Jade Goody rose to fame as a contestant on the third series of Big Brother in 2002. Mocked for her lack of general knowledge and drunken antics, including stripping naked on the sofas, her endearing innocence saw her finish fourth and become the show's first true reality star. Magazine deals, autobiographies, and her own television shows followed, alongside a relationship with fellow reality star Jeff Brazier, with whom she had two sons, Bobby and Freddie.
Her career took a dramatic downturn after she entered the Celebrity Big Brother house in 2007. Alongside Jo O'Meara and Danielle Lloyd, she was involved in a bullying row with Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, which drew 54,000 complaints and international condemnation. Jade's perfume was pulled from shelves, her autobiography cancelled, and her reality TV contract terminated. She spent over 18 months out of the limelight before attempting a comeback in August 2008 with a new show and an appearance on the Indian version of Big Brother, hosted by Shetty.
Just two days into filming the Indian series, Jade was called into the diary room and told she had cervical cancer. She threw herself into work to provide for her sons, securing lucrative magazine deals, a second beauty salon, a new autobiography, a documentary called Jade's Cancer Battle, and a pantomime role. As the cancer became terminal, she focused on raising awareness of cervical cancer screenings, earning over £700,000 for her wedding pictures to secure her children's future.
Jade's public battle prompted the NHS to review its policy of only screening women aged 25 and over. In one of her final statements, she expressed pride in helping to bring about this change. She died in her sleep on 22 March 2009, Mother's Day, aged 27. Tributes came from across the world, including from then Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who praised her bravery. By October 2009, the number of women undergoing Pap tests had increased by 12 per cent, a rise attributed to Jade's advocacy. Health Minister Andy Burnham stated that her openness had brought home the importance of regular checks to young women nationwide.
