Jade Goody - Catch A Falling Star. Jade Goody
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he became quite the topic of conversation. Jack and I kept catching each other’s eye, which made me go a bit shy, believe it or not. Then Jen decided to go over and talk to him and give him my phone number. I was mortified because I could see them both talking about me and looking over. I hate stuff like that, it makes me cringe. So I legged it out of the club because I couldn’t stand to watch them.
But I still wanted to know what he’d said about me. When Jen came out she told me he thought I was ‘fit’ and had asked for my number, which she put in his phone. She didn’t get his for me, but I thought it was better that way because at least then if he called I’d know he was keen. The next day I let it go out of my mind, convinced I wouldn’t hear from him. After that Jeff and I started growing closer, so I forgot about Jack completely.
Then, at the V Festival in 2005, just before I heard the shocking news about my dad’s death, I got a text from Jack. Jeff and I were still not officially an item at this point, but things were definitely heading that way. But when I got the text, even though it only said, ‘Where are you?’, I have to admit I got butterflies. I was a bit drunk (OK – I was plastered), so I decided to ring him back. I don’t think I would’ve been able to type a reply that made sense anyway. He answered, ‘Hello?’ and I said, ‘Who’s this?’
‘It’s Jack,’ came the reply.
Of course I already knew it was him, plus I didn’t know any other Jacks.
Then he suddenly said, ‘Oh, I’m going to have to ring you back ’cos I’m at a football game.’
Fine, I thought, and forgot about it because I was focused on Jeff.
After things finally ended with Jeff, I met Jack again, in the same club as before – 195. I ignored him all night because I was embarrassed. He kept looking at me but I didn’t know what his game was because he hadn’t called me back after V. Jen was with me again and insisted on going over to speak to him. Well, I wasn’t going to stand there on the other side of the room again like a lemon, so I went with her. I mumbled, ‘All right?’ and he immediately replied, ‘You’re with Jeff, aren’t you?’, so I explained that we’d tried to make a go of things but it hadn’t worked out. It turned out that Jack had read about us being together at V and that’s why he hadn’t called again. So once again we attempted to swap numbers. All I knew was that I really fancied him. But even then I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. And I certainly didn’t know he was six years younger than me. Jack told me he was 22, and a football agent. I didn’t think to question him.
We went on a few dates after that and things started progressing. Then one day Jen called me up and said, ‘I’ve been doing my research and on the internet someone’s written, “Jade Goody’s dating Jack Tweed and he’s only 18.”’ Saying, ‘He’s a liar!’, she ordered me to ring him up pronto.
So I did as I was told – I called and confronted him.
There was no hesitation. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about, it’s total rubbish,’ Jack answered.
I wanted to believe him, so that was it, I was convinced.
I’d say our first proper date was a few days after that. Jack booked us a room in the Sanderson Hotel in the West End, and it was on this night that we first had sex. I hadn’t expected to be treated to a fancy hotel – I’m used to paying for most things with guys – so I thought it was really sweet. We went on one of those funny rickshaws round town, then to a club, and spent most of the evening laughing and joking.
About two months into our relationship my PR, Katherine Lister, told me she’d had a phone call from the News of the World. They were going to run a story revealing Jack’s real age. The headline was something to the tune of ‘Jade’s toyboy lover – 18’. I felt sick. It meant that all this time he’d been lying to me.
And I hate liars.
I rang him up, shaking. I tried to be as calm as possible, though. ‘Before I ring my publicist and tell her she’s got her facts wrong,’ I said, ‘you need to answer me one question: how old are you, Jack?’
Silence.
Please don’t say you’re 18, I kept thinking. Please don’t say you’re 18! The problem was, in true me style, I then went and got my words muddled up. Instead of saying, ‘Swear on my life that you’re not 18’, I said, ‘Swear on my life that you’re 18.’
There was a pause. Then came the confused reply, ‘Er, what?’
So I said it again. ‘Swear on my life that you’re 18.’
He of course answered, ‘Jade, I am. I’m 18.’
I screamed a bit, then put the phone down. I was mortified. Not to mention shocked. I found out later that his mum Mary had been telling him for weeks that he needed to confess. She knew it was only a matter of time before I found out. Maybe I should’ve sussed myself, but he acted so much older and I didn’t have any reason to suspect he’d lie.
After a few minutes Jack called me back and tried to explain (although it took me a while before I actually stopped yelling and started to listen). He just kept saying, if it worked for Cameron and Justin (they were together at the time), why not for us? Age was just a number, he said, and I acted younger than him most of the time anyway. He had a point. But I still couldn’t get my head round it. I kept thinking, When I was on Big Brother Jack was still at school. When I was giving PJ a blow job he was doing his homework! Eventually I calmed down a bit and he explained that he’d wanted to tell me for ages but was too scared. He said he didn’t think we’d have lasted as long as we had and that when things started getting serious he didn’t want to ruin it.
Somewhere along the way he’d also told me he was half-Italian and adopted. Why he said he was adopted I don’t know – nor does he. How he thought that little admission was going to woo me is beyond comprehension. But the Italian thing I could understand. It’s just a shame he’s so shit at covering his tracks. He rolled over in bed one night and I saw his bum was completely white.
‘You’re not half-Italian at all!’ I laughed. ‘You got that from sunbeds!’
Only once we’d got to the truth of everything could we begin with a proper relationship. And after that, for a long while, the age thing was never a problem.
And Jack was pretty special too. Even before I knew how good he was with my children I’d fallen for him. Yes, he’s good-looking and, yes (I’m running the risk of sounding like Jordan here), he’s got a lot of stamina – there are some bonuses to being young! He made me feel happy and alive. We laughed loads and rarely argued. Besides, I was a mother of two – which meant he’d taken on far more than I had. The best thing was that he genuinely wasn’t interested in the fame game at all, which drew me to him even more. Jack was only young but he was more content sitting in at home with me and watching telly than he was hanging out with his mates. Plus he was better with my kids than I could ever possibly imagine. I think it was because he was so carefree himself. I remember falling asleep one afternoon and waking up to see him and Bobby at the foot of the bed dressed in matching Superman outfits. I loved it.
Jeff’s way of dealing with it all was to do a magazine interview. In it he said something along the lines of ‘I don’t know why Jade’s with Jack, maybe it’s because she’s young herself. I feel like his father.’
I thought it was all quite bitter at the time, especially as he’d moved on himself and had another girlfriend. I told him afterwards he should just be happy for me and pleased that our children have got someone they feel comfortable with. Luckily he seemed to see sense and it’s never been awkward between Jeff and Jack since. They were never best friends but we all hung out together when the children were involved, because that was when it was important to be grown up about things.
Jack and I were first properly papped when we went to the Bahamas on holiday. We had such a laugh there. That’s when he laid down the law about my wobbly bits. He suddenly announced, ‘Now I’m your boyfriend, no more