Jade Goody | The Shiniest Star | 3

Jade Goody storms into the Big Brother house, all cocky confidence and East London charm. She fights, laughs and screams her way through the first few days, but behind the loudmouth antics, there’s more than meets the eye. By eviction night, the nation can’t get enough. But will they love her… or love to hate her? For non-judgmental information and support on domestic abuse, women can visit https://refuge.org.uk/ or call the free National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247 day or night. Men can call the free Respect Men’s Advice Line on 0808 8010 327 or visit https://mensadviceline.org.uk/. Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask our hosts? Email us at [email protected] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:00Alice Levine?

  Just a quick note before we start. This episode contains strong language, references to racist incidents and discussions of cancer and death.

• 0:08Matt Forde?

  If that's something you'd rather avoid right now, you can listen to some of the other series that are a bit lighter in our back catalogue. And you can also check the show notes for more information and links to support.

• 0:18Alice Levine?

  So Matt, I'm in London, you're in Leeds. How things? How's the weather? Oh, I think we've got a bit of a time delay. The tour show's going well?

• 0:27Matt Forde?

  Very foreboding. Real dark clouds starting to gather around me now.

• 0:33Alice Levine?

  Oh, Lord. Sorry to hear that. Well, just to warn you, it's actually quite an emotional episode today. So just checking, you're OK with that?

• 0:40Matt Forde?

  Oh, couldn't be better.

• 0:43Alice Levine?

  Unusual response? OK, good. I think maybe we're actually experiencing some technical difficulties. I think that might be what's happening.

• 0:49Matt Forde?

  I know.

• 0:52Matt Forde?

  Try not to cry already.

• 0:53Alice Levine?

  I mean, it's just the line. It's just because we're not in the studio together. I mean, you don't have to be dramatic. We'll get over it. Matt, I can't... Sorry, Matt, this is really annoying me. I'm gonna go.

• 1:03Matt Forde?

  Honestly, I think there's a bit... Oh, I think there's a bit of a delay. Oh, man. Sorry, I can't really hear you, but I miss you.

• 1:14Alice Levine?

  August 2008, Mumbai, India.

• 1:19Alice Levine?

  Jade wipes her brow, takes her iPhone out of her pocket, frowns at the black screen. It's useless here in India. She turns her face to the window, watches as the crowded streets inch by. Roasting spices, exhaust fumes, and the sweet scent of jasmine fills the air. Street vendors shouting, rickshaws and cars weaving in chaos. This was supposed to be a new beginning, a chance to make amends to the people of India and reset her career.

• 1:52Alice Levine?

  Instead, she's on her way back home after only two days in the Indian celebrity Big Brother house. Tears prick her eyes as she imagines her mum stroking her head. She thinks of her two boys, four and five years old, and imagines the three of them snuggled up in the warmth of a duvet. She wishes she was with them now.

• 2:17Alice Levine?

  The cab pulls up in front of an imposing hotel. Jade takes in its hand-carved sandstone arches and towering terracotta domes. But she feels leaden as she follows the producer into the grand lobby.

• 2:32Alice Levine?

  Once inside her room, she shuts the door. She's desperate to talk to her mum. But all of a sudden, she doesn't know what to say.

• 2:42Alice Levine?

  Jade collapses on the bed. Her flight's not until the morning. She tries to stop her thoughts from spiralling.

• 2:51Alice Levine?

  She reaches out for the phone with trembling hands.

• 2:56Alice Levine?

  To her relief, Jackie picks up. Mum! Jackie's voice comes through crackly, indistinct.

• 3:04Speaker 02

  Jade?

• 3:06Alice Levine?

  Did you hear what happened?

• 3:08Speaker 02

  I'm in a caravan in the middle of nowhere, love.

• 3:11Alice Levine?

  Relief floods her for a second. She'd forgotten that her mum's on holiday, camping with a friend. But then reality crashes back. Tears fill her eyes. She feels herself start to sob as her hand grips around the phone.

• 3:28Speaker 02

  Jade? Jade? What's wrong?

• 3:33Alice Levine?

  Jade again thinks of her boys, her mum, her family. She glances at her terrified face in the mirror.

• 3:42Alice Levine?

  Jade knows she has to stay strong. But right now, she's never been so scared. And she has no idea how she's going to fight this.

• 3:53Speaker 02

  Jade?

• 3:55Speaker 02

  Jade?

• 3:57Alice Levine?

  Jade closes her eyes as she takes a breath and hears herself mutter the words she'd been told in front of cameras just a few hours earlier. Mum! I've got cancer!

• 4:12Alice Levine?

  And I'm coming home!

• 4:24Speaker 03

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• 4:54Speaker 04

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• 5:24Speaker 05

  Hey, what's up, guys? It's Haley Bailey. OK, I need to tell you about something. I just got YouTube Premium. It's got tons of awesome features like offline downloads so I can download my favorite videos before I travel and watch them whenever I don't have Wi-Fi. Because we all know airplane Wi-Fi is the worst. I get ad-free, I get background play, and there's like a ton more in there. You should try it. If you like YouTube, you'll love YouTube Premium. So try YouTube Premium for two months free at youtube.com/premium. Trial eligibility varies. Terms apply. Cancel anytime. That's a mouthful.

• 5:57Alice Levine?

  I'm Alice Levine.

• 5:58Matt Forde?

  And I'm Matt Ford.

• 6:00Alice Levine?

  And this is British Scandal from Audible Originals.

• 6:16Alice Levine?

  Okay, last episode was hard. We saw in the space of a few days Jade Goody go from sort of the nation's sweetheart, a kind of working class hero. She was lovably daft. People found her ignorance charming. And then she becomes someone caught on camera being openly racist. How much of her own downfall do you think she was responsible for?

• 6:37Matt Forde?

