'I've learned to fill my life with as much joy as I can'

TV star Jane McDonald says she'll never get over losing her fiancé, but she finds some comfort in her career and her friendships

- WORDS: DANIEL BIRD

Jane McDonald has had a heartbreaking time since the death of her beloved fiancé, musician Eddie 'Ed' Rothe four years ago - but she's not giving up on living.

She exclusively tells OK! that although part of her will never process the loss of her fiancé, she's not closed off to the idea of falling in love again.

"I'll never say never, because you just don't know what's around the corner, do you?" she says. "But if it never happens, then fine. I had a great partner who I feel very blessed that I had in my life. And I'm fine. I've got a great group of friends who I go out with and that's enough, really."

The Yorkshire-born singer and TV presenter first dated Eddie, drummer of Liverpool rock band The Searchers, as a teenager before they rekindled their relationship in 2008. But their love story was cut tragically short in 2021 when Eddie died aged 67 after a battle with lung cancer.

Jane copes with the “awful” grief by trying to fill her life with pockets of joy. She says, “I don’t deal with it. You can’t. There’s no such thing as dealing with it. It’s hard, it’s every day for me. But what I’ve learned to do now is fill my life with as much joy as I can bring in, to sit alongside it.

“I do that for him, as well. He would be mortified if I were just sat at home, miserable. He’d be the first to say, ‘What you doing sitting there? Get out there, Jane, do your thing.”

Part of that joy comes from her career and on her newly announced album, Living The Dream, the title track of the same name is related to being on the road.

“I fill my life with what I love to do,” she says.

“I’m grateful for my fans, for the love they give me.”