Jade: A modern phenomenon
Back in the last millennium, there were comparitively few celebrities. A clear dividing line existed between famous people who did proper jobs that happened to put them in the public eye - be they sportsmen, actors, TV and radio presenters, whatever - and the general public. People who made a living out of being famous were either born rich or had accomplished something to earn their place in the spotlight. Now fast forward to Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, which seems to have become an exercise in seeing how many micro-“celebrities” can be pointlessly shoehorned into one hour of programming. In the midst of this maelstrom, Jade Goody is dying. In her own ordinary way, Jade has led an extraordinary life. After being thrust into the limelight as a naive teenager during her time in the Big Brother house, it seems like her entire existence has been documented on our screens and on the magazine racks ever since. Indeed, her return to the BB house, this time on the Celebrity edition...