  Well, it's tricky because she's responsible for what comes out of her mouth. And she makes choices in that house. She says things and she's definitely hot headed. So there are moments of tension where her personality definitely escalates things.

• 6:51Alice Levine?

  But of course, we know a lot more about reality TV now than we did then. We'd be naive if we didn't think that these sparks flying weren't by design. These producers have deliberately created this melting pot of cultures, of perspectives, of personalities, in order that there are explosive moments.

• 7:10Matt Forde?

  And then you emerge as a contestant from that cocoon, not knowing what sort of reaction you're going to get. You know, that tension before the doors open. And you could be a hero, you could be a villain, you could be somewhere in between. She stands in front of that door, totally ignorant of what lies on the other side of it. She's got no idea that there's no one there. The scale of the problem she's caused, she's really got no appreciation of how her comments have impacted other human beings. And she is walking out of a telly show and into something way bigger and way more dangerous.

• 7:42Alice Levine?

  So quite a tricky question then. What options does she have from here?

• 7:46Matt Forde?

  Well, the short answer obviously is not many, because she just doesn't have any control anymore.

• 7:51Alice Levine?

  Well, let's see who takes the steering wheel, shall we, in the future of Jade Goody? This is episode three, The Shiniest Star. Eighteen months earlier, Norfolk, 2007. Jade stares out of the kitchen window at the driving rain. Bobby runs up behind her, wraps his arms around her knees. She turns around and tickles him. Bobby jumps up and down in excitement. Jade reaches for his raincoat, puts it on, sees Freddie sitting on the floor, struggling with his wellies. All right, come here, let me help you. She opens the door to the garden, watches as the boys charge out into the mud.

• 8:37Alice Levine?

  They love it here. Since checking out of the priory and heading to Norfolk with Jack and the kids, family time feels possible here, out in the countryside. But whenever she imagines going back to their home in Essex, she feels her stomach clench. She's lost so much already. Her perfume taken off the shelves, her autobiography pulped, her deal with Living TV axed. She's even under investigation by the police for racial hatred.

• 9:08Matt Forde?

  Things have gone so bad so quick. We think of cancel culture as a modern phenomenon, really only in the age of social media. But she was effectively getting cancelled by the tabloids.

• 9:20Alice Levine?

  Yes, and in a time before social media, the tabloids were actually a way that she made money. As we learnt last episode, she was setting up these candid photo shoots.

• 9:30Matt Forde?

  It's basically broken her business model. The way that she is able to monetise her life has now turned against her.

• 9:38Alice Levine?

  Jack comes into the kitchen, grabs a beer, leans against the open fridge door.

• 9:46Alice Levine?

  There's nothing to eat, what we gonna do for tea?

• 9:49Alice Levine?

  Jade feels her heart beat faster, curses the fact that Jack can't drive. We're gonna have to face the bastards sometime. She knows Jack's right. She can't hide away from the public forever. She just wishes she could forget the horrors of the last few weeks, which keep replaying in her head. Unbidden, a series of numbers roll before her eyes. A whopping 82% of eviction votes were for her. Eight million people watched her leave the house. And Ofcom received over 40,000 complaints.

• 10:25Alice Levine?

  Matt, at the time of going to press, that is the third most complaints that Ofcom have ever had.

• 10:31Matt Forde?

  Oh, boy. So what is above it in the league?

• 10:35Alice Levine?

  Do you remember Jerry Springer, the opera?

• 10:37Matt Forde?

  I do, it was very controversial.

• 10:39Alice Levine?

  And, of course, that moment where Piers Morgan loses it on Good Morning Britain in regards to Meghan Markle.

• 10:46Matt Forde?

  Okay, so she is Premier League Ofcom level.

• 10:52Alice Levine?

  Half an hour later, Jade Parks outside a shop, kills the engine, forces herself to take a deep breath. She promised the psychologist at the priory she'd have outpatient therapy sessions. Instead, here she is in a supermarket car park in the middle of nowhere, feeling like she's about to have a panic attack. Jade pulls her cap down low over her forehead, gets out of the car and heads into the shop. She's picking out a jar of curry sauce when she feels a hand on her shoulder. Jade. Jade turns her heart in her mouth, braces herself. I'm sorry for what you went through. You didn't deserve that.

• 11:35Alice Levine?

  Before Jade can reply, the woman envelops her in a hug. Jade melts into it, feels the tears begin to flow.

• 11:44Alice Levine?

  Thanks. She runs her hand over her eyes, gives the woman a grateful smile, heads to the checkout. She hears people shouting after her.

• 11:56Speaker 06

  We love you, Jade. Keep your head up. Jade, we love you.

• 12:02Alice Levine?

  Screw the press, Jade. Keep your head up.

• 12:07Alice Levine?

  Okay, so this is interesting because this is completely at odds with what we've just been talking about, about the Ofcom complaints. There are a lot of things going on here.

• 12:15Matt Forde?

  Yeah, I wonder if it's a specifically British thing or whether it's a human thing, that you can simultaneously think that someone has crossed the line, you can even worry that you think they're bigoted, but also realise that they are vulnerable and that once they have had a level of punishment, that enough is enough and you still kind of care about them.

• 12:35Alice Levine?

  Absolutely, there'll be people that see her as an underdog, there'll be people that think she's been manipulated by the TV show and by the tabloids, there will be people who think she's a racist, there will also be people that think it's PC gone mad, you should be able to say these things, I can't believe it's been blown up to, you know, what we're seeing in the papers.

• 12:52Matt Forde?

  Alice, if I'm ever in trouble, I want you to be my PR woman.

• 12:59Alice Levine?

  As the checkout woman scans her items, Jade imagines what it would be like to move here, disappear from the public eye. That'll be £106.75, love. Jade stares at the figure on the till. Over £100 quid for a couple of cave hives and a curry. The checkout woman shrugs apologetically. Jade types in her PIN, thinks of her dwindling bank balance. Fame was how she provided for her kids. It's just not enough for a few people in a supermarket in Norfolk to like her. She has to face up to her demons. She has to get her career back on track, which means she has to get the nation to fall in love with her all over again.

