Jane McDonald
English singer, songwriter, and television presenter (born 1963)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jane Ann McDonald (born 4 April 1963) is an English singer, songwriter, and television presenter. She first became known following her appearance on the BBC One show The Cruise in 1998. Later that year, her eponymous debut studio album topped the UK Albums Chart for three weeks and she has had five UK top 10 albums. Her eleventh studio album, Living the Dream, was released in March 2026.[1]
- Singer
- songwriter
- television presenter
Jane McDonald | |
|---|---|
| Born | 4 April 1963 Wakefield, England |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Spouse |
Henrik Brixen
(m. 1998; div. 2003) |
| Partner(s) | Eddie Rothe (2008–2021; his death) |
| Website | jane-mcdonald |
McDonald has hosted or co-hosted daytime television shows including Loose Women and Star Treatment, with travel show Cruising with Jane McDonald winning a British Academy Television Award. She has also presented the travel shows Jane & Friends, Holidaying with Jane McDonald, Jane McDonald: My Yorkshire, Jane McDonald: Lost in Japan and Jane McDonald: From Pole to Pole.
Early life
Career
After appearing on the series The Cruise in 1998,[8] McDonald was signed by independent record label Focus Music International[9] to make a covers album and a Christmas single.[10] Her self-titled debut album spent three weeks at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart, while the single "Cruise into Christmas" (a medley of Christmas classics) reached the top 10 of the UK singles chart.[11] She then signed a recording contract with Universal Music TV,[12][13] guest hosted the National Lottery, and appeared on Star for a Night.
Beginning in 2004, McDonald was a regular presenter on the daytime television show Loose Women. It was confirmed on 16 July 2010 that she would depart the show for at least a year to concentrate on her music career, with a planned tour of Australia and New Zealand. Although the tour never developed, she proceeded to tour the UK and returned to the series in 2012. She left permanently in January 2014. In 2017, she wrote and recorded the album Hold the Covers Back and continued to tour the UK.[14]
In 2011, Wakefield Council awarded McDonald a star on its walk of fame.[15]
In 2013, McDonald hosted the makeover show Star Treatment. In 2015, she played Grizabella in the musical Cats. She has become more widely known for hosting travel shows such as Cruising with Jane McDonald, Jane and Friends, Holidaying with Jane McDonald, Jane McDonald: My Yorkshire, and Jane McDonald: Lost in Japan. Cruising with Jane McDonald won the 2018 BAFTA Award for Best Feature,[16] making it the first win for a Channel 5 show.[17]
On 1 June 2023, McDonald was announced as Phillip Schofield's replacement as the host of the British Soap Awards.[18] On 27 November 2023, she released the single "Believe In Christmas Eve"; it peaked at number 41 on the UK Singles Downloads Chart, becoming McDonald's second single to chart on a UK Singles chart.[19][20]
On 17 November 2025, McDonald announced the release of her then-upcoming eleventh studio album, Living the Dream, and announced her 2026 UK Tour.[21]
On 13 March 2026, McDonald released the single "Don't Mind If I Do" as the lead single from Living the Dream.[22][23] Living the Dream was released on 20 March 2026, and debuted at number 10 on the UK Albums Chart, becoming her fifth UK Top 10 album;[24] it also debuted at number one on the UK Independent Albums Chart.[25]
Personal life
In 1998, McDonald married Danish ship plumbing engineer Henrik Brixen, who later became her manager.[5][7][26] They divorced in 2003.[failed verification][27] Brixen later admitted that he did not understand the music industry.[6]
In 2008, McDonald reunited with The Searchers drummer Eddie Rothe, whom she had briefly dated in 1980 when she was 17 and he was 26.[27] They became engaged on 24 December 2008,[27] but never married.[28] Rothe died of lung cancer at the age of 67 on 26 March 2021.[29]
Discography
Albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Certifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK [11] | |||
| Jane McDonald[30] |
|
1 |
|
| Inspiration[A] |
|
6 | |
| Love at the Movies[B] |
|
24 | |
| You Belong to Me |
|
21 | |
| Jane |
|
7 | |
| The Singer of Your Song |
|
— | |
| Hold the Covers Back |
|
69 | |
| Cruising with Jane McDonald |
|
6 | |
| Cruising with Jane McDonald: Volume Two |
|
24 | |
| Let the Light In |
|
21 | |
| With All My Love |
|
— | |
| Living the Dream |
|
10 |
Compilation albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| The Collection |
|
| Because You Loved Me |
|
| Just for You[C] |
|
| Is It Love You're After[D] |
|
| Remixed |
|
Live albums
Extended plays
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| From Me to You (limited edition) |
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [11] | |||||||||||||||||||
| "Cruise into Christmas Medley" | 1998 | 10 | Non-album single | ||||||||||||||||
| "You're My World" | — | Jane McDonald | |||||||||||||||||
| "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" | 2000 | — | Love at the Movies | ||||||||||||||||
| "The Hand That Leads Me" | 2001 | — | Inspiration | ||||||||||||||||
| "Winner" | — | ||||||||||||||||||
| "Doctors Orders" | 2008 | — | Jane | ||||||||||||||||
| "It's Getting Better" | 2010 | — | Non-album single | ||||||||||||||||
| "The Singer of Your Song" | 2014 | — | Singer of Your Song | ||||||||||||||||
| "Dance Yourself Dizzy (7th Heaven Mirrorball Radio Edit)"[31] | 2016 | — | Non-album single | ||||||||||||||||
| "You Still Lead Me" | 2021 | — | Let the Light In | ||||||||||||||||
| "The Hand That Leads Me (Acoustic)" | — | ||||||||||||||||||
| "Let the Light In" | — | ||||||||||||||||||
| "You're My World (Piano Sessions)" | — | ||||||||||||||||||
| "Believe In Christmas Eve" | 2023 | —[F] | Non-album single | ||||||||||||||||
| "Don't Mind If I Do" | 2026 | — | Living the Dream | ||||||||||||||||
| "Living the Dream" | — | ||||||||||||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||||||||
DVDs
- Jane McDonald in Concert (1999)
- Jane McDonald Live in Las Vegas (2001)
- Being Jane (filmed 2005)
- The Very Best of Loose Women (2008)
- Late Night with the Loose Women (2009)
- Jane McDonald – Live at the London Palladium (18 October 2010)
- Jane McDonald – A Live Christmas Concert Special (15 November 2019) (No. 2 in the DVD music charts)
Books
- Jane McDonald – Follow Your Dreams, autobiography (2000)
- Jane McDonald – Riding the Waves: My Story, autobiography, Virgin Books (2019)
- Jane McDonald – Let The Light In, Ebury Publishing (2024)
Notes
- Co-produced by Ted Carfrae and Jamel Badaoui.
- Co-produced by David Sandcastle.
- Four-track CD available from concerts.
- Four-track CD available from concerts.
- Live recording of the DVD.