Jeff Brazier’s secret heartache as he watched son Bobby’s emotional Strictly dance

Bobby Brazier and his Strictly partner Dianne Buswell blew us away with their beautiful dance tribute to his late mum Jade Goody on the show recently.

Now Bobby’s dad, TV presenter Jeff Brazier, has opened up about how he felt watching his son perform the emotional routine that meant so much to the family.

Jeff, 44, told MailOnline that he was apprehensive for Bobby, 20, who hadn’t publicly shared his experience of losing his mother before, saying how he feared the performance may trigger “some unresolved grief”.

Reality star Jade tragically passed away in 2009 when Bobby was only five, after a much-documented battle with cervical cancer, and Jeff then brought Bobby and his brother Freddie up on his own.

© Guy Levy

Jeff, who revealed he cried watching the poignant dance, told the paper: “There was a point in the routine where Dianne [Buswell, Bobby's professional partner] was on Bobby's shoulder, and it really got to me. I saw her as Jade. I'm not sure whether the choreographer designed it as this, but what I saw was Jade on Bobby's shoulder. It's a lovely thought, isn't it, that when someone we love dies, they are still there, guiding us. We all need angels.”

© Shutterstock

The dad-of-two also saw Jade in his son as he danced that evening, explaining: “Looks-wise, he's definitely more of his mum. He's got her winning smile.”

Following the Strictly show, Jeff took to his Instagram page to share a tribute to Bobby.

© BBC/Guy Levy

Beneath a photo of his son and Dianne leaping through the air, Jeff wrote: "To share your grief even to just one person can be a daunting prospect but to express it so movingly in front of millions takes incredible courage so thank you for your inspiration @bobbybrazier!

"Encouraging many a conversation about loss & giving people an outlet for the tears they might find hard to release is a wonderful legacy of your time in the competition so far.

"You said something in the VT about making me proud of you? You and your brother achieved that a long time ago. Don't forget I've seen the journey and you both have my lifelong support & unwavering respect."

Bobby dedicated his contemporary routine to his mother, Jade, and his performance scooped an impressive 37 points from the judges and standing ovations from Shirley Ballas and Motsi Mabuse.

Speaking ahead of the dance, Bobby spoke about his mother's death, explaining: "It changed my life completely, I'd love to spend a day with her just to see where I get my smile from."