• 13:45Alice Levine?

  August 2008, Uppshire, Essex. Jade sits on the lounge sofa, iPhone in hand, anxiously speed dials her new agent. She's returned to Essex to relaunch her career, but her supposed PR guru keeps ignoring her. Once again, it goes straight to voicemail.

• 14:07Speaker 02

  Hello, this is Max Clifford. If you know me, leave me a message. If you don't, this better be good.

• 14:15Matt Forde?

  Max Clifford was the number one celebrity PR guy and, as we also know, a deeply scandalous man himself.

• 14:24Alice Levine?

  Yes, now, the late Max Clifford, obviously convicted of sexual offences, in his heyday was sort of the mogul of scandal, actually. He's been adjacent to many of the scandals we've covered. He counted his clients Rebecca Luce, Simon Cowell, Paul Burrell. You just can't imagine that he's got Jade's mental health and best interests at the heart of his work here. Just to illustrate potentially his lack of professional morals, at an earlier time, Shilpa was his client.

• 14:54Alice Levine?

  Jade hangs up. She decides she's going to go to Max's office in person. Pitch her latest plan to restart her career. Conquering Hollywood. Jade grabs the car keys from the coffee table. Stands. She's hit by a wave of pain. Clutches her stomach in surprise. She rushes to the bathroom. Lowers her knickers. Her eyes widen as she sees they're soaked through with blood. She grabs her phone from her pocket. Dials 999. But her vision blurs. She stumbles, falls. Collapses onto the floor.

• 15:33Speaker 02

  Hello, can you hear me? What's your emergency?

• 15:42Alice Levine?

  A few hours later, Jade blinks up at the bright white light above her. She jumps as a curtain next to her is drawn back. Hello, Miss Goody, I'm one of the doctors here. Jade tries to sit up, but feels a tug at her arm. She looks around, sees that she's hooked up to an IV drip. The doctor presses her fingers together. We think you've had a miscarriage. Jade scoffs. Not unless I'm the Virgin Mary. I haven't had sex for months. The doctor frowns. Picks up her notes. Okay, okay. We're gonna run a few more tests.

• 16:23Alice Levine?

  Jade reaches for her phone. She doesn't know what time it is. Has she missed picking up the kids? But it's not the nursery. Max?

• 16:33Speaker 02

  I've got something for you, love.

• 16:35Alice Levine?

  Jade tries to focus. She's finally got Max on the phone. Max, I'm, I'm not sure I can talk right now. But he cuts in.

• 16:44Speaker 02

  They want you on Big Boss.

• 16:47Alice Levine?

  Big Boss? What, with Alan Sugar? Jade hears Max laugh.

• 16:54Speaker 02

  It's the Indian version. A celebrity Big Brother.

• 17:00Alice Levine?

  Jade feels her mouth dry. Brother. Jade squeezes her eyes shut, trying to ward off the memories. This day is starting to feel like some kind of waking nightmare.

• 17:13Speaker 02

  They're offering £100,000.

• 17:15Alice Levine?

  I'm just not sure I can put myself through that again.

• 17:19Speaker 02

  Come on, girl. This is exactly what you need.

• 17:24Alice Levine?

  Jade swallows, unsure.

• 17:27Speaker 02

  You want to know who's the Indian savina?

• 17:30Alice Levine?

  Jade stares at the nurses bustling around her.

• 17:34Speaker 02

  It's Shilpa Shetty.

• 17:37Alice Levine?

  Shilpa's the host?

• 17:39Speaker 02

  It's perfect. It's a chance to make things right, Jade.

• 17:43Matt Forde?

  I mean, obviously, from Jade's perspective, alarm bells are ringing. But this is actually, from Max Clifford's perspective, a mega deal. And he's getting her back on a big show with a massive payday. And the thought that Jade Goody and Shilpa Shetty are then reunited on Big Brother, on Indian Big Brother, I mean, it's almost like a world title fight. This is like the thing everyone wants to see.

• 18:11Alice Levine?

  Jade lets Max's words settle. Maybe he's right. Maybe this is her chance to finally put what happened on Celebrity Big Brother behind her. Jade feels a stab of pain breaking through the medication. She decides she's got to do this. She's going to India.

• 18:40Alice Levine?

  Big Boss Studio, 17th of August 2008, Mumbai, India. Shilpa Shetty studies herself in the dressing room mirror. She adjusts her crimson red sari, revealing her toned midriff. Since winning Celebrity Big Brother, Shilpa has become an international household name. She's even launched her own perfume and yoga DVD. And now she's landed the chance to host Big Boss in Mumbai. It's the biggest reality show in India, and she's the face of it. She's determined to use this opportunity to solidify her position as the new darling of British and Indian power players.

• 19:21Matt Forde?

  Shilpa was absolutely massive at this point. She was a real darling in Britain as well and was just this incredibly glamorous icon. I mean, she was probably the most famous woman on British TV for a while and was seen as like, maybe not quite Princess Diana, but certainly a sort of very beautiful woman who we had put on a pedestal.

• 19:45Alice Levine?

  But today, Shilpa's about to meet an old rival, Jade Goody.

• 19:52Alice Levine?

  Shilpa hasn't seen Jade since the infamous eviction. Publicly, she's forgiven Jade for what happened. But now, with the world about to watch their reunion, the memories come flooding back. She knows Jade has been paid a huge fee for coming to India and that the network is counting on drama.

• 20:14Alice Levine?

  So this is interesting because on one side, you could say, Shilpa's got all the power. This is her moment. If she wants kind of very public revenge or she wants to take Jade to task, she's the much more eloquent one of the two. So she could really run circles around Jade if she wanted to. So one way of looking at it is, she's won, you know, she's in the divina seat. But for me, there's this other way of looking at it, which is, this is the biggest opportunity I've had in my career and you're asking me to have a face-off with the woman who racially abused me on TV. Like, it doesn't feel like a win.

