“Whenever I’m away she looks after things and I know when I come home, there’s always a warm house waiting for me with a full fridge and a meal on the table. It’s like having my own Mrs Doubtfire to look after me.’’
Anyone meeting Jane may be surprised – tall and slim, she looks much younger than her 43 years and despite her fame, is still a typical down-to-earth Yorkshire woman.
“Maybe that’s why they like having me on these topical discussion programmes like Loose Women and The Wright Stuff. I speak my mind and always call a spade a spade.
As they say, you can take the girl out of Yorkshire but you can’t take Yorkshire out of the girl.’’
Jane’s down-to-earth approach is what initially endeared her to hundreds of fans when she first found TV fame. Coming totally out of the blue, Jane puts this turn of events associated with her appearance on The Cruise totally down to fate and being in the right place at the right time.
Anyone who has read Jane’s autobiography Follow Your Dreams, published in 2000, will know that her’s is a real rags to riches story.
She literally is the girl from Wakefield who was propelled into the national spotlight after a BBC film crew picked her out as the main focus of a new fly-on-the-wall documentary about daily life on a cruise liner.
Before Jane was born in April 1963, her late father Peter and mother Jean moved from Glasgow to try and find work in Wakefield. Living initially in a back-to-back terrace house in the shadow of the city prison, family life was one of crowded housing, earth closets and grimy back yards.
Life improved and the family moved to a more spacious Victorian house in Eastmoor Road `on the posh side of town’. This was the house that Jane was born into, a happy home with extra revenue generated by boarders from the nearby West Yorkshire Police College.
From an early age Jane was to be heard singing popular songs of the day - her favourite being Petula Clark’s Down Town.
One of her earliest memories of living at Eastmoor Road is being scared of the nearby asylum, Stanley Royd. Even today she says: “I always remember dad telling me not to go near the railings. I always thought someone would reach through the bars and pull me inside. For years I was really afraid of going anywhere near Stanley Royd.’’
Time passed and Jane began to sing on the Northern club circuit, ferried up and down often over the Pennines by her late father Peter in his old van.
Jane says today: “I thought I’d `made it’ even then, singing in the clubs. To me that was success. Little did I know what was in store. ‘’
As Jane progressed with her singing career, an opportunity arose for her to work on cruise ships so she `ran away to sea’, working long hard hours with only a tiny cabin to escape to for some peace and quiet.
Fate was to step in however and present her with a golden opportunity of becoming a household name – and the rest, as they say, is history. Jane was to become a singing sensation, topping the bill at venues all the country and even at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Today Jane lives with her mother on the outskirts of Wakefield in a house, which she says in her autobiography, is part of an ancient farm, surrounded by dry stone walls and woodland. Her family is all important to her with her brother even acting as driver and security man when she is on tour.
She has moved on from her failed marriage to Dane Henrik Brixen and is now, she says, fiercely independent.
“I was always too soft. Henrik would often tell me that and say I needed to toughen up. I have become much tougher and independent in recent years following my marriage breakdown – the problem was when Henrik became my manager, our relationship moved from husband and wife to manager and artist.
“We keep in touch however and are still friends. Today I am always optimistic and always view my life as being a cup which is half full, rather than half empty. After I took the decision last year to become my own manager, life has become extremely hectic and I am now always of the opinion, if you want a job doing, do it yourself.’’
To cope with her new management role and heaps of administration, Jane enrolled on a computer course at Wakefield College, learning how to use the internet, e-mail etc.
It’s a role she has easily adapted to. “It’s the best move I have made. I like being busy and organising things and this suits me down to the ground. Lots of offers are flooding in at the moment and I’ve been recording, doing TV work, corporate jobs etc.’’
During the last few weeks Jane has even been back to sea – back to the old days of entertaining the passengers on cruise ships in the Mediterranean and Canary Isles.
“It felt like I was never away.
I had an offer to go cruising and it was the first time for years. During the last 10 years I have come on such a remarkable personal journey and am very grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had but it was lovely to go back on board and sing again for the passengers. ‘’
Jane is now planning ahead for her forthcoming UK concert tour – the first for 18 months.
“All the shows are going to be really spectacular with dancers and guests including Sing Live UK. We’re going all over the country with 35 dates in just 47 days. I do have a massive fan base – including 2,000 in Wakefield alone – and it will be great to be touring once more.
I always do an autograph signing session after each show so each day really is packed.
“The shows will be full of glitz and glamour and I’ll be getting out all my `Jane McDonald’s’ the name affectionately given to her sparkly gowns which Jane admits take up the entire attic space of her Wakefield home.
She said: “Talk about a walk-in wardrobe. My attic is packed full of gowns of all colours and styles. I think I might even rival Shirley Bassey in the dress department.’’
One of Jane’s more recent achievements has been becoming a favourite on the lunchtime chat and topical affairs show, Loose Women. Along with other celebrity names – including actress Denise Welch, presenter Kaye Adams, Noleen sister Coleen and successful radio presenter Carol McGiffin – Jane is now in her third series and says she loves doing the show.
As with all things, there is actually much more to the show than meets the eye. Although it doesn’t actually go on air until 1.30pm, all the members of the panel have to be at the studios for 6am to study all the national newspapers, find out what’s happening in the world and read opinions and political slants on the day’s topical issues.
“All the girls get on really well together and although we can have differences of opinion on air, we’re always OK afterwards and never let it get in the way of our friendships.’’
One of Jane’s proudest moments in recent years, she says, was `discovering’ young singing sensation Joss Stone who is now of this country’s best known talents.
“When I was hosting the Star For A Night TV series, we did a children’s show and Joss ? took part. That’s how she first came to the public’s attention.’’
Many people will also be unaware of Jane’s spiritual interests – something she inherited from her grandmother. From an early age she felt she had a special gift and over the years has been in demand to do `readings’ for friends and colleagues.
It was in fact her grandma who predicted she would work on a blue ship bearing a white cross and that she would marry a man called Henry – a prediction that came true (except the name was Henrik). Close enough!
The girl who worked on the ships has however moved on. She’s now her own woman, knows what she wants and goes for it. Deep down however, she’s still just a girl from Wakefield who always glad to get home.
“I like to go away but I’m always glad to be back home. There’s no place like it.
My favourite sign is always M1North to bring me back to Wakefield. It’s great living here. Because local people are used to seeing me around, they don’t bat an eyelid if they see me in the supermarket and they are so friendly.’’
After being voted Yorkshire Woman of the Year in 1998, Jane is rightly proud of her birthright and loves spending time at her home in a quiet village in the heart of West Yorkshire.
If you want to see Jane in concert then take a look at the full itinery of dates and venues on the official Jane McDonald website www.jane-mcdonald.com
Published Summer 2006. All information correct at time of print
Wakefield-born singer Jane McDonald has come a long way since her early days on BBC TV’s `fly-on-the-wall’ documentary, The Cruise. During a recent few days back in Yorkshire, Around Town Publications caught up with her to find out what she’s up to these days and how she’s currently busy planning a hectic 35-date UK concert tour.
