Jane McDonald, who is appearing on Blankety Blank tonight (Boxing Day), once expressed surprise over having a good voice, despite growing up with parents who chain-smoked.
The singer, 61, made the admission during an interview back in 2022.
Jane McDonald talks childhood holidays
In 2022, Jane McDonald did an interview with the Yorkshire Times, in which she spoke about her excitement for the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
However, at one point during the interview, Jane spoke of her love of Scarborough – somewhere she and her family used to visit a lot when she was younger.
“Scarborough has a special place in my heart, it holds such treasured memories for me. We loved it as a family,” she said.
She then joked that looking back, they probably went there a lot as it was the only place her father’s van could get to. However, she said that it didn’t matter as the place was “magical”.
‘It’s a wonder I’ve got a voice’
Jane then continued: “It used to take forever to get there, but that was part of the fun too. And it’s a wonder I’ve got a voice when I think about it… The windows of the van were always shut and my mum and dad would be smoking the whole way there, the van was full of cigarette smoke! But once we arrived, it was such freedom.”
“I loved the fair, although I was sick after the rides – I was pathetic,” she added. “I wanted to go on the rides, then was sick when I got off. And the beaches, they’re stunning – it’s ‘Scarbados’ isn’t it. That whole coast is beautiful, and has these great coastal towns, Bridlington, Filey, Flamborough. They’re all great.”
Jane then said that she feels sorry for the children of today, who don’t have the “head space” to be “free” away from tablets and phones.
View this post on Instagram
Jane on ups and downs in the industry
Singer Jane has been in the industry for decades – and has previously spoken about some of the ups and downs she’s experienced in it.
“This industry can be ruthless. How? Well, my former husband, Henrik Brixen, was my manager, for example,” she told The Times in October.
“He’s a lovely man but it was difficult. I became the product, not the wife. One minute you’re golden, the next you lose everything,” she then said.
Another time where Jane has got frustrated at the industry was back in 2011, when Gary Barlow made a dig at cruise ship singers. Jane, of course, shot to fame in the 90s when she was a singer on cruise ships.
During the 2011 series of the X-Factor, Sami Brookes took to the stage to perform Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You. However, Gary Barlow, wasn’t a fan, saying it made the budding star sound like a “cruise ship singer”.
Jane wasn’t happy with his remark and told Sami to ignore the judge during a call-in on the Xtra Factor.
Years later, Jane reflected on Gary’s comment. “When I was on the cruise ships, that was a success for me. I was traveling the world, with a brilliant orchestra, costumes. That’s why I got a bit angry with Gary Barlow. The whole industry has a downer on cruise ship singing, but most X Factor people wouldn’t get through a cruise ship audition!” she said.
Jane McDonald on huge life lesson
Earlier this year, Jane released her memoir, Let The Light In.
During an interview with Attitude in October, Jane was asked about her favourite life lesson from the book.
“Just to take control of your own life. One thing I found from writing this book was all the problems I blamed everybody else for were all mine. We tend to blame others. ‘I can’t believe he’s done that! How could they do that to me?!’” she said.
The star went on to say that she realised that “the common denominator is me” and that others should “take control and focus on what you really want”.
“That’s the hardest thing: what do you really want?”
Jane is on the Blankety Blank Christmas Special tonight from 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Let us know what you think of this story with a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.