Jade Goody makes final wedding preparations

Robert de,Press Association
Thursday 19 February 2009 13:43 GMT
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Jade Goody today received a visit from a bishop as preparations for her wedding continued.

Bishop Jonathan Blake, of the independent London-based Open Episcopal Church, visited Goody and fiance Jack Tweed at her home.

But he refused to be drawn on whether he would be conducting the ceremony at an Essex country house on Sunday.

Tweed was also seen outside Goody's home in Upshire, Essex, today but declined to comment to the waiting media.

Goody, 27, who has terminal cancer, returned home to plan her wedding yesterday after leaving west London's specialist cancer hospital, the Royal Marsden.

Bishop Blake, from The Society For Independent Christian Ministry, hit the headlines last week after he was arrested for photographing his children sitting on a rooftop.

The 52-year-old had been unrepentant and said he was considering legal action against the police.

He snapped two of his sons as part of a school challenge to be pictured in the most unusual place reading a book. Mr Blake said seven police officers went to his home and arrested him over the incident and held him for 24 hours.

The clergyman, from Welling, has written to Metropolitan Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson and the IPCC about the incident. He is also considering taking his own legal action against the police for alleged false imprisonment and personal injury.

Jade's publicist Max Clifford also revealed that she will have a special pouch concealed in her wedding dress to hold her painkillers.

The wedding - the rights to which have been sold for around £1 million - is due to take place on Sunday.

Goody has been battling cancer and found out she was terminally ill last week.

Her fiance Jack Tweed has vowed that she will go down the aisle with him, even if he has to wheel her in her hospital bed.

Speaking on GMTV, Mr Clifford was asked how Goody will cope with being in pain on her wedding day.

He said: "Well, she's determined and anybody that knows Jade knows what a determined young lady she is.

"And of course the (Royal Marsden Hospital) have given her everything to try to control the pain as best as it's possible to.

"There's even going to be a special pouch in her wedding dress for painkillers, so that hopefully that will help her during her big day."

Goody left hospital yesterday, and Mr Clifford said she felt weary.

Looking pale and unsteady, she was pictured being taken from hospital and into a waiting ambulance.

Mr Clifford said: "The journey itself was tiring for her, so she was resting last night and she's still asleep this morning. But she's glad to be home."

Asked about reports that Brit Award winners Girls Aloud might sing for Goody, Clifford said: "Oh, I'm hearing everybody from all over the world is going to be singing for her.

"From Lionel Ritchie to you know... But, we'll know in the next few days - everything at the moment is kind of organised chaos.

"There's an awful lot of things to arrange ever so quickly, but I'm sure it's going to be a day she'll never forget."

Mr Clifford said every commercial deal struck was for Goody's sons Bobby and Freddie and their education - "and that's been the aim particularly since we found out that she was terminally ill last week".

Asked whether Goody would continue future media deals after her wedding, Mr Clifford said: "The most important thing is, what does Jade want to do, and what does she feel up to do?

"We are in discussions to do a final documentary - an interview with Piers Morgan, who she's known for a long time - and she's very keen to do it, providing she's well enough to do it.

"But all this talk about filming her dying - it's never happened and it wouldn't happen, and personally I find it incredibly offensive.

"We will film with Jade, maybe an interview with Piers, there might be an interview with a paper or a magazine - if she wants to do it and if she's well enough to do it in the weeks ahead.

"But it's very much down to Jade and how she is and what she wants to do."

Mr Clifford said the thousands of letters of support for Goody had been a "huge boost".

Meanwhile, a documentary called Jade, which airs on Living TV tonight at 9pm, sees the cameras follow Goody as she undergoes chemotherapy treatment for her terminal cancer while trying to remain strong for her two boys.

Yesterday Prime Minister Gordon Brown wished the 27-year-old well and said the "whole country will be worried and anxious about her health".

During tonight's TV show, Tweed describes how Goody - whose doctors have given her just months to live - has planned the ceremony from her hospital bed on a laptop.

Tweed says: "She's done it all from a little laptop from her hospital bed.

"Booked the place, got all the catering, got a helicopter for herself.

"I helped her pick the food earlier. Well I didn't, I listened to her pick the food earlier."

He also tells how, with just days to go, "I've not even thought of a speech or anything".

Asked if he is happy, Tweed replies: "Yeah, yeah, it's weird, but it's like a film, I'm happy, but then I'm sad, obviously.

"Because she wasn't well the other day and I thought, what happens if she has a bad day at the wedding?, but then I just thought, no, I know she's going to be all right for it.

"Even if I have to drag her down there, she'll be down that aisle.

"Even in that hospital bed, I'll wheel the hospital bed down there."

Jade is shown on Living at 9pm today and repeated on Sunday at 8pm.

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