Jamal Edwards' mother confirms cause of death, launches trust in his honour

Jamal Edwards’ mother has shared a statement about her son’s cause of death.

Speaking publicly for the first time since a family statement confirmed the SBTV founder’s death, Brenda Edwards said: “I have sadly learned that the cause of Jamal’s devastating passing was due to cardiac arrhythmia caused by having taken recreational drugs. I wanted to address this myself to everyone who loved, admired and respected my son.

“Since finding out the news I’ve been in a state of shock, and I’m still trying to process it, but it’s so important to me that I do address it as no mother or any loved one should have to go through what Jamal’s sister, Tasha, and I have been through since he passed.”

Jamal Edwards passed away in February at the age of 31. As a founder of SBTV, he had helped to launch and nurture the careers of artists such as Ed Sheeran, Stormzy and Dave, among others. He was also awarded an MBE in 2014 for his work in the music industry.

Speaking further about the cause of Jamal’s death, Brenda, who is a panellist on ITV show Loose Women, said: “It’s so important that we help drive more conversation about the unpredictability of recreational drugs and the impact they can have. How it takes just one bad reaction to destroy lives. I would do anything to have my son back but that is just not possible so if I can help save one life, then we will have achieved something.”

Following Jamal’s passing, Brenda has launched a trust in his honour. “With the recently launched Jamal Edwards Self Belief Trust, we will continue to not only honour his name but to help those in need,” she said of this move. “The Trust is in place to help create a sense of community for young people, offering a safe space of their own to help develop their skills and explore who they are.”

Find out more about the Jamal Edwards Self Belief Trust here, and read Brenda’s full statement below.