There were tears of happiness when Freddy Brazier discovered he was going to be a father.
For the 21-year-old, whose girlfriend Holly Swinburn welcomed their baby daughter in March, the moment carried extra emotional weight. Freddy lost his mother, reality TV star Jade Goody, when he was only four years old.
His father, Jeff Brazier, was also said to be delighted at becoming a grandfather while still in his 40s. He reportedly promised that the family would rally around the baby, who has been named Isla Jade in tribute to her late grandmother.
However, MailOnline can reveal that the family’s joy has since been overshadowed by fresh turmoil. Sources close to the Brazier family say a serious rift has emerged between Freddy and Holly, sparking deep worry and upset for Jeff, who is known to viewers as the parenting expert on ITV’s This Morning.
According to those close to the couple, their relationship has been unstable for some time. Now, insiders are describing “chaos” within the family after what has been referred to as a “major incident” involving Freddy and Holly.
The pair, whose relationship has been on and off, had reportedly tried to move past their differences so they could raise their daughter together. But after the Daily Mail disclosed last month that they had separated again, escalating tensions are said to have led to a heated incident at their former home last week, with police called following a series of earlier arguments.
Freddy Brazier’s girlfriend Holly Swinburn gave birth in March but, writes Katie Hind, there is now talk of ‘mass chaos’ within the family following a ‘major incident’ between the couple
Freddy’s dad Jeff, far left, was said to be thrilled at becoming a grandfather in his mid-40s. He vowed that the family would look after the baby, named Isla Jade after her late grandmother
Relations have become so toxic between the former partners that Freddy’s dad Jeff has even volunteered to help provide some stability for the baby while the warring pair worked out their differences.
A source explained: ‘Freddy and Holly had said they’d try to make things work as a couple for the sake of their baby, but things clearly aren’t working out – if anything they’re getting worse by the week and the latest incident just sums up where things are at.
‘At first they had just decided to separate and co-parent, but now the arguments are off the scale and the police have been involved yet again after concerns were raised about the soaring rows. Everyone around them can see what’s happening.
‘Jeff is helping to give everyone some space but at the moment it’s not clear what will happen, it’s extremely messy and devastating they have split so early in the baby’s life.’
Freddy and Holly have endured an extremely fiery relationship from the very beginning – dating for just a few weeks before she revealed she had fallen pregnant by sending him a photograph of a positive pregnancy test.
But they appeared to have reconciled by earlier this year, and announced the baby’s arrival as a couple online, posting photographs together on Instagram from the maternity unit.
Relations have become so toxic between the former partners that Freddy’s dad Jeff has even volunteered to take care of youngster Isla Jade
The birth of Isla Jade was particularly poignant given that he lost his mother Jade Goody, pictured with Freddy and his older brother Bobby, when he was just four
Jeff and Freddy took part in BBC Two’s Celebrity Race Across the World two years ago and argued about his difficult upbringing which eventually saw them estranged for months
Freddy’s latest troubles follow a turbulent couple of years – which have seen him engaged in an acrimonious battle with his father who had launched controversial legal action in an attempt to control some of his son’s wild antics and prevent him from seeing his grandmother, Jade’s mum Jackiey Budden.
Jeff accused Jackiey of being a bad influence and allowing Freddy to use drugs while staying at her south London flat – but Freddy, an aspiring model, hit back furiously, insisting nothing would prevent him from having a relationship with his grandmother and angrily blasting his dad’s attempts as ‘controlling’.
Sources say that Freddy and his beloved nan are now back in contact and he is a regular visitor to her flat in Bermondsey, south-east London, where his mother grew up.
Indeed, two years ago while Jeff and Freddy were taking part in BBC Two’s Celebrity Race Across the World, he and his father rowed about his difficult upbringing which eventually saw them estranged for months.
Freddy and his older brother Bobby had gone to live with Jeff when they were three and four years old following Jade’s death from cervical cancer back in 2009. Jeff and Jade had split up shortly before Freddy was born and she went on to marry model Jack Tweed just days before she passed away.
The boys have had a turbulent upbringing following their mother’s tragic death and there have also been issues between Jeff and Bobby, his eldest son, though relations between them are understood to have healed recently and the pair are said to be close.
However, Bobby recently revealed that he is to quit Britain to move to New York, apparently to make it as a model and actor following his role as Freddie Slater on BBC One soap, EastEnders. Previously, he had found the Hare Krishna religion after joining a group in London, and was pictured engaging in a ritual dance alongside hundreds of other worshippers in Soho.
Meanwhile, Jeff was dealt a blow last November when he split from his wife Kate Dwyer after seven years of marriage and 12 years together.
And now Jeff is a grandfather. ‘After all of that turmoil, a lovely thing happened to the family, Isla came along,’ says a family friend. ‘Bobby loved the idea of being an uncle and it was hoped that it would really bring everyone together.
‘Sadly, it has torn things apart again and it’s really, really sad. Who knows where it’s going to end this time.’
