For fans of Jade Goody, OK! Magazine has been an indispensible source of information about the reality television star’s battle with terminal cancer.

But today the celebrity magazine was accused of making a huge misjudgement after publishing a “tribute” edition that was billed as containing the “final words” of the 27-year-old former Big Brother contestant, before she has died.

Goody, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer that has since spread to her liver, groin and bowel, is spending her final days in bed at her Essex home, where she is heavily sedated.

A close friend of the reality television star told The Times that the magazine had “got it totally wrong” in rushing out the “official tribute issue”, which was printed with a black border around the front page and contains a sub-headline “in loving memory 1981 - 2009”.

“All that was agreed was a tribute,” the friend said. “This is clearly an obituary. They got it totally wrong. It’s totally insensitive, it’s bloody disgusting.”

OK! was granted access to Goody as part of a raft of deals, including two television programmes with the Living channel, to raise money for Goody’s two children, Bobby, five and Freddie, four.

The 666th edition of the magazine, which is published by Richard Desmond’s Northern and Shell company, contains 28 pages of Goody coverage.

The first page tells of how Goody faced “a long battle” against cancer. It continues: “But after putting up a fight it’s time for Jade to say her last peaceful goodbye.

“As friends and family, including her husband, Jack Tweed, gathered around her bedside, it was also time for newly christened Jade to receive the last rites from her priest.”

OK! is locked in a battle to stem huge losses in readership. The magazine posted a 25 per cent drop in year-on-year circulation for the last six months of 2008, in ABC figures released in February.

It’s average circulation is just above 500,000, but a recent exclusive deal with Goody that saw the magazine print pictures from her wedding is thought to have sold an extra 1.3 million copies.

The Press Complaints Commission has received complaints about the latest edition of OK!, and is making an initial assessment of whether an investigation is necessary.

OK! issued a statement this afternoon. The magazine said: “OK!'s tribute issue is a celebration of Jade's amazing life. Jade's family have spoken to OK! today to reiterate that they understand the tribute issue and view it as being very kind to Jade.

“They would like to also state that they are extremely grateful for the support that OK! has provided during this distressing period.”

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