Tributes to 'courageous' TV star

Reality TV star Jade Goody has died in her sleep after a public battle with cervical cancer.

The 27-year-old died at home with her family by her side in Upshire, Essex, early on Sunday morning.

Here her friends, family and others give their reaction.

JACKIEY BUDDEN, MOTHER

Goody's mother was at her side as she died.

Ms Budden said her "beautiful daughter" was at peace and her family and friends "would like privacy at last".

She said in a message delivered by family friend Kevin Adams: "There have been no funeral arrangements made as yet because they are still in the planning process and reports otherwise are untrue and upsetting."

Mr Adams told reporters: "She'd like it to stop and as she said before she would just like this time for family and friends for private grieving and she thanks you for that."

JEFF BRAZIER, FATHER OF GOODY'S SONS

The TV presenter said he was "devastated" and his priority now was with his boys.

"I'm grateful the boys were able to say their goodbyes and spend that precious time with their wonderful mother.

"Bobby and Freddie are my absolute priority and I will be doing everything I can to be their rock and to give them all my love and support to get them through a confusing and upsetting time.

"We thank everyone for their strength and love and we want you to know that we are determined to get through this as well as we can."

His spokesman said he had been working on the live tour version of TV talent show The X Factor in between being with his family and would now take some time off.

MAX CLIFFORD, SPOKESMAN

He said Goody told him the seven years since her first appearance on Big Brother had been the happiest of her life.

"Living in the public eye was natural to her and of course dying in the public eye was the way that she wanted to do it," he told the BBC.

"She was doing things her own way. It might not suit you, it might not suit me but it suited her.

"Since she went public with this last August, she's already saving young lives all over Britain... because of cervical cancer.

"In her own words, 'It was too late for me, Max, but the others can learn and it won't be too late for them.'"

He added it was ironic the mother-of-two had died on Mother's Day.

"I think she's going to be remembered as a young girl who has, and will, save an awful lot of lives," she said.

"She was a very, very brave girl. And she faced her death in the way she faced her whole life - full on, with a lot of courage."

GORDON BROWN, PRIME MINISTER

He said Goody's family should be proud of her work raising awareness of cervical cancer.

"I was deeply saddened to hear the news of Jade Goody's death," he said.

"She was a courageous woman both in life and death and the whole country have admired her determination to provide a bright future for her children.

"She will be remembered fondly by all who knew her and her family can be extremely proud of the work she has done to raise awareness of cervical cancer which will benefit thousands of women.

"Every death from cancer is a tragedy and my thoughts go out to her two sons, husband and family at this time."

DAVID CAMERON, CONSERVATIVE LEADER

The Tory leader said he was "very sorry" to hear the "sad news".

"Her brave fight has raised awareness of this terrible disease and her legacy will be to save the lives of more young women in the future," he said.

"My thoughts are with her family and particularly her two young sons at this terrible time."

STEPHEN FRY, ACTOR AND TV PRESENTER

The raconteur met Goody when they were fellow guests on Jonathan Ross's BBC One chat show.

Writing on the mini-blog website Twitter, he said she was "a kind of Princess D from the wrong side of the tracks".

"Poor, dear Jade... I warmed to her immensely. All impulsive spirit and smiles. What a life.

"Jade lived life under a magnifying glass. Magnifying glasses magnify (obviously) but they distort and they burn.

"I suppose she was a kind of Princess D from the wrong side of the tracks."

SHILPA SHETTY, ACTRESS

The Bollywood actress had been a target for Goody's abuse during Celebrity Big Brother in 2007 but they later made peace.

She had planned to visit Goody before her death but her former Big Brother housemate was too ill to see her.

Shetty was not giving interviews on Sunday but issued a statement expressing her sorrow.

"I am deeply saddened but I am glad Jade is out of pain and that she died peacefully with her family around her," she said.

DANIELLE LLOYD, MODEL & PRESENTER

Ms Lloyd shared TV's Celebrity Big Brother house with Goody.

She said: "I am shocked and upset to hear the sad news about Jade. We got to know each other really well over the years. She was a brave and courageous human being.

"I have been praying for a miracle these past few weeks and now she has been tragically taken away from us. I know that her boys will grow up to be great men and do their mum proud.

"Rest in peace Jade, you have touched the hearts of millions and will be sorely missed."

CAROLE MALONE, JOURNALIST

Ms Malone was also a fellow contestant on Channel 4's Celebrity Big Brother show.

"Somehow this girl who wasn't clever or educated has touched us all in a way we could never have imagined," she wrote on the News of the World website.

"Jade's life didn't really start till she stepped into the spotlight. This troubled young woman who often missed out on love or compassion from her family was, after Big Brother, suddenly getting both from strangers, from her audience, from people in the street.

"Jade Goody showed the world that just because someone has a disastrous start in life, just because they grow up with no money and no hope - don't dare write them off."

BISHOP JONATHAN BLAKE

Bishop Blake conducted the blessing of Goody's wedding to Jack Tweed.

