The ongoing family tensions between television presenter Jeff Brazier and his model son, Freddy Brazier, have taken a new turn as Freddy has reportedly moved in with his maternal grandmother.
A Family Divided
Freddy Brazier, who is 21 years old, has split from his pregnant girlfriend, Holly Swinbourn, this month. The couple had recently expressed their excitement about becoming parents, making the separation a significant personal development for the young model.
In the wake of this split, Freddy has sought solace with his grandmother, Jackiey Budden – the mother of his late mother, Jade Goody. Photographs taken on a Thursday show the pair walking together in Bermondsey, southeast London. It is understood that Freddy has now moved into Jackiey's two-bedroom home in the area.
This bonding time for Freddy and his nan coincides with a difficult period for his father, Jeff Brazier, 46. The Good Morning Britain and This Morning presenter has also recently separated from his wife, Kate Dwyer, whom he married in 2018.
The Source of the Conflict
According to a source close to the family, Jeff is deeply unhappy about his son's decision to live with Jackiey after moving from his own place in Harlow, Essex.
The insider revealed, "Jeff absolutely hates that Freddy and Jackiey are close. He doesn’t like Freddy being around her. Jeff tells people that his son is troubled and that Jackiey makes it worse. It’s a war that will never end."
This reported disapproval adds a fresh layer to the complex family dynamics, suggesting a long-standing rift between Jeff and Jackiey.
Despite the underlying tensions, the father and son were photographed this week sharing a warm embrace at a Christmas lights switch-on event at a farm in West Sussex. A source speaking after the event conceded that Freddy and Jeff have faced "an incredibly stressful year."
A Place of Comfort for Freddy
For Freddy, his grandmother's home appears to be a sanctuary. Another insider explained to the Daily Mail that while Freddy was with Holly, he divided his time between Jackiey’s and Jeff’s houses.
"But now he’s on his own he has gone back to his nan’s," the source said. "He likes it there, he can chill out, smoke and talk about his mum. He sleeps in her old bedroom, it’s comforting for him."
This living arrangement, however, comes after a turbulent history. Earlier this year, Freddy had claimed that his grandmother got him "hooked" on drugs when he was just 12 years old. Jackiey Budden vehemently denied these allegations at the time, stating, "I’ve read all these things he’s said about me and I just can’t believe he’d say them. It just isn’t true at all."
She countered that Freddy had been smoking with friends long before they ever smoked together and that he had fallen in with "bad crowds" unrelated to her.
Amid these renewed family strains, Jeff Brazier has been focusing on his career. The presenter recently travelled to Iceland for a business trip, filming segments for ITV's Good Morning Britain and Lorraine, where he was caught in the nation's characteristic downpours.
