“I think if it wasn’t for Jade Goody, I’d be dead.”

It’s a powerful statement about a reality TV star, but that sentence by Claire Thresher is one that will resonate with many women.

Goody – who found fame in the third series of reality TV show Big Brother in 2002 – is an unlikely saviour. While she was criticised by the British press for her perceived lack of decorum, she endeared herself to the public with her down-to-earth attitude and her honesty.

However, Goody later proved a controversial figure, after an appearance on the 2007 series of Celebrity Big Brother ended prematurely due to her racist bullying of fellow contestant Shilpa Shetty – something which Goody later said made her feel ashamed.

The pair were reconciled when they met again in Mumbai on Bigg Boss, the Indian version of the show, a year later. However, it was during the show that Goody was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Her illness rapidly developed, and she died on 22 March, 2009.

“Jade Goody saved my life”: exploring the reality TV star’s legacy, 10 years after her death