Jade Goody’s son Bobby Brazier is joining the cast of EastEnders

Jade Goody’s son, the model Bobby Brazier, is joining EastEnders as Freddie Slater, the son of Little Mo.

“Stepping into the acting world has always been a vision of mine and doing that with EastEnders as a Slater is a blessing,” Brazier said. “I’m very grateful.”

Brazier, the son of Goody and TV presenter Jeff Brazier, is currently filming scenes that will air on the BBC soap later this year.

Describing the character, executive producer Chris Clenshaw said: “Freddie Slater is a chaotic 18-year-old with a sensitive soul, a modern-day lad who’s in touch with his spiritual side.”

He added that Brazier is an “amazing young addition to the EastEnders cast, who brings heart and humility to the role”.

Freddie, who was conceived when Little Mo was raped by a character called Graham Foster, was last seen in 2006 (played by Alex Kilby and Tom Kilby), when he and his father Little Mo left to start a new life away from Walford.

Brazier was six years old when his mother died from cervical cancer on 22 March 2009, while his younger brother, Freddie, was five.

The cancer diagnosis of Goody, who shot to fame after finishing fourth on reality TV show Big Brother in 2002, shocked the nation and increased awareness on the importance of attending cervical screening appointments. The increase in smear test attendance came to be widely known as “The Jade Goody Effect”.

Shortly after Goody’s death, NHS data showed the number of women aged between 25 and 64 seeking advice rose by 12 per cent, with half a million more women than usual booking smear tests.

Following her death, then prime minister Gordon Brown led tributes to Goody, praising her bravery and the way she raised awareness of cancer.

In a statement Brown said: “She was a courageous woman both in life and death and the whole country has admired her determination to provide a bright future for her children."