Jane McDonald has revealed she would "give everything up" as she opens up about a heartbreaking diagnosis. The former Loose Women panellist announced the death of her fiancé Eddie Rothe in 2017. He was best known for being the drummer in Liquid Gold and later The Searchers, who was diagnosed with lung cancer prior to his death. Jane revealed he initially presented with a "persistent cough" which ultimately led to the diagnosis.

Jane, a singer and television presenter, became Eddie's full-time carer during the final stages of his life. The pair first dated as teenagers in Wakefield, Yorkshire, before going their separate ways. Yet they reignited their romance almost three decades later following a serendipitous meeting on This Morning. They announced their engagement in 2008, with Jane crediting Eddie for his support in advancing her career.

In her 2024 self-help book, the Cruising singer disclosed she has been diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) since Eddie's death and has since relocated from their bungalow in Wakefield. Speaking to the Guardian, she said: "If I could bring back Ed, I would give everything up and have him back."

"My life has just gone: boom! That is a gift from him. So why wouldn't I celebrate him? And not be sad. I don't want to be sad about Ed. He was a wonderful, beautiful soul."

Jane nonetheless says she feels "blessed" to have cherished so much time with Eddie. She added: "I feel like he's with me all the time. And now, with the songs, he will be."

In her 2019 autobiography, Riding The Waves: My Story, Jane recalled the moment Eddie popped the question. She wrote: "Suddenly, Ed cleared his throat and put his hand in his pocket. 'Jane, you are definitely the one for me, and I should have done this 26 years ago,' he said. 'Will you marry me?'

"I was so overwhelmed that I started crying. Then Ed started crying! People around us were mortified - thinking we'd split up'."

The television personality opened up about her choice to sell the £1m bungalow, which she had also shared with her late mother Jean, earlier this year. Speaking to Mail Online, she said: "I found it difficult. There was too much history there."

Having bought a seaside property in the area, she added: "We all need peace in our lives and I've got that now."

However, the relocation, which saw Jane living with close friend Sue Ravey, was not entirely without its complications. Jane found herself needing to sort through two decades' worth of belongings – many of which were connected to profoundly painful memories.

Jane explained: "You'd be surprised at how much stuff you have. Seven skips later! I was ashamed of myself. You've got to let it all go. But Sue is great. She'll ask me: 'Why you holding onto this?' Take a picture of it and bin it."

Jane shot to fame following her appearance in the series The Cruise in 1998. She was subsequently signed to a record deal and secured a number one with her self-titled album that same year. She featured as a panellist on Loose Women between 2004 and 2013. She makes her return to television screens from 9pm on Channel 5 with Jane McDonald in Nashville, a two-part exploration of Tennessee in the United States.