Brenda recalled her recent trip to Barbados three years after her son's tragic death
Loose Women's Brenda Edwards opened up about seeing a "sign" from Jamal while she was on her first holiday in 20 years.
In 2022, Brenda announced the tragic death of her son Jamal from cardiac arrhythmia after he took recreational drugs. At the time, she said: "I have sadly learned that the cause of Jamal's devastating passing was due to cardiac arrhythmia,
"[This was] caused by having taken recreational drugs and I wanted to address this myself to everyone who loved, admired and respected my son.
"Since finding out the news I've been in a state of shock, and I am still trying to process it. But it's so important to me that I do address it as no mother or any loved one should have to go through what Jamal's sister, Tanisha, and I have been through since he passed."
The 53-year-old released the statement on Twitter after an inquest into Jamal's death was opened and adjourned at West London Coroner's Court.
She said: "We have been so incredibly touched by the outpouring of love and support, and you are all helping us try and get through the unimaginable."
Brenda rose to fame in 2005 after appearing on the X Factor and finishing in fourth place. She missed out on the semi-final after being pipped to the post by winner Shayne Ward, runner-up Andy Abraham and third placed Journey South.
After the X Factor, she was chosen to play the role of Mama Morton in the hit West End musical Chicago, and her run in the show continued until March 2007.
She's since had various West End roles, and joined the Loose Women panel as a regular panellist in 2019 to fill in for Linda Robson orginally.
While appearing on the ITV show on Monday (24th March), she shared how she went on her first holiday in 20 years. When asked why it took so long, she said: "I've been working straight for 20 years... I've just not stopped. When you're working in the West End if you don't work you don't get paid."
She revealed that she went to Barbados with her daughter Tanisha after she was "guilt tripped" into going. She added: "Me and my friend just bid on a secret auction for a stroke charity and we ended up winning this villa."
Brenda said she had a wonderful trip, and continued: "A really good friend turned up at the airport, surprised me, I didn't know he was coming I was in tears."
After sharing that she went swimming in the sea for the first time and found it exciting, she admitted: "I got a bit upset thinking Jamal would've loved to have been here" and that she "started crying a lot".
Later, after coming back from a restaurant, she said: "walking towards me came somebody in a T-shirt that said 'anything is possible' which was one of Jamal's sayings... It was so nice to get that sign that Jamal was there."
