Jane McDonald has been through unimaginable loss with the death of her husband, Eddie Rothe, who she continues to speak fondly about as well as going through other heartache. Here, we look back at the TV star’s life off-screen

Jane McDonaldwas besotted by Eddie Rothe

Loose Women star Jane McDonald has always been candid about her personal life, sharing some of the toughest heartaches she’s faced over the years.

The 61-year-old is best known for her appearances on the ITV daytime show and is back on our screens tonight (March 22), where she explores the hidden treasures of Tenerife and Gran Canaria in a one-and-a-half-hour-long travel documentary on Channel 5.

Away from the cameras, Jane has opened up about the lows of her love life and a family tragedy. Despite always putting on a brave face, she has shared the deep pain of losing her late partner, Eddie Rothe, who she describes as one of the most incredible humans she ever met.

Eddie tragically away at the age of 67 after a battle with lung cancer in 2021. The two had known each other since their teenage years, but their paths crossed again later in life. They rekindled their romance in the early 2000s and became engaged in 2008.

Jane opened up about the heartache of losing both her partner and her mother just a few years apart

In a rare admission, the presenter expressed her gratitude for having experienced “real love” with the musician.

Reflecting on the heartache of losing her partner, Jane shared: “You have to find your way of dealing with it, it’s not easy. It never leaves you either. Everybody thinks, ‘Oh, she’s back on track.’ No, it never leaves you. I have to make a decision every morning about what my day is going to be like, because you can go that way, or you can go that way.”

Jane and Eddie first met in the early 1980s(Image: Collect Unknown)

Jane’s first husband is Henrik Brixen, a ship’s plumbing engineer, from Denmark, who later became her manager. They got married in 1998 but parted ways in 2003.

Although she is known for her TV appearances, the star’s true passion lies in music, having spent much of her early career performing in local clubs and pubs before landing work as a singer on cruise ships. McDonald became known to the public in 1998 following her appearance on the BBC show The Cruise.

She now admits her music keeps her going, despite the dark days after the tragic passing of her fiancé.

The presenter admitted: “I choose to go the positive way and it’s not always easy. It’s not always easy and if you have a bad day, that’s fine. Have a bad day.

“But in general, now I look at my life and I think, ”I’ve got a lot more good days in my life than I have bad days now”. I’ve come on leaps and bounds and I think the music and touring again, and getting back with my band, and writing new stuff again is just, it’s given me such joy and a purpose.

She continued: “My purpose is to go out and entertain. Yeah, I think once you’ve found your purpose in life, everything just comes together and I feel my purpose now is to get back on that stage.”

Back in December 2018, Jane suffered heartache after she tragically announced the death of her mother Jean.

After announcing the sad news, she had been inundated with messages of support from fans. Her message at the time read: “I know this time of year is difficult for so many people due to losing loved ones, this year I join you. I have very recently lost my beautiful Mum. A light in my heart has gone out for a short while. My family and I would appreciate your privacy regarding this huge loss.”