Bobby Brazier said he and his father, Jeff Brazier, will help raise the child his younger brother, Freddy, is expecting, after the 20-year-old’s pregnancy news prompted a family reunion following a period of estrangement.
The 22-year-old EastEnders actor and former Strictly Come Dancing contestant told MailOnline he was “excited to become an uncle” and described caring for the baby as “a team effort.” He added that Jeff “has been super supportive and we’re going to raise the baby together,” but said he was unsure whether the news would heal tensions in the family.
Bobby said he first learned of the pregnancy when the Mail on Sunday published the story and that he called his father, who confirmed the news. He told the publication he initially thought the announcement might be a prank. MailOnline and the Daily Mail reported the comments on Wednesday.
Relations between Jeff and Freddy have been strained for much of the past year, the Mail on Sunday reported, but sources said the pair had been reunited in the weeks after the pregnancy became public. A source quoted by the paper said Freddy turned to his father for support, adding, “His dad” was the only person he could have relied on.
Friends and other sources speaking to the Daily Mail said Freddy, who is not in a current relationship with the child’s mother, has requested a DNA test before making longer-term plans. One source said Freddy wanted certainty about paternity because his relationship with the woman had been short-lived and ended acrimoniously, with the pair having made allegations to the police.
Jeff Brazier, a television presenter and father of Bobby and Freddy, has previously been involved in legal action related to family matters. The Mail on Sunday reported that Jeff had at one point hired lawyers in a dispute that concerned Freddy’s access to his grandmother. According to those reports, Jeff wants to meet the mother’s family so they “can all deal with this together.”
Bobby is the eldest son of the late Jade Goody and has attracted media attention for his acting work and television appearances. He framed his response to the pregnancy announcement in practical terms, saying he and Jeff would support Freddy and the child rather than suggesting the news would automatically heal past disputes.
The family’s comments follow a wave of tabloid coverage of Freddy’s situation. The Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday provided details of the estrangement and reported on Freddie’s request for a DNA test and the apparent reconciliation with his father after the pregnancy was revealed. Neither Freddy nor the mother of the child has released a public statement through their representatives responding to those reports.
Representatives for Bobby and Jeff Brazier did not immediately respond to requests for further comment. The older siblings’ remarks underscore the continued public interest in the Brazier family, whose private disputes have periodically drawn media scrutiny since the death of Jade Goody in 2009.