After her fiancé Eddie Rothe died from cancer at the age of 67, it looked as if Jane McDonald might retire. She spoke emotionally during an episode of Loose Women about the impact his passing was having on her.
However, she later confirmed that she would keep on trucking. And fans were thrilled that Jane – on screen with her Cruising With show this weekend (January 5) – had called off her retirement.
She has since spoken about how she managed to stay afloat during a rocky period in her life – and the “resilience” she’s built up over the years following blow after blow and doors being “slammed in her face”.
Jane and Eddie’s relationship timeline leading up to his death in 2021
Eddie Rothe died in April 2021 at the age of 67. He’d been battling lung cancer, Jane confirmed in an announcement on her Twitter page at the time.
Eddie was a musician, most famous for being the drummer in the bands Liquid Gold and The Searchers. Jane and Eddie went way back, having dated as teenagers. They initially met at a Wakefield nightclub. Then, in the 2000s, they rekindled their romance, and became engaged in 2008.
After his death, Jane made plans to retire from showbiz. Then, in November of 2021, she announced her return to the stage, saying she was “so excited to be back out on tour next year”.
Her fans celebrated the decision, and she has been busy since.
Jane McDonald on ‘where the fight came from’ after fiancé Eddie’s death
Heartbreak is hard to work through, let alone bounce entirely back from. In December, Hello! Magazine interviewed Jane about “rebuilding” her life after Eddie’s death. And she said that her “resilience” in the face of adversity is something she’s long been proud of.
Loads of doors were being slammed in my face every two minutes.
Reflecting on her career, she said: “By heck, I’ve learned resilience. I have no idea where the fight came from, and the resilience and the, how hard can this be? How hard can this be to do what I want to do?
“But loads of doors were being slammed in my face every two minutes. With me being a cruise ship singer and an ex-cabaret singer, it felt like I was not welcome in this world. But because I’ve done it, started the back way and come in, and everyone’s like: ‘Oh no, we can’t have a cruise ship singer at this level.’ And I just thought, I’m staying so get used to it.”
The singer denied that she’s learned any specific lessons along the way, however, saying there’s no best way of dealing with grief.
Nevertheless, she was “grateful” that she had “another life” besides Ed. She had a career of her own – and friends. Both of those remained a constant presence in her life, which she said made it easier for her life to continue in Eddie’s absence.
Read more: Jane McDonald branded a ‘legend’ as she’s replaced by Susan Calman on Cruising With
Cruising With Jane McDonald is on Sunday (January 5) from 9.45am on Channel 5.
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