• 20:50Matt Forde?

  No, and the ethics of reality teller murky enough anyway. And you're giving her a tantalizing amount of power because she's on home turf, she's the host. I mean, it would take a tremendous amount of self-restraint to not use that power in some way.

• 21:07Alice Levine?

  The sound of the producer calling snaps Shilpa out of her thoughts. Shilpa nervously adds more powder to her nose. She tells herself she only has to greet Jade and welcome her to the show before Jade enters the house. She just hopes Jade doesn't walk out with a bindi on her forehead or greet her with namaste. She follows the producer down a corridor towards the studio and live audience. Shilpa braces herself, picturing the screaming matches, the insults hurled at her. Shilpa blinks as a flash of Jade appears in her mind. A finger pointing in Shilpa's face, Jade's open mouth in roar.

• 21:47Speaker 06

  "Go back to the slums. You're not some princess. You're a liar and a fake. Shilpa Bakwala, Shilpa De Rupa."

• 21:57Alice Levine?

  Fixing a smile on her face, Shilpa walks out onto the stage in front of the cheering crowd. She feels the heat of the cameras on her face.

• 22:08Alice Levine?

  Let's welcome our next guest, Jade Goody.

• 22:12Alice Levine?

  Shilpa glances nervously over to the wings of the set. Sees the curtains parked and a woman with brown hair appear. At first, she doesn't realise it's Jade. Shilpa blinks. The woman standing next to her looks fragile, nervous. Shilpa forces herself to embrace Jade, and as she does, she's sure she feels her tremble. Shilpa takes her hand. "Jade, what do you want the Indian people to know?" Jade stumbles over her words.

• 22:47Speaker 06

  "The people of India are only seeing a small amount of me. I want them to see there's more to me than what they saw."

• 22:56Alice Levine?

  Shilpa suddenly remembers what it was like to be the only Indian in the Celebrity Big Brother house, how isolated and alone she felt. Jade is going to be in the same position as she was, only she doesn't even speak Hindi. She feels herself soften.

• 23:15Matt Forde?

  I hadn't even thought of that, that you're in a foreign country, you'd be paranoid about what your fellow housemates and the viewing public would think, especially after what had happened between you and Shilpa. And then on top of that, there's a language barrier.

• 23:27Alice Levine?

  Yes, people would have been speaking English mainly, but a kind of hybrid of Hindi and English. And so immediately, linguistically, you're on the outside. Shilpa gives her another hug, feels Jade's body shake. She watches as Jade trips as she heads off the stage, writing herself with a nervous giggle. Shilpa remembers reading about Jade's contracts being cancelled after Celebrity Big Brother, how she was so depressed she had to go to a clinic. This version of Jade seems so very different from the loud-mouthed woman she knew a year ago. She feels a wave of empathy. She realises for the first time

• 24:09Alice Levine?

  just how taxing the experience has been for both of them. And Shilpa makes a decision. She isn't going to give the producers what they want, to pitch two women against one another. Instead, she's going to do everything she can to help Jade and to show her just how kind and hospitable the people of India can be.

• 24:36Alice Levine?

  Day two in the Big Boss house, Mumbai, India. Jade stands in the garden, swinging her hips from side to side, trying to recreate the dance moves Big Boss made her learn the previous night. She glances around at the others, who clap along, egging her on. Jade bursts out laughing, a bit out of breath. I'm trying, I'm trying. She gives it another go, bigger this time, more confident. Look at me, I'll be in Bollywood next. She collapses into giggles as the group cheers. She's having the best time. Everyone's been so kind, from Shilpa on the outside to the housemates in here.

• 25:21Alice Levine?

  Someone calls something out to her in Hindi. She doesn't quite catch it, but she grins anyway. They all look up as the Big Brother voice calls Jade to the diary room. She shrugs to the others. Don't go anywhere, I'm coming back.

• 25:39Alice Levine?

  She heads inside, still laughing to herself as she pushes the door open, expecting to be greeted by the signature disembodied voice. Instead, she sees a producer she vaguely remembers from when she landed in Mumbai. He looks awkward as he hands Jade a mobile phone. Uh, Jade, um, your, your doctor in London, uh, wants to talk to you. Jade frowns, confused. They told her she was fine to travel. Is it some kind of trick for the show? The producer shakes his head. Hello? The voice on the other end of the line sounds distant.

• 26:19Speaker 02

  Hello, Jade.

• 26:22Alice Levine?

  Jade feels her mouth dry as she recognizes the voice.

• 26:26Speaker 02

  We've had the results back on your biopsy. There are severe abnormalities.

• 26:33Alice Levine?

  She's had abnormal smear tests before. They've always just burned off the dodgy cells. I'll get it done as soon as I'm back. But the doctor interrupts.

• 26:44Speaker 02

  You need to fly home immediately.

• 26:47Alice Levine?

  Jade's hand sweats on the phone. But you told me...

• 26:52Speaker 02

  We can discuss everything when you get home.

• 26:55Alice Levine?

  Jade looks around. The producer has vanished. This don't make no sense. She's having a great time, making friends. For the first time in weeks, things are going well. She can't break the terms of her contract. She stares at the blinking eye of the camera. Tells herself she must check they're not recording this. It's only a few weeks till I get home. What's so bad that I've got to leave now?

• 27:24Speaker 02

  Jade, you have cancer.

• 27:29Alice Levine?

  She feels herself slipping to the floor. Cancer?

• 27:35Alice Levine?

  Cancer is something that happens to old people. She's only 27.

• 27:42Alice Levine?

  She thinks of her mum, of Jack, of her two beautiful boys, Bobby, Freddie.

• 27:50Alice Levine?

