Entertainment

Janet Jackson reunited with doctor who delivered her baby

The pop star made a rare UK appearance at the Bloomsbury Ballroom in London.
The pop star made a rare UK appearance at the Bloomsbury Ballroom in London. The pop star made a rare UK appearance at the Bloomsbury Ballroom in London.

Janet Jackson has been reunited with the doctor who delivered her son three years ago.

The pop star was 50 when she welcomed Eissa, her first and only child, with her Qatari businessman ex-husband Wissam Al Mana.

Jackson, now 53, joined Professor Tiong Ghee Teoh at a Great Gatsby-themed gala at London’s Bloomsbury Ballroom in aid of premature birth research at Imperial College London.

The US singer posed for photos with the professor, wearing a black hat, matching fur-lined jacket, dress and pearls.

Speaking before her arrival, the consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist told the PA news agency he had asked Jackson to play but that she had declined.

Gatsby Gala – London
Gatsby Gala – London Janet Jackson and Professor Tiong Ghee Teoh (David Parry/PA)

He quipped: “No, she won’t… she said, ‘Oh, the stage is too small for me’.”

Professor Teoh said of their friendship: “It’s amazing. I was very privileged to look after her during her pregnancy.

“And with her support we have managed to get other people coming, and get sponsors for the whole event. It has been great.

“It started with me looking after her during the pregnancy and then it was after that that we became friends.

“When you are looking after any person you need to keep it strictly professional because you don’t want to cloud your judgment.”

Jackson split with her husband of five years months after the birth of Eissa in January 2017.

The gala was raising money towards funding a professional academic chair at Imperial College London, where Professor Teoh and his colleague Professor Phillip Bennett practise.

Among the night’s performers were Louise Redknapp and former doctor-turned-author Adam Kay, who studied as a medical student under Professor Teoh in 1997.

Gatsby Gala – London
Gatsby Gala – London Louise Redknapp at the Gatsby Gala (David Parry/PA)

He said: “Adam Kay used to be my medical student. It is a very small world.

“We went to see his performance in January but seeing him this time will be great. He is helping a medical research charity, which is fantastic.”

Former Eternal singer Redknapp has just released Heavy Love, her first record in 18 years.

She told PA: “My children were born a little bit early but by choice. But obviously I am a mum.

“My kids go to a school where I mix with lots of different women of any age.

“Anything to support anything to do with children and women through birth, and the complications that come through premature birth – which is so hard.

“It’s the one charity that is so nice for me to be able (to) be here and talk about and support.”

Donations to Prematurity Research can be made online.