Shetty flying in to visit Goody

Filming prevented Shetty from attending Goody's recent wedding

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty is flying in next week to visit terminally ill reality TV star Jade Goody.

Shetty won Celebrity Big Brother in 2007 following a series of altercations with fellow contestant Goody, who was accused of bullying and racism.

"Shilpa has been keeping in touch with her for months and they are good friends," said publicist Max Clifford.

"She desperately wants to see her if she's well enough." Clifford added that Goody was comfortable, but "very weak".

"She has deteriorated, she is very weak," said Clifford. "We are on the edge of a precipice."

'Bad way'

The 27-year-old star left hospital for her home in Upshire, Essex last week, to spend time with her young sons - Freddy and Bobby.

Her husband Jack Tweed was allowed to break his curfew on Friday to be at her side.

"She was in a bad way last night, she was panicking," said Clifford.

Goody was diagnosed with cervical cancer in August 2008

"He went over and calmed her down and she went to sleep. She settled down and had a comfortable night."

Tweed, 21, was jailed for 18 months last September after assaulting a teenager with a golf club.

He was released early from Wayland Prison in Norfolk in January on condition he wears a tag and returns to his mother's house in Essex by 7pm each day.

Shetty and Goody are said to have made their peace long before Goody was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2008, while appearing on the Indian version of Big Brother.

Despite undergoing surgery and chemotherapy, the disease spread to her bowel, liver and groin and she is now believed to have weeks to live.

Cervical screening

"She's taking every day as it comes. She's at home now and she's in good spirits," said Clifford.

"From a spiritual point of view she's as good as she can be."

He added that she was "delighted" by news that the government is looking at reviewing the age limit for cervical cancer testing.

Goody told him: "It's too late for me, Max, but it will save a lot of others."

Health minister Ann Keen announced on Friday that a panel of experts would consider whether women under 25 should be offered smear tests.

In 2004, the age for women to be invited for routine cervical screening was raised from 20 to 25, in line with World Health Organisation guidelines.

"Cervical screening saves around 4,500 lives every year and we want to ensure that our programme remains in the best interests of young women," said Ms Keen.