Gordon Brown leads tributes to Jade

Gordon Brown said: "I was deeply saddened to hear the news of Jade Goody's death.

"She was a courageous woman both in life and death and the whole country has admired her determination to provide a bright future for her children.

"She will be remembered fondly by all who knew her and her family can be extremely proud of the work she has done to raise awareness of cervical cancer which will benefit thousands of women across the UK. Every death from cancer is a tragedy and my thoughts go out to her two sons, husband and family at this time."

Other tributes flooded in from public figures ranging from royalty to celebrities.

Prince Azim, the son of the Sultan of Brunei, struck up an unexpected friendship with Goody which attracted much media attention. He said: "Jade was a warm and lovely lady. My condolences to Jack and her family."

The friendship began when he invited Goody and Tweed out to dinner, thinking she would be an interesting person to meet, according to his spokesman.

Simon Hughes, MP for North Southwark and Bermondsey in south London where Goody grew up, said: "Jade Goody was a Bermondsey girl who went from public ridicule and public rebukes to public respect and public sympathy. The thoughts of millions will today be with her children and family - and with the families of all those whose mothers die young from accident or disease."

Stephen Fry said Goody was "a kind of Princess D from the wrong side of the tracks" as tributes poured in online.

Writing on Twitter, he said: "Poor, dear Jade. She was a fellow guest on (Jonathan Ross's chat show) a year or so back & I warmed to her immensely. All impulsive spirit & smiles. What a life. Jade lived life under a magnifiyong (sic) glass. Magnifying glasses magnify (obviously) but they distort and they burn. I suppse (sic) she was a kind of Princess D from the wrong side of the tracks."