Brenda Edwards says son Jamal 'passed with me holding his hand' in first interview since his death

Singer and TV presenter Brenda Edwards has said her son Jamal “passed with me holding his hand”, as she spoke in her first interview since his death in February aged 31.

Ahead of her return to ITV’s Loose Women, Ms Edwards, 52, told fellow panellist Coleen Nolan she was "taking each day as it comes" since her son's "sudden" and "unexpected" death.

She said she got "a little bit of comfort from knowing I was with him” when he died.

"I get a little bit of comfort from knowing I was with him” - Brenda Edwards tells Coleen Nolan she was holding Jamal's hand when he died

Mr Edwards died on February 20 after a sudden illness. Speaking at the time, Ms Edwards described his death as an "unimaginable loss".

Mr Edwards gained fame from setting up new music platform SBTV - helping to launch a string of UK music careers including Dave, Ed Sheeran and Jessie J.

The entrepreneur was awarded an MBE in 2014 - when he was 24 – for his services to music.

Following the news of his death, people from the music, politics and sports worlds paid their respect to the pioneering figure in British rap and grime music.

"When we laid him to rest, it was really beautiful. We looked up into the sky and there was a J - the clouds had formed a J" - Brenda Edwards on her son's "homegoing"

Asked by Ms Nolan how she was, Ms Edwards said: “I’m doing okay. The way I’m looking at it - I’m taking each day as it comes.

"The one thing that I do want to say is I was with him and his sister was with us, we were all at home. It was sudden and it was unexpected and he went into cardiac arrest.

"Then he passed with me holding his hand, so I get a little bit of comfort from knowing I was with him.”

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She added: “As much as that is comfort, at the same time, it’s a vision that I’m never going to forget.

"When I wake up every morning - all of his photos are still obviously in the house - and I look at him and say: ‘Good morning, baby’ and ‘Good night, baby’.

"And I think doing that is what’s keeping me going. He always had this lovely, bright smile, just used to light up. He had this funny laugh. I feel his presence constantly and I know I’ve always been somebody who has faith and who believes in that and that has been a massive comfort to me.”

Ms Edwards, who has been a regular panellist on the ITV show since 2019, described her son's funeral as a "homegoing".

“When we laid him to rest, it was really beautiful. We looked up into the sky and there was a J - the clouds had formed a J. A friend took a picture of it.”

Ms Edwards, who will be returning as a panellist on Loose Women on Tuesday, also revealed she has set up the Jamal Edwards Self Belief Trust in her son’s memory.

She said: “It’s been set up with two main things in mind. Jamal was all about empowering young people. We want to set up an academy for 16-21 year olds, giving them an internship if you like, within an organisation over a period of a year, where they learn everything from the ground up. And then we’re also looking to set up a homeless sanctuary.”

Speaking of his legacy, Ms Edwards said: “He said, ‘We all die, the goal is not to live forever but to create something that will.’ And I believe he has created something that will and I’m determined to make sure that it will. That’s my goal.”