"She was an extraordinary person, she's become for all of us almost like a saint, a saint of Upshire, a princess from Bermondsey.

"Reflecting on her life it's almost that she's become an exemplar of biblical proportions because she's touched so many people not only in this country but across the world."

He said she transformed the way people approached cancer by laughing in the face of death and making possible every last dream before she died.

"I think that's been an inspiration, a light, a torch of hope burning brightly across the world," he said.

"She was deeply real, candid, spoke what she felt, expressed what she thought", he added.

"You knew where you were with Jade and that surprised and shocked some people but it brought us to the truth."

PHIL EDGAR-JONES, BIG BROTHER PRODUCER

Mr Edgar-Jones said she appalled and enthralled in equal measure.

"It's not unexpected but we are all very, very sad about this day. She touched a lot of people because she was very real," he said.

"She represented an idea that you could get opportunities and if you get opportunities you could make the most of them, no matter where you came from, and I think that's inspired a lot of people over the years.

"She both appalled and enthralled people in equal measure. You had never seen anything like Jade on a primetime TV show."

JOHN McCRIRICK, RACING PUNDIT

He appeared with her on reality TV show Celebrity Big Brother.

"She had the whole rollercoaster of emotions, the press really ganged up against her," he said.

"In the media they hated and loathed her, then they began to envy her, then they began to see the other side of her.

"In the shallow, fleeting world of fame and celebrity she lived the dream and there are millions and millions of others who want to climb on and do what Jade Goody did.

"She brought out one of the most serious problems in this country, the inherent racism... that people try and keep quiet.

"It's about people who don't know they are racist but when they're losing an argument with somebody whose Asian or a black person they go back to the old stereotypes, and she did that.

"It brought out that millions of our citizens live in this unacceptable society... I think she did a great service by showing they were racist but without knowing it.

"In the end I think the public warmed to her and saw that she was a decent person... the cervical smear tests are fantastic... she added to the joy and gaiety of nations, we'll miss Jade Goody."

PRINCE AZIM, SULTAN OF BRUNEI'S SON

The prince struck up an unexpected friendship with Goody which attracted much media attention.

"Jade was a warm and lovely lady. My condolences to Jack and her family," he said.

Their friendship blossomed after he invited Goody and Tweed out to dinner, thinking she would be an interesting person to meet, the prince's spokesman said.

SIMON HUGHES, LIB-DEM MP

Goody's local MP represents North Southwark and Bermondsey.

"Jade Goody was a Bermondsey girl who went from public ridicule and public rebukes to public respect and public sympathy," he said.

"The thoughts of millions will be with her children and family - and with the families of all those whose mothers die young from accident or disease."

TONY McNULTY, EMPLOYMENT MINISTER

He said he regretted Goody's comments that she wanted to earn enough money to send her children to private schools.

"It is a very, very sad occasion and my heart does go out to Jade's family," he said.

"I would salute her for the awareness among young women around cervical cancer smear-testing and she does leave a legacy there."

Commenting on her private school comment, he insisted there were many good schools in the state sector.

"I regret her saying that, but I entirely understand when the whole drive of the last part of her life was her legacy and what she could do for her young children that she said that," he said.

DANNY HAYWARD, FAMILY FRIEND

The photographer said the funeral would be an "open" affair.

"It will not be a closed service at all. Her wishes were that everybody who wanted to could come," he said.

"The church will be for family and friends only, but we have talked about relaying the service to people outside."

HARPAL KUMAR, CANCER RESEARCH UK

Mr Kumar said Goody's story should teach young women how "critical" it was to get cervical screening.

"We are very sad to hear of Jade's death and our thoughts are with her family and friends at this devastating time," he said.

"Her brave battle with an aggressive form of cervical cancer has received widespread public attention and encouraged thousands of women to seek advice on how to prevent the disease.

"It's critical that young women take up their invitations to cervical screening if we are to avoid more tragic cases like Jade's.

"She has done a great public service by raising awareness of the importance of screening during her last few months of life."

PHIL GOULD, OK! MAGAZINE

The magazine paid for the rights to cover Goody's wedding, baptism and final days.

"I think people can relate to her," he said.

"She was just an ordinary girl who happened to [have] found fame in a way a lot of people thought could happen to them if they went on a similar show.

"But obviously in a lot of cases Jade has been unique because she is the one who actually made the money and found the fame from these shows when most other people have come and gone and been forgotten."

HANNAH FERNANDO, HEAT MAGAZINE

Hannah Fernando, from Heat magazine, said Goody embraced publicity in what was a symbiotic relationship for both parties.

"Instead of shying away from it and saying 'I need my privacy,' she's embraced it," Ms Fernando said.

"She said, 'You've given me kind of what I've got now. I live in this amazing house, I've got money to support my children, and I want to continue doing that,'" she added.

"She has just really kind of used us and we've used her.

"That sounds so awful but that's kind of how it works, and that's the way she wanted it."