IN A recent episode of Celebrity Race Across the World, Freddie Brazier opened up about what it was like growing up with ADHD.
The young man started reflecting on the difficulties he faced as a child after attempting to chop some firewood for a campfire.
He could be seen struggling as the axe kept getting stuck in various blocks of wood.
His dad Jeff Brazier commented on how encouraging it was to see Freddie keep persevering at something that he found hard.
In an emotional segment, Jeff went on to share: “Freddie’s strengths are absolutely numerous but he’s the last person to see them himself.
“A lot of the time I think he sees himself as being inadequate, inferior, not enough.”
Looking back at the events that started to undermine his confidence, Freddie mused: “I was that kid in class that wasn’t really the same.
“I struggled. My concentration wasn’t the best. At ten I got diagnosed with ADHD.
“I didn’t mean to misbehave. I didn’t really know how to cope with everything that was going on.
“I don’t think I was bad, but I wasn’t good.”
Beyond struggling with undiagnosed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as a child, Freddie also had to deal with the painful experience of losing his mum at a young age.
He was only four years old when Jade Goody tragically died of cervical cancer.
This meant Jeff had to take over the responsibility of parenting both of his boys alone, which has come with ups and downs.
The dad openly admitted that he hoped going on Celebrity Race Across the World would give him a chance to bond with his son, as Jeff and Freddie have a complicated relationship.
Family and friends of the pair have said that they frequently get into such heated rows that Freddie decides to go stay the night at his grandma’s house.
A source told the Mail: “Freddie will often turn up on the doorstep, sometimes very unhappy, and wanting to see his nan.
“He and Jeff often argue, the rows can be bad, things go really, really pear shaped between them and that’s it, he leaves.
“He has had a terribly sad life but he feels he can’t talk about it.
“Jeff took the boys in when Jade died, he took them away from the limelight and did his best to bring them up amid such difficult circumstances but sadly Freddie just can’t see eye to eye with him.”
It seems that some time together on the road has helped the father and son to understand each other better, and Jeff seemed very understanding of his boy’s struggles as he reassured Freddie that he will accomplish great things in life.
