My years of hell: JANE MCDONALD reveals why she had to sell her £1million forever home, the tragic impact of her mother and fiancé’s deaths… and why she no longer cares what people think of her

After beloved singer and TV presenter Jane McDonald lost her mother and fiancée three years apart, she continued to live in the Wakefield bungalow she had called home for 20 years.

But last year he made the difficult decision to sell Cleevethorpe House, the £1 million five-bedroom detached property he has devoted his heart and soul to renovating.

Jane’s mother, Jean, died just days before Christmas in 2018. The singer described this loss as the ‘light in his heart’ going out.

Then in March 2021, her fiancé Eddie Rothe tragically passed away at the age of 67 following a battle with lung cancer. The couple first dated in the 1980s when Jane was just 17, reconnecting in 2008 and Eddie proposed to her later that year.

In an exclusive interview today, Jane, 62, reveals that the house she once loved holds too many sad memories for her.

He tells me: ‘I found it difficult. There was so much history there.’

The Yorkshire-born Loose Women host has now bought a smaller house and seaside retreat in the same area, where she now spends most of her time. He says: ‘We all need peace in our lives and now I have it.’

Jane enjoys a rather unique living environment with her close friend Sue Ravey. The pair met as singers in their twenties and appeared in dual roles on Channel 4’s Celebrity Gogglebox. After Eddie’s death, Sue moved into the Wakefield bungalow with Jane and the pair became inseparable.

‘He’s still my dear friend, we’ll be on the beach together in January,’ she says. ‘We still do everything together. It gives great results.”

Even so, moving house wasn’t easy when Jane had 20 years of memories – many of them deeply painful.

Jane said: ‘You’d be surprised how much stuff you have. Seven jumps later! I was ashamed of myself. You have to let it all go.

‘But Sue is wonderful. He’ll ask me: “Why are you holding on to this?” Take a photo of it and throw it away.’

Jane often hosted Christmas for her family at her old home, but this year she spent the day with friends.

She says: ‘No cooking for any of us. Everyone always came to us for Christmas dinner because we had the biggest table and enough space to fit everyone. Times are changing and you have to change with them. Now I’m making new traditions.

‘Let’s be honest, pain hits everyone sooner or later and if we could turn back the clock to big family Christmases I’m sure we would all do it. But we can’t, so I move forward.

‘There is a positive side to grief, and that is freedom. Now I can choose to do what I want, whenever I want. It’s been hard for me to get used to this, but I’m embracing it now.’

Jane’s new six-part television show, Pole to Pole, which starts tonight at 9pm on Channel 5, sees the singer travel from Antarctica to the North Pole on scenic journeys in one of her most daring adventures to date.

In the first episode, viewers will see him explore Antarctica in freezing conditions. Cruise line Scenic keeps helicopters and submarines on board to take passengers as close to the action as possible.

Jane says: ‘You know that saying, ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothes’? I live by this. But it was freezing! I’m generally not good with the cold. But then I pulled myself together! And thank God I did it because it was incredible. I felt like an explorer; ‘It’s completely different to any other holiday I’ve had.’

During one terrifying expedition, Jane was kayaking with her tour guide and the pair had to be rescued by the ship.

It says: ‘What started out as a beautiful, beautiful day with blue skies, calm waters and sunshine quickly turned into choppy waters, strong winds and horizontal sleet. It was scary. I thought, what the heck? Did I walk into a James Bond movie?’

Jane admits that her recent losses have changed her perspective on life: ‘Life is short. This isn’t a dress rehearsal so let’s enjoy it. ‘I realize how lucky I am to be blessed with the best job on the planet, and I’m extremely grateful for that every day.’

Jane doesn’t care what people think of her either. He says: ‘The beauty of getting older is that you care less. Yes, I have love handles, a tummy, and saggy areas, but I don’t care. I’ve never had plastic surgery, you just need good makeup! I’m the worst at keeping fit; I don’t like the gym. Now I walk in the fresh air as much as possible; ‘This is good for your head and keeps you in shape.’

Jane is looking forward to 2026 when she will embark on a new tour called Living the Dream. Because that’s exactly what he does.

He says: ‘I travel as long as people want to see me. Now I can travel as much as I want because I don’t always think about anyone at home. This is what I mean by freedom. Grief never leaves you, that’s too bad. But what you need to do is to bring as much joy into your life as possible by sitting next to it, so you can achieve balance.’

As well as performing at the London Palladium later this year, Jane will perform at the LGBTQ Mighty Hoopla festival in the ‘Gay Icon’ section at London’s Brockwell Park in May.

Indeed, over the years it has gained a large following among the gay community.

He says: ‘I am very humbled and very happy. I can’t lie, I think icon is pushing it a bit.’

But there was no way he could turn this down. Jane said: ‘Age is just a number and as long as you’re fit and healthy you should strive for that. That’s my motto now.’

• Jane’s new travel show Pole to Pole starts tonight at 9pm on Channel 5, and her Living The Dream album is available for pre-order and tickets for her tour are on sale now. You can find all the details at: jane-mcdonald.com