  Jade presses the phone tighter, desperate.

• 27:55Speaker 02

  I've booked an appointment for you for the day after tomorrow.

• 28:00Alice Levine?

  Jade stares at her reflection in the mirror, at the blinking red light behind, as she hears herself mutter. There's, it's got to be some kind of mistake.

• 28:18Matt Forde?

  Being told you've got cancer is bad enough. Being told on the phone in a foreign country has to be the worst way to find out.

• 28:27Alice Levine?

  Devastating.

• 28:28Matt Forde?

  I remember when I was diagnosed, I just said to my wife, I need to go for a whiskey now.

• 28:33Alice Levine?

  Did you?

• 28:34Matt Forde?

  We were in Glasgow, we just went to this bar in the centre of town and I got a pint, got a whiskey and we sat in the window. It was like, right, well, things are going to change for a bit. But it really helped having her there and having whiskey there. And the thought of being alone without your wife and without whiskey, I mean, God.

• 28:50Alice Levine?

  Doesn't bear thinking about.

• 28:51Matt Forde?

  How do you cope with anything?

• 28:52Alice Levine?

  And you drank throughout your treatment. That became a daily crutch.

• 28:56Matt Forde?

  Yes, I was also diagnosed with cirrhosis 10 weeks later.

• 29:01Speaker 07

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• 29:43Speaker 07

  And a scheme that ends in betrayal and murder. Listen to Over My Dead Body: Operation Side Swipe wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

• 30:02Speaker 05

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• 30:46Speaker 05

  Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of A Great Book with Barack Obama ad-free right now, plus access each audiobook discussed in the series. Download the Audible app today.

• 31:07Alice Levine?

  Five months later, January 2009. Max Clifford smashes his tennis racket down. Fuck! His game's all over the place today. Max reaches for his phone. He hopes it's not Simon Cowell again. How many times has he got to tell him? All publicity is good publicity. Max Clifford? The voice on the other end of the line is familiar, but it's not Simon. It's a journalist from the News of the World.

• 31:38Speaker 02

  How's Jane's chemo going, Max?

• 31:40Alice Levine?

  Max frowns.

• 31:42Speaker 02

  I hear she's losing her hair.

• 31:45Alice Levine?

  Jade told him that she'd woken up on New Year's Day to find clumps of her hair on the pillow, but this shouldn't be public knowledge. Look, Jade's taking some time at the moment. But the journo snaps back.

• 31:58Speaker 02

  If you can get us an exclusive deal for the first pics, we'll pay a lot.

• 32:04Alice Levine?

  Max swears under his breath. He should have spoken with Jade first. If Jade is papped without hair, any deal will be dead.

• 32:15Matt Forde?

  This obviously feels deeply unethical, and regular listeners to the show will know the sorts of things The News of the World got up to. There is part of you that thinks, well, Jade had already effectively made the decision that she wants to make as much money as possible, and you think, well, she's going to be photographed anyway, why shouldn't she get a financial stake in her own story? Or am I starting to sound like a terrible PR person?

• 32:45Alice Levine?

  I mean, you sound exactly like Max Clifford.

• 32:47Matt Forde?

  Thank you very much.

• 32:49Alice Levine?

  And if Max happens to make a bundle of cash at the same time, that is merely a by-product.

• 32:57Alice Levine?

  I'll get back to you. Max hangs up, strides to the net to meet his opponent. Got to go. I'll beat you next time.

• 33:08Alice Levine?

  Back in his office, Max's assistant rattles off his missed calls. The Sun, The Mirror, The Mail, all after Jade. Any luck reaching her? Jade's away on holiday with her mum and the kids. He doesn't know if she's up for making a deal like this. Not yet. I left a message. Max opens up his emails, stares at the figure he's received from The News of the World. He raises his eyebrows. He snatches up his phone. She's gonna want to hear this.

• 33:42Alice Levine?

  This time Jade answers.

• 33:46Speaker 06

  Max, I'm on holiday.

• 33:48Alice Levine?

  Max drums his fingers on the desk. He needs to tread carefully. Bit of a weird one Jade. Uh, got a lot of journos asking about you with no hair.

• 34:01Alice Levine?

  Max bites his lip as Jade falls silent. He knows Jade is going through the hardest time of her life. Not only the cancer and the chemo, but her partner Jack is in prison convicted of assaulting a taxi driver with a golf club. Max can't afford to break her trust. Then he hears her chuckle.

• 34:23Speaker 06

  They want my bald head, do they? Tell them they won't have to wait long.

• 34:27Alice Levine?

  Max exhales. Just make sure you're wearing a swimming cap or headscarf. Can't let them see it too soon.

• 34:34Speaker 06

  Alright, but make them pay. If I'm gonna lose me hair, might as well make some money off it.

• 34:40Alice Levine?

  Jade hangs up, leaving Max grinning. She's got the right attitude, that girl. If she's got to go through hell, she may as well come out the other side with something to show for it. He's going to make her the most beloved celeb in Britain, even more than before. And he's going to make them both stinking rich.

• 35:07Alice Levine?

  January 27th, 2009. Outside HMP Weyland, Norfolk. Jade rubs her bald head as she waits outside the prison gates. Jack's been locked away for the last five months. He was her rock when she got her diagnosis, but she's been through surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, all without him.

• 35:29Matt Forde?

  That is a nightmare because going through those things is hard enough. Going through it alone, I can't imagine how hard that is.

• 35:36Alice Levine?

  You'd also be furious because you'd be like, I'm having quite a bad time right now. If you could keep all of the beatings with golf clubs until after I've recovered. We all need an outlet, you know, we all need a hobby. But just pop that on ice just while I go through a nightmare, if that's cool.

• 35:55Alice Levine?

