Jedward shave off their famous quiffs live on air in honour of their mum who died of cancer

Jedward shaved off their famous quiffs live on air in honour of their mother, who died from cancer in 2019. 

Ever since shooting to fame on The X Factor in 2009, the Grimes twins have made a trademark look out of their gravity-defying dos, rocking quiffs of varying heights over the years.

However, John and Edward decided to shave off their hair to raise money for the Irish Cancer Society’s Daffodil Day appeal. 

The 28-year-olds appeared on RTE’s The Late Late Show on Friday night, and fulfilled their pledge to shave it all off raise money for cancer support services. 

The twins said they were sending ‘strength, unity and solidarity’ to anyone being treated for cancer, before John picked up the electric razor to free his brother of his quiff.

Edward said: ‘We’ve had this hair for over 10 years. It’s part of our identity. I don’t think we’d be here today if we didn’t have the hair, but this is the first time we’re going to have our hair like this since the beginning of Jedward.’

The Under Pressure joked that he would be investing in woolly caps and sunscreen – but when he caught his reflection, he demanded that viewers pick up the phone.

He said: ‘Jaysus! Donate, donate right now. Who am I? Who is this person?’, before joking that he was a doppelgänger for Sinead O’Connor.

After Edward’s locks were shorn, he swapped places to shave his brother’s head, with John saying: ‘It’s for a good cause. This had to be done eventually.’

The pair quipped that this was a new ‘grown up Jedward’, as ‘people never saw beyond the hair’.

Jedward’s efforts – along with appeals from stars including Westlife’s Shane Filan and Cavan GAA star Oisin Kiernan – helped raise an incredible €2.5million (£2.1m) for the Irish Cancer Society. 

Earlier in the show, Jedward performed an acoustic rendition of Cyndi Lauper’s True Colours.

They also shared that as well as their mum battling cancer, their grandad had previously been diagnosed with lung cancer and skin cancer. 

John and Edward were commended by viewers, with one person tweeting: ‘Jedward are just sound sound lads really, aren’t they.’

Another tweeted: ‘Whatever you think about Jedward, they are actual legends and such selfless lads to do such a thing.Their mother would be so proud. So much respect!’

The twins’ mum Susanna Grimes passed away two years ago after ‘living with cancer for many years’.

At the time, the singers said: ‘Rest In Peace Mammy. You live on through us. We will miss you and your smile.

You shaped the character of who we are. Mammy lived with cancer for many years but was always full of life! You live on in our Memories and will always be alive in our Hearts.’

Susanna worked as a schoolteacher in Dublin, but also worked as her sons’ manager, and was instrumental in their rise to stardom after they came to fame on The X Factor in 2009.

She was survived by her three sons, John, Edward and Kevin, and her husband John Grimes Snr, who she lived with in Lucan, Dublin, until her death.

To donate to Daffodil Day, visit the Irish Cancer Society.

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