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Topics: Celebrity, Music, UK News, no-article-matching
Emily Brown
The life and achievements of Jamal Edwards are being praised online following the news that the British entrepreneur passed away at the age of 31.
News of Edwards' death was confirmed by his company and shared on the official Twitter account for chat show Loose Women, where Edwards' mum, Brenda, works as a presenter.
Edwards is said to have died on Sunday, February 20, following a 'sudden illness', with a statement from his mum describing his family and friends as being 'completely devastated'.
Brenda added: 'Jamal was an inspiration to myself and so many. Our love for him lives on, his legacy lives on. Long live Jamal Edwards MBE, MBA, PHD.'
The entrepreneur and YouTube star got into filmmaking after he received a video camera for Christmas when he was 15, before going on to become a director, author, DJ and designer, as well as helping to bring grime music and new artists into the spotlight through his media platform SBTV.
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Ed Sheeran, Dave and Jessie J are among those whose careers were launched through SBTV, and in 2014, when he was just 24 years old, Edwards was awarded an MBE for his work in music. His SBTV YouTube page is home to artists such as Skepta, Anne-Marie, Stormzy, James Arthur, Little Mix and Professor Green, and has more than 1.22 million subscribers.
After establishing his successful platform Edwards became an ambassador for The Prince's Trust, which helps young people set up their own companies, and took on philanthropic work in breaking down stigmas around men's mental health and funding youth centres.
Tributes and messages of admiration have been pouring in on Twitter following the news of Edwards' death, with many taking the time to acknowledge the widespread impacts of his work.
One fan wrote: 'Go on SBTV's videos, set the filter to most viewed, scroll & explore for just one minute, you'll see how many careers Jamal Edwards launched.'
Bafta-winning actor Adam Deacon commented: 'Today I was on set when I found out the tragic news that my good friend Jamal Edwards had passed away and I’m honestly heartbroken. Jamal was one of the nicest, most down to earth and humble men I’ve met in this industry. He always gave me time even when no one else would.'
In a statement also shared on Twitter, YouTube described Edwards as a 'legend'. It added: 'Jamal Edwards was an inspiration to so many, supporting artists and shaping culture through @SBTVonline. Sending our condolences to Jamal’s family & community.'
In her statement, Jamal's mother thanked everyone for their messages of love and support.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677