‘Everything is a trigger’: Brenda Edwards breaks down in tears while singing Bridge Over Troubled Water because it reminds her of her late son Jamal
Brenda Edwards broke down in tears while singing Bridge Over Troubled Water during Friday’s episode of Loose Women, as it reminded her of her late son Jamal.
The panel, who was rehearsing the song for Britain’s Get Singing on Christmas Eve, comforted the presenter, 53, during the emotional moment.
Music impresario Jamal died of a heart attack in February aged 31 after taking cocaine and drinking alcohol, at his west London home.
Emotional: Brenda Edwards, 53, broke down in tears while singing Bridge Over Troubled Water during Friday’s episode of Loose Women as it reminded her of her late son Jamal.
Brenda joined Denise Welch, Coleen Nolan and Linda Robinson on piano to practice the song in support of the Get Britain Talking mental health campaign.
Giving his reasoning behind the song choice, he detailed: ‘My whole family sings it in church, so it’s very moving for me.
“It bothered me a bit because my son passed away at the beginning of the year and everything is a trigger. I am very grateful to have the ladies as a unit around me.’
Tragic: Music impresario Jamal, died of a heart attack in February aged 31 after taking cocaine and drinking alcohol, at his west London home (pictured in 2014)
Upset: The panel, who was rehearsing the song for Britain’s Get Singing on Christmas Eve, comforted the presenter during the emotional moment.
The unique ITV show is set to show footage of the stars talking about their own mental health experiences before taking the stage.
In groups, the country’s biggest TV stars from Emmerdale and Coronation Street, including Love Island’s Tasha Ghouri and Andrew Le Page, will go head-to-head.
Jamal died of cardiac arrest after a late-night session of cocaine and drinking in which he became paranoid and began throwing objects around the room before losing consciousness, according to an investigation heard in August.
Three small bags containing traces of white powder were found on the 31-year-old son of Loose Women panelist Brenda Edwards after he collapsed at his west London home in February this year, the hearing was told.
West London Assistant Coroner Ivor Collett ruled today that Mr Edwards died after cardiac arrest caused by taking cocaine and drinking alcohol.
His heartbroken mother, Brenda, described him as “a beautiful and selfless person” in a statement read out at the inquest. Earlier this year, he said that he wanted his death to “help spark more conversation about the unpredictability of recreational drugs.”
The DJ and founder of the online R&B/Hip-Hop platform SB.TV had returned to his home in Acton after 4am after playing North London gigs before sitting down for drinks with a friend, Nick Hopper, who lived in an annex of the house.
Mr Hopper said he “seemed like the same old man” and “they started chatting, smoking some weed and drinking”, but his famous friend opened up about the pressure he was under.
After a while, Mr. Edwards became erratic and paranoid and began throwing objects around the room before collapsing, according to the investigation. Despite the best efforts of Mr. Hopper and later his uncle, Rodney Artman, as well as paramedics, Mr. Edwards did not wake up and was pronounced dead at 10:36 am on Sunday, February 20.