Bobby Brazier's grandmother Jackiey Budden has spoken of her sadness at not being able to watch her grandson perform live on Strictly Come Dancing from the studio audience due to a family rift.
The EastEnders actor was hailed as 'King of the Ballroom' after scoring a near-perfect 38 out of 40 during Saturday's semi-final, but Jackiey watched the scenes unfold on screen from home.
Soap star Bobby, 20, and his professional dance partner Dianne Buswell, 34, wowed the judges with their performance in the penultimate round of the show.
Jackiey, the mother of Bobby's late Big Brother star Jade Goody, spoke out The sun on Sunday: 'Unfortunately I didn't see Bobby live.
'I would have liked that, but it's just one of those things.
Bobby Brazier's grandmother Jackiey Budden has spoken of her sadness at not being able to watch her grandson perform live on Strictly Come Dancing from the studio audience due to a family rift (Jackiey pictured in 2019)
The EastEnders actor was hailed as 'King of the Ballroom' after scoring a near-perfect 38 out of 40 during Saturday's semi-final, but Jackiey watched the scenes unfold on screen from home (Bobby pictured on Saturday with his professional dance partner Dianne Buswell)
“I supported him from home and watched every moment.”
Bobby and Dianne played a Quickstep to Mack The Knife by Bobby Darin and a Pasodoble to Run Boy Run by Woodkid – but Jackiey was noticeably missing from a compilation of video messages amid a bitter family feud.
While his uncle, other grandmother and father Jeff sang his praises, Jackiey was noticeably missing.
His first dance saw head judge Shirley Balla's Bobby 'King of the Ballroom' and his second dance again received praise from the judges.
Shirley said of his second performance: 'I can't cope, it was proud, it was big, you were in front of the lens and you kept the atmosphere going. You had beautiful shapes in it.'
Anton Du Beke said: 'It was beautiful, what I liked so much is that you stayed in their performance.'
In the end, the couple scored 35 for their second dance.
It comes a day after MailOnline revealed Jackiey has been kept away from the Strictly audience due to a heartbreaking family rift.
Bobby's father Jeff Brazier (left) dated Bobby's late Big Brother star mother Jade Goody (right) from 2002 until they split two years later (pictured in 2002)
Before his second performance, Bobby received a series of good luck messages from friends and family.
His father Jeff Brazier had said the “best Christmas present” would be to visit the son, but his grandmother was nowhere to be found.
Due to an argument with Bobby's father, Jeff Brazier, his maternal grandmother Jackiey was unable to secure a seat at any of this series' live shows.
It poignantly meant she had missed his emotional tribute to his late mother – and her only child – Jade Goody, two weeks ago.
Family friends say Jackiey and Jeff, who have cared for the boys since Jade's death in 2009, had a falling out a few years ago and have been unable to repair their relationship.
Just last week the 66-year-old described the TV presenter, who attended the shows at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire with youngest son Freddy, as a 'c**k'.
A friend told the Mail: 'Jeff and Jackiey haven't got on for a long time and things have been difficult.
'It has meant that Jackiey hasn't been able to stand in the audience to watch Bobby, things are just too bad between her and his father. He and his brother Freddy are her only grandchildren and she adores them. There is nothing she would like more than to be there to see him live.
Soap star Bobby, 20, and his professional dance partner Dianne Buswell, 34, wowed the judges with their performance in the penultimate round of the show (head judge Shirley Ballas pictured)
“Jeff has been a brilliant father to those boys and has tried to get through a lot of challenges. It's a very, very sad situation. There is nothing Jackiey would like more than to go to the final, but the chance of that is very small.'
In September, Jackiey was forced to pay for her own ticket to watch 20-year-old Bobby collect the Rising Star award at the National Television Awards.
Jeff has attributed the fallout to Jackiey buying the two boys inappropriate gifts, such as phones and even a hamster, which he had to confiscate or return.
In 2021, Bobby confirmed in an Instagram video that he had reconnected with his grandmother after losing contact.
He said: 'I haven't seen her for ages – far too long – but I went to see her twice recently. And honestly, if there's one woman you shouldn't underestimate, it's my grandmother. Honestly, she's like a magician! It's crazy.'
Meanwhile, Bobby told the Mail how he was inundated with letters after his tribute dance to his mother.
He said: 'There have been many letters. I haven't opened or read many, but I have seen many people have written.
'We contacted a lot of people and communicated and translated something, and that's what I wanted to do. I think that's what happens when you dance authentically and from the heart. I'm very happy that happened.'
Strictly Come Dancing: The Results airs on Sunday at 7.20pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.