  The gates open and she sees Jack standing there. Jade fixes a smile on her face. She's worried things won't be the same. She just wants to feel beautiful again, desired. Jack might not even fancy her anymore. She self-consciously brushes her bald head. But Jack walks straight over, takes her in his arms, kisses her on the lips. Love you. Jade feels her fear give way a little. You don't mind me looking like an egg? Jack holds Jade at arm's length, considers her.

• 36:35Alice Levine?

  Tasty egg. Bald kinda suits ya. Alright, what about you though? You look right as a ghost without your fake tan. Jack laughs. Let's get out of here. I wanna get the boys something. Jade smiles. It's good to have Jack back.

• 36:56Alice Levine?

  A few hours later, Jade watches from the kitchen window as Jack and the boys have a kickabout in the garden. Bobby and Freddie are grinning from ear to ear. Freddie, still clutching the cuddly toy monkey Jack got him from Toys R Us, while Bobby's crocodile watches from the sidelines. She hasn't told the boys about the cancer. They're too little. She wants to protect them from all of that. She fell into the garden pond a few months ago, so she told them she'd swallowed tadpoles and that's what's making her sick. Jack comes in from the garden, breathing hard. Pass me a glass of water, will ya? Jade can feel Jack's eyes on her, registering concern. You're okay?

• 37:40Alice Levine?

  She swallows. She can't lie to him. The doctors say the cancer's spread. She blurts out. I got forty percent chance of beating it.

• 37:52Alice Levine?

  Jack frowns. I thought it was sixty percent. Jade shakes her head, tears pricking her eyes. It just keeps going down. She feels another wave of nausea grip her.

• 38:06Alice Levine?

  She retches into the sink. Jack rubs her back. We're gonna fight this together, okay? Jade nods, determined. She's going to fight for her family with every ounce of strength she's got. But as she looks out at her boys playing, both still with chubby cheeks, she realises she has to prepare for the worst. She's going to set up a trust in their name, make sure that whatever happens, she can always take care of them.

• 38:44Alice Levine?

  Fifteenth of February, 2009. Royal Marsden Hospital, London.

• 38:51Alice Levine?

  Jade lies in bed, staring at the ceiling. She's sick of being here. Yesterday was Valentine's Day, and she and Jack had to spend it on the ward. She doesn't want him wasting the best years of his life in a hospital too. It all feels so unfair. A nurse comes to check her vitals. She drops a bunch of letters on Jade's bedside table. I've never known anyone to get so much fan mail. Jack comes in, full of his usual puppyish energy. Morning! But Jade isn't in the mood. You don't have to be here, you know, if you'd rather be with your mates. Jack gives her a quizzical look.

• 39:34Alice Levine?

  Come on, get your coat on, I'm taking you out. Jade raises an eyebrow, glances over at the nurse, expecting disapproval. But she gives her a nod, and Jack a wink. Quickly disconnects her IV. Don't be long, though, our pain meds will run out by three o'clock. Where are we going? Jack shakes his head, a twinkle in his eye, and wheels her out of the room, the nurse smiling after them.

• 40:03Alice Levine?

  Jade frowns as Jack takes her down to the Thames. We're not just gonna look at the stinky old river, are we? If she's going to escape her hospital room, she wants to do something more exciting than take a walk in the cold.

• 40:17Alice Levine?

  Jack stops, right across from Battersea Park. Jade opens her mouth to shout at him when she sees him go down on one knee.

• 40:28Alice Levine?

  She feels a bubble rise in her chest. Passersby's stop, gasp.

• 40:35Alice Levine?

  Jade, will you marry me? He's holding up a beautiful diamond, set in a silver band. Cars stop and hoot. A photographer snaps. Of course I will. Jack leans forward to give Jade a hug, but Jade disentangles herself. We can plan a wedding in a week. I'm calling my girlfriends, I need to get a dress.

• 41:07Alice Levine?

  An hour later, Jade looks at herself in the mirror in Harrods Bridal Shop. Fans out her white satin skirts, fingers the round neckline at the front, feeling the sexy V at the back. This is the one. This is the dress that makes her feel like a bride. She turns to the assistant. How much is it? That one is £4,000. She can't spend 4K on a dress, but she blurts out. Can I get it for free? I might be about to die. Jade's words surprise even her. The assistant is taken aback. I'll call Mr Alfayed, see what I can do.

• 41:51Matt Forde?

  My god, the supporting cast in this episode is like... All of the biggest, most scandalous wrongers have got walk-on parts in this.

• 42:02Alice Levine?

  Jade turns back to the mirror, gazes at herself in admiration. Whatever comes next, she's going to have the best wedding ever. And she isn't going to spend a penny. She deserves this.

• 42:18Alice Levine?

  And nothing is going to get in her way.

• 42:28Alice Levine?

  February 22, 2009, Down Hall, Essex. Jade sits out of sight, her wedding dress spread around her. She clenches her teeth as a nurse adjusts the pump in her arm, topping up her painkillers. A photographer pops his head in. "All right darling, any chance of a quick snap behind the scenes?" But Jade shooes him away. She signed an exclusive deal with OK Magazine for £1 million. Money that's going straight into the boy's trust fund. But she doesn't want people to see her like this, not today. Her mum and grandad come in, smiling proudly. "You ready babe?"

• 43:12Alice Levine?

  Jade has to admit that her mum's really come through for her since her diagnosis. And her grandad is the one man in the family she's always been able to rely on. Jade slips on her four-inch heels, takes his arm.

• 43:28Alice Levine?

  She leans on him, and they start the slow walk down the aisle. At the top of which, she can see Jack, nervously waiting.

• 43:40Alice Levine?

  Jade takes his hand. She steals a look at Bobby and Freddie, sitting on the front row. Sandwiched between her mum and the boy's dad, Jeff. The kids are so beautiful in their suits. Jade looks back at Jack.

• 43:57Alice Levine?

  He's beautiful too. She can't wait to read him her vows. She's written them herself.

• 44:06Alice Levine?

