re coming to get me. They’re coming to get me. It’s going all dark.’

“She said: ‘Is that because I was so bad in Big Brother?'”

Jade starred in Big Brother 2002 and became the first reality TV star to earn a million pounds but when she returned for CBB she was accused of ganging up on Shilpa with S Club 7’s Jo O’Meara and Danielle Lloyd.

Their behaviour received over 50,000 complaints and was even discussed in parliament.

Former Big Brother host Davina McCall also talks about the row in the documentary, recalling the moment she knew Jade’s life was “ruined forever” over it.

Jade Goody found fame on Big Brother (Credit: Endemol/Channel 4)

Davina said: “Jade was going into that house as the nation’s sweetheart. We were excited about that. And I couldn’t wait to see what she brought.

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“But I remember almost immediately thinking this is a bad combo.

“It’s like three British young girls all coming together, and then forming a gang basically. It started to be bullying and I was like, ‘Man, you are careering off the tracks, you are so going in the wrong direction’.”

Jade Goody
Jade Goody died of cervical cancer (Credit: Wenn)

Jade’s death prompted more women to be vigilant about their own cervical screening.

study conducted in 2012 found: “Jade Goody’s diagnosis and death were highly publicised and were marked by a substantial increase in attendances in the cervical screening programme in England.

Jade: The Reality Star Who Changed Britain airs on Wednesday at 9pm on Channel 4

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