When is Brenda Edwards returning to Loose Women? Mum of Jamal Edwards to return to ITV show after death of son

Loose Women panellist Brenda Edwards confirmed that her son Jamal Edwards passed away following ‘a sudden illness’
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Brenda Edwards, the mother of SBTV founder Jamal Edwards, is returning to Loose Women this week.

Brenda, 48, hasn’t been on the ITV talk show since her son Jamal died suddenly in February 2022 at the age of 31.

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She paid tribute to Jamal at the time and has opened up on her loss in an interview with Coleen Nolan which aired on 25 April.

And said: "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.”

Brenda said she was overwhelmed by the messages of support and was grateful for every one, as she prepares to return to Loose Women.

Who is Brenda Edwards?

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Edwards is an English singer, actress and TV presenter, best known for starring as a weekly panellist on the ITV talk show Loose Women.

She was born Brenda Claudina Susan Edwards (née Artman) on 2 March 1969 in Luton, England.

Edwards developed a passion for singing as a youngster and, following her appearance on the singing competition X Factor, she pursued a career in the theatre. She bagged the role of Mama Morton in the West End musical in Chicago and returned to the role a number of times between 2007 and 2009.

Brenda Edwards and her mother attend the Military Wives UK Premiere at Cineworld in 2020 (Photo: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)Brenda Edwards and her mother attend the Military Wives UK Premiere at Cineworld in 2020 (Photo: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Brenda Edwards and her mother attend the Military Wives UK Premiere at Cineworld in 2020 (Photo: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

She was cast as Pearl in the West End production of Carmen Jones in 2007 and that same year won the Favourite Reality Star award at the Screen Nation awards. In 2009 she toured the UK in the Queen musical We Will Rock You as Killer Queen.

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In 2015 and 2016, she also toured the UK in the musical Hairspray as Motormouth Maybelle, and reprised the role once again in 2017.

In 2015 whilst working on Hairspray, Edwards was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer. As a result, she underwent a mastectomy followed by a breast reconstruction. Six years after her initial diagnosis, she was declared cancer free.

Stacey Solomon, Alison Hammond, Nadia Sawalha, Brenda Edwards, Kaye Adams, Denise Welch and Kelle Bryan attend the National Television Awards 2020 (Photo: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)Stacey Solomon, Alison Hammond, Nadia Sawalha, Brenda Edwards, Kaye Adams, Denise Welch and Kelle Bryan attend the National Television Awards 2020 (Photo: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Stacey Solomon, Alison Hammond, Nadia Sawalha, Brenda Edwards, Kaye Adams, Denise Welch and Kelle Bryan attend the National Television Awards 2020 (Photo: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

In early 2019 she appeared on Loose Women as a guest panellist and was eventually brought in as a regular to fill in for Linda Robson who had taken a break due to ill health. After Robson returned to the show in 2020, Edwards continued on as a regular.

In January 2021, she became a presenter on the BBC One show Songs of Praise.

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Edwards has two children, her son Jamal who has passed away at just 31, and daughter Tanisha.

When was Brenda Edwards on X Factor?

Edwards appeared on the second season of X Factor in 2005, where she was placed in the over-25s category alongside the likes of Andy Abraham, Chico Slimani and Maria Lawson.

Edwards was mentored by Sharon Obsbourne and in the first live show she sang the song Son of a Preacher Man by Dusty Springfield.

Brenda Edwards at the The Olivier Awards 2017  (Photo: Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images)Brenda Edwards at the The Olivier Awards 2017  (Photo: Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images)
Brenda Edwards at the The Olivier Awards 2017 (Photo: Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images)

The other songs she sang during the show included Rescue Me by Fontella Bass, Midnight Train to Georgia by Gladys Knight & the Pips, I’m Outta Love by Anastacia and I’ll Never Love This Way Again by Dionne Warwick.

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She made it through to the semi-final however ultimately missed out on reaching the finals.

Is Brenda Edwards married?

Edwards married her ex-partner in 1996, and recently she spoke about her past relationship and experiences with domestic abuse in an emotional segment on Loose Women in 2020.

At the time, she said that she had already fallen in love with her ex-partner at the time when the physical abuse began.

She said: “By the first punch, I loved him. I was in love with him.

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“[...] I found myself asking, “What have I done to deserve this?” I literally found myself talking to myself. That’s a sign you’re not in yourself.”

Speaking about one incident in particular, she said: “He started strangling me. It was the strangling that made me say: “I have to get out of this”. But I didn’t know how to. I hadn’t spoken to any of my family.”

Brenda Edwards said that she had been left asking herself ‘What have I done to deserve this?’ when she opened up about her experiences with domestic abuse on Loose Women (Photo: ITV)Brenda Edwards said that she had been left asking herself ‘What have I done to deserve this?’ when she opened up about her experiences with domestic abuse on Loose Women (Photo: ITV)
Brenda Edwards said that she had been left asking herself ‘What have I done to deserve this?’ when she opened up about her experiences with domestic abuse on Loose Women (Photo: ITV)

After reaching out to a friend, Edwards planned her escape, and packed a bag for her and her two children whilst her ex-partner was out of the house.

She also spoke about how two years after she had left him, he had showed up on her front door with flowers and a knife.

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Edwards said that she had told him she had a guest upstairs.

She said: “He punched me in the face thinking something was going on with them, which it wasn’t.

“[...] While he was threatening to do something with the knife I had my phone and was texting my girlfriend. She called the police and the police came.”

After sharing her experiences on Loose Women, Edwards revealed in a later episode that the Metropolitan Police had checked in with her.

How did she pay tribute to her son Jamal?

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Edwards confirmed the death of her son, Jamal Edwards, this morning (21 February).

Jamal, who was 31-years-old, was a DJ and YouTube star, but was perhaps best known for founding the online platform SBTV in 2006, which sought to give rising musicians a platform, particularly those in the genres of hip-hop and grime.

He was just a teenager when he first launched SBTV, but by 2014 had helped launch the careers of some of the UK’s biggest stars such as Jessie J, Emeli Sande and Ed Sheeran.

Jamal Edwards appeared on Loose Women alongside his mother, Brenda, before his death (Photo: ITV)Jamal Edwards appeared on Loose Women alongside his mother, Brenda, before his death (Photo: ITV)
Jamal Edwards appeared on Loose Women alongside his mother, Brenda, before his death (Photo: ITV)

Edwards shared a statement on the Loose Women Twitter, which said: “It is with the deepest heartache that I confirm that my beautiful son Jamal Edwards passed away yesterday morning after a sudden illness.

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“Myself, his sister Tanisha and the rest of his family and friends are completely devastated. He was the centre of our world.

“As we come to terms with his passing we ask for privacy to grieve this unimaginable loss. I would like to thank everyone for their messages of love and support.

“Jamal was an inspiration to myself and so many. Our love for him lives on, his legacy lives on.

“Long live Jamal Edwards MBE, MBA, PHD.”

When is Brenda Edwards returning to Loose Women?

Brenda Edwards is expected to return to Loose Women on Tuesday 26 April, according to Richard Madeley on GMB.

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