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Jake Quickenden pays tribute to his late dad and says he wants to be ‘just like him’ as he prepares for his first child
JAKE Quickenden has paid tribute to his late dad and said he wants to be ‘just like him’ as he prepares for his first child.
In a heartfelt interview the Dancing on Ice star, 32, whose expecting his first child with his girlfriend Sophie in March, said: “He was my best mate.”
Jake wants to be a great dad like his own father was[/caption]
The singer’s dad, Paul Quickenden, died in 2008, after battling bone cancer.
Tragically Jake’s brother Oliver was diagnosed with osteosarcoma – the most common form – in 2010 when he was only 16 – and passed away in 2012 surrounded by his family.
Now just weeks before Jake becomes a dad himself, Jake has vowed to be the kind of dad his father was to him.
He said: “Obviously not having my dad there is going to be hard for me. My dad was my best mate. He showed me how much of an amazing dad he was and if I can follow in his footsteps at all then I will definitely do that. “
Jake has paid tribute to his dad Paul[/caption]
“My dad was a fun dad, he let us embrace ourselves and do whatever we wanted to do so I ‘m just going to take that from my dad. He was also strict. He could definitely scare us with the raise of an eyebrow, but yeah, I’ll probably take that as well. I’ll be strict but fun I think.”
Jake even hopes to pass on his Dancing on Ice skills to his little one.
Speaking ahead of his new MTV show Celebrity Bumps: Famous and Pregnant, he said: “100 percent, I’m gonna teach the baby anything. Dance on Ice, Ballet, football whatever it wants to do.I was lucky enough to have a mum and dad that supported me in what all I wanted to do.
“I was lucky enough to play professional football in Australia and they supported to do that when I was 17, so anything that the baby wants to do I am 100 per cent going to support them.”
The Sun revealed last month Jake will star in a new MTV reality series documenting his life as a first-time dad.
The new baby-orientated show will follow a series of celebs who have recently had or are expecting a bundle of joy.
Jake is among the stars to have signed up, with his partner Sophie.
A source told The Sun: “Viewers will get to watch their favourite stars as they navigate pregnancy, right through to the baby’s birth and parenthood.
“Jake is a great signing and he couldn’t be more excited to have this whole experience caught on camera.”
The singer’s girlfriend Sophie is already mum to six-year-old son Freddie from a previous relationship, and while Jake is close to the little boy this will be his first encounter with nappies and night feeds.
The insider added: “It’s all completely new territory for Jake and fans will get a real insight into his first steps into fatherhood.
“It’ll make great telly and MTV are thrilled to have Jake and Sophie on board.”
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Jake and Sophie previously suffered a devastating miscarriage in 2019 when she was six weeks pregnant – with the pair confessing it “hit them hard” at the time.
And Jake revealed that it was Sophie’s little boy that made him want to experience fatherhood for himself.
He said: “Freddie is a little legend, he’s like my best mate.
“I met him when he was four, but I don’t say that I’m his dad because I’m not and he’s already got a really great dad.”
Sophie added: “Jake will be such an amazing dad.
“Just seeing how he is with Freddie, I know that he will be brilliant and completely hands on.”
The Sun revealed that Jake and Sophie were dating in 2018.
MTV PREMIERES CELEBRITY BUMPS: FAMOUS & PREGNANT BEGINNING 3rd MARCH AT 8PM