  She stops in front of Jack, and beams.

• 44:16Alice Levine?

  An hour later, Jade watches from the top table as Jack finishes off his speech. "But most of all, the only thing I'd like to say is how beautiful my wife looks tonight." The guests cheer, but Jade sees Jack's mouth twist with sadness. She thinks back to a few days ago, when she finally asked the doctor to tell her the truth.

• 44:42Alice Levine?

  Terminal, palliative, months. Jade takes the microphone from Jack, and shakily gets to her feet, forces a smile.

• 44:55Speaker 06

  When I was little, I could never have dreamed of anything like this.

• 45:00Alice Levine?

  She looks out to the sea of faces in front of her, sees her mum trying not to cry.

• 45:06Speaker 06

  I'm just so grateful for you. I love you all so, so much. I don't ever want to leave you.

• 45:13Alice Levine?

  Jade falters, then pushes on.

• 45:17Speaker 06

  And I'm not gonna, because I'm gonna get through this.

• 45:22Alice Levine?

  But the sadness in the room just gets heavier.

• 45:26Speaker 06

  I'm not gonna.

• 45:28Alice Levine?

  Her voice fades. She sits down, exhausted. Looks out at her mum, openly crying now, at her boys, Freddie asleep, Bobby looking down at the floor. Silent.

• 45:45Alice Levine?

  In that moment, Jade knows. No more pretending. She won't see Bobby turn six, or Freddie turn five.

• 45:57Alice Levine?

  Their first days at school. Another Christmas. The realization lands heavy and final.

• 46:06Alice Levine?

  It's time to have the hardest conversation of her life.

• 46:12Alice Levine?

  She has to tell her children she's dying.

• 46:23Speaker 06

  By 1779, Benedict Arnold had sacrificed more for the revolution than almost any other man in America. One of George Washington's most effective commanders, he had nearly lost a leg in the Second Battle of Saratoga. But in return, Arnold believed he had been humiliated by Congress and cheated of his glory by lesser men. So he decided to make them pay. Hi, I'm Lindsey Graham, the host of the podcast American Scandal. We bring to life some of the biggest controversies in US history. Presidential lies, environmental disasters, corporate fraud. In our latest series, Benedict Arnold turns his back on his comrades in the Continental Army and secretly defects to the British. With the help of his wife, he plots to hand over the most important colonial fortress to the enemy

• 47:08Speaker 06

  and doom the revolution he once served. Follow American Scandal wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of American Scandal early and ad-free right now. Join Audible and the

• 47:20Speaker 04

  For decades, two legendary brands fought for the hearts of American bikers, Indian Motorcycle and Harley-Davidson. The battle looked a lot like Coke versus Pepsi or Ford versus Chevy, but tastes changed and Indian didn't adapt fast enough. The icon all but died. Then came the con men, the dreamers, a string of spectacular failures that kept Indian in the grave, until one company finally got it right. This is the story of an improbable revival and the reignition of an old rivalry. Hey, I'm David Brown, the host of the podcast Business Wars, and every season we bring you the true stories behind the companies that shape our world. Indian's new owners are going all in, but an existential crisis looms.

• 48:03Speaker 04

  Can Indian and Harley recruit enough younger riders to survive? Make sure to follow Business Wars wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of Business Wars early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.

• 48:24Alice Levine?

  March 7, 2009, Royal Marsden Hospital, London. Jade lies in bed, Bobby and Freddie tucked in on either side of her, watching Noddy. She wishes she could freeze this moment, but today she can't focus on the warmth of their bodies, their sweet-smelling hair. As the cartoon draws to an end, Jade gently takes the remote from Bobby and switches off the TV. Freddie groans in protest, but Bobby just keeps staring ahead. Boys, remember I told you there were tadpoles in mommy's tummy making her sick? Freddie nods. Bobby avoids her gaze. He's only five, but he knows what's coming.

• 49:09Alice Levine?

  Jade swallows, her throat tight. She mustn't cry.

• 49:15Alice Levine?

  Well, they're getting stronger.

• 49:18Alice Levine?

  Mommy's gonna go to heaven soon. Freddie lets out a cry of distress. I don't want you to go to heaven. How will I see you?

• 49:29Alice Levine?

  Bobby fiddles with the friendship bracelet she got him, that she told him never to take off. She pulls them both in close. We're gonna all meet in heaven. That's why we're all getting christened today. Bobby sniffs. Freddie's eyes also fill with tears. Jade holds her boys close to her chest, feeling her heart pumping.

• 49:55Alice Levine?

  A few hours later, Jade sits in front of the priest in her wheelchair. I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

• 50:08Alice Levine?

  With an effort, she lifts her face towards him, feels him making the sign of the cross on her forehead in holy water.

• 50:16Alice Levine?

  She looks over at her two children, their foreheads still glistening, Bobby holding a candle to symbolize the light of Christ. She feels a weight has been lifted from her. Jade turns to the nurse, who's preparing to wheel her back to her bed. I want a photo with the boys and Jack. The nurse nods, goes to Jackie, who's sitting with the kids. Jade watches as Jackie leads the boys over. She gratefully gives her mum's hand a squeeze, Jack at her side, her perfect little family. But there's someone missing. Jade beckons. And Jeff.

• 50:59Alice Levine?

  The boy's dad joins them.

• 51:05Alice Levine?

  Jade leans into Jack, Freddie in her arms. On the other side, Jeff holds Bobby close. She takes it all in, fixes it in her mind, then gestures weakly to the cameraman in the corner of the room to stop filming. Watches as the little red light goes dark. Lets her eyes close. Murmurs,

• 51:30Alice Levine?

  "I'm so tired." She's done her best. Now, it's time to rest.

• 51:44Alice Levine?

  March 22, 2009, Mothering Sunday, Upshire, Essex. Jackie grips Jade's hand, listens to the sound of her daughter's ragged breath. She wants a drink, a pill, a puff, anything to make this pain go away.

