'I WAS STARSTRUCK MEETING JANET'

Loose Women's Brenda Edwards on growing up, joining the panel and fighting cancer

- JULIE ANN TRAINOR

She burst on to the Loose Women panel in 2019, and singer Brenda Edwards quickly won over viewers with her infectious laugh and larger-than-life personality.

Yet behind her smiles, the former X Factor contestant, 54, has endured unimaginable grief. She lost her music mogul son Jamal Edwards, 31, to a heart attack in February last year and both her parents died in a car crash three days before Christmas when she was just four years old – she and her brother were raised by their grandmother in Luton. Amazingly, the West End star – who is also mum to Tanisha, 30 – still sees the goodness in life, and since beating breast cancer in 2016, she is adamant that she wants to make every day count.

Since joining Loose Women, have you ever been starstruck?

I’ve had a couple of starstruck moments, and one was when American pop star will.i.am appeared on the show – that was absolutely amazing! The other was Janet [Street-Porter]. I used to watch Loose Women before I became one, and I still do. I come from a family full of strong women, including my grandma and my aunts, so Janet is a big icon in our household. Plus, I’m quite a feely person and on my first visit to Loose Women I was told, “Do not touch Janet,” so I was pleasantly surprised when she gave me a big hug.

You tragically lost both your parents at a young age. How was life for you growing up in Luton?