• 52:04Alice Levine?

  She stands, ready to walk out of the room. Then she sees that Jade's lips are dry. She takes a Q-tip, dips it in a cup of cold ice water, and gently applies it to Jade's mouth. Sits back down. These last few short, painful months, she's tried to be the mother she never was. She's been there in the night when Jade was vomiting, helped her go to the toilet, bathed her. She's not leaving now. She's going to stay until she takes her last breath.

• 52:37Alice Levine?

  Jackie feels tears swimming in her eyes, angrily wipes them away, looks around the room for something to distract her. The hospital set Jade up with a bed in the lounge, in the home that she loves, where the boys grew up. They're with Jeff today. It's just Jackie and Jack taking shifts, waiting. Her gaze lands on a Mother's Day card on the mantelpiece. Did Jeff come by with a card for Jade from the boys?

• 53:07Alice Levine?

  Maybe she should read it to Jade. Jackie reaches down for it, opens it, reads out the shaky handwriting. "To Mum, I love you and will always be looking down on you."

• 53:22Alice Levine?

  The words catch in her throat. This isn't from the boys to Jade. It's from Jade to Jackie. She looks at her daughter, lying unconscious in her hospital bed. She must have done this a few days ago, knowing that Mother's Day was coming up. Jackie feels herself begin to shake as she continues.

• 53:46Alice Levine?

  Thank you for always being there. It's like Jade's trying to make her feel better, even now, at the end. And I will always love you, no matter what. Jackie can't help it. She breaks down into sobs.

• 54:04Alice Levine?

  She slowly lifts her head and looks over at Jade, frowns. Jade's chest isn't moving. She waits for her to take another breath.

• 54:15Alice Levine?

  But it doesn't come. Her daughter's gone.

• 54:21Alice Levine?

  Without thinking twice, Jackie marches out of the room, down the corridor, and opens the front door. She's greeted by a chorus of voices. Jackie, any news? Jackie, Jackie, any news? How's Jade? Jackie walks over to the waiting journalists. Her voice cracks as she tells them. She's dead. A moment, and then the questions break out again. What were her last words, Jackie? Was it peaceful?

• 54:51Matt Forde?

  The irony of shouting that.

• 54:55Alice Levine?

  Jackie barks. Shut up! Takes a breath. You leave her body alone, okay? When they take her out, I don't want the boys seeing pictures of their mum in a body bag. Jackie knows the press would give anything to get a photo of her daughter's dead body.

• 55:16Alice Levine?

  She's got nothing against these people. Jade used them as much as they used her. But enough is enough.

• 55:25Alice Levine?

  One by one, with Jackie staring them down, they nod their assent. Thank you.

• 55:33Alice Levine?

  She turns, walks back. It's a moonlit night, and one star in particular stands out. Jackie looks up at it and smiles as she remembers Jade telling her boys she'd be looking down on them. The shiniest star in the sky.

• 56:01Alice Levine?

  Thousands lined the streets of Jade's funeral procession and the service was shown on screens outside the church. In the months that followed Jade's death, cervical screening rates rose sharply, a surge widely dubbed "The Jade Goody Effect". Jade's name was raised in the House of Commons as the Health Secretary agreed to review the policy to include younger people in screening. Jack Tweed was jailed a month after Jade died for assaulting a 16-year-old. Jade's sons have been raised largely out of the spotlight by their father Jeff Brazier. Bobby has become an actor and model, and Freddie a model and influencer.

• 56:43Alice Levine?

  Shilpa Shetty went on to reflect on Celebrity Big Brother as a turning point in global conversations about race and reality TV.

• 57:05Alice Levine?

  From Audible Originals and Sam is That Audio, this is the third episode in our series, Jade Goody.

• 57:12Matt Forde?

  A quick note about our dialogue: in most cases, we can't know exactly what was said, but all our dramatizations are based on historical research.

• 57:20Alice Levine?

  If you'd like to know more about this story, you can read How It All Began: Forever in My Heart and Fighting to the End, all by Jade Goody. And the Channel 4 Blast Films documentary, Jade: The Reality Star Who Changed Britain. Thank you to everybody who has been in touch. If you would like to get in touch, it is [email protected].

• 57:41Matt Forde?

  And in other British scandal business, if you'd like to see this podcast live, then there are still a few tickets remaining.

• 57:47Alice Levine?

  Think of our usual great storytelling, even if I do say it myself, but with ridiculous features we can't do in the studio, we're going to get you all involved. And it won't be recorded, so if you miss it, you will never hear that scandal again.

• 57:59Matt Forde?

  Go to crossedwires.live for tickets.

• 58:02Alice Levine?

  British Scandal is hosted by me, Alice Levine.

• 58:05Matt Forde?

  And me, Matt Ford.

• 58:07Alice Levine?

  Written by Afzal Nagre, additional writing by Alice Levine and Matt Ford. Our story editor was James Maniak, sound design by Louis Blathwick. Our engineer was Jai Williams. For Samizdat, our series producer was Chika Ayers. Our assistant producer was Louise Mason. Our senior producers were Joe Sykes and Dasha Lisitzina. Executive producers for Audible were Theodora LaLudis and Estelle Doyle.

• 58:41Speaker 03

  On January 24, 2023, in Ducksbury, Massachusetts, Patrick Clancy called 911. He had found his wife Lindsay badly injured and his three children dead and dying. What followed would become one of the most searing and complicated cases in recent memory, raising hard questions about motherhood, mental illness, and how far our justice system will go to understand what really happened. I'm Candace DeLong, host of the podcast Killer Psyche. In our latest episode, we take you inside the case of Lindsay Clancy, the postpartum psychosis defense, the courtroom battle, and the trial that just ended in a stunning mistrial.

• 59:25Speaker 03

  Follow Killer Psyche wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche one week early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.