It’s not always been plain sailing for cruising Jane McDonald.

While the presenter has created a brand as one of the most beloved names in TV her life has been plagued by tragedy off the screen. 

The Yorkshire icon, 62, rebuilt her career after a tumultuous marriage to manager Hendrik Brixen came to an end in 2002, and again after leaving her comfortable slot on Loose Women more than a decade later.

She was then rocked by the death of her mother and ‘best friend’ Jean just days before Christmas in 2018.

The presenter famously lived with her mum until she was 45 and the star described the loss as a ‘light in her heart’ going out. 

Tragedy struck once again three years later when her fiancé Eddie died aged just 67 having been diagnosed with lung cancer. 

But Jane has shown her resilience by bouncing back and throwing herself into her career with her hit series Cruising With Jane McDonald, Channel 5’s first ever BAFTA-winning show.

Here MailOnline takes a look at how the screen favourite overcame many life hurdles and pulled off another comeback. 

Jane McDonald, 62, rebuilt her career after a tumultuous marriage to manager Hendrik Brixen came to an end in 2002, and rebuilt it again after leaving her comfortable slot on Loose Women more than a decade later (pictured in 2024)

But Jane has shown her resilience by bouncing back once again, creating a brand as one of the most beloved names in TV and enjoying holiday after holiday on her hit series Cruising With Jane McDonald, Channel 5 ‘s first ever BAFTA-winning show 

The beloved TV star sH๏τ to stardom performing in local clubs and pubs before landing work as a singer on cruise ships. 

Her career then took off on daytime TV in 2004 as she joined the panel of ITV’s Loose Women.

She became famed for her no-nonsense approach to topics as she debated alongside friends like Carol McGiffin, Lisa Maxwell, Denise Welch and the late Linda Bellingham. 

Yet after 10 years on the show, she stepped away to focus on her music career, embarking on numerous tours before landing a series of popular travel shows and returning to her love of the ships, including Cruising with Jane McDonald and Jane McDonald & Friends.

Since then, Jane has nurtured fondly her pᴀssion for cruising across the world and regularly updates her social media followers about her ventures- even winning a British Academy Television Award for her docu-series in 2018.

However, tragedy struck in Jane’s personal life after her mother Jean pᴀssed away just before Christmas in 2018. 

Less than three years later, her fiancé Eddie also died aged just 67 having been diagnosed with lung cancer.

Reflecting on her grief as she made a guest appearance on Loose Women last October, she admitted life has to go on despite her devastating losses. 

After 10 years on the show she decided to step away to focus on her music career, embarking on numerous tours before landing a series of popular travel shows, including Cruising with Jane McDonald and Jane McDonald & Friends

The beloved TV star – who sH๏τ to stardom performing in local clubs and pubs before landing work as a singer on cruise ships – was then awarded a British Academy Television Award for her docu-series in 2018

In 1998 she landed her big break on BBC’s The Cruise (Back L-R Michele Morrison , Granville Bailey, Captain lakovos Korres, Jane, Amanda Reid and Jack Failla. Front Dale and Mary Nathan)

Jane said: ‘If I could get my mother and Ed back, I would in a heartbeat. But I can’t. You’ve got to realise that life goes on and I want to live. I love life. 

‘We don’t know how many days we’ve got and Ed died very young. I want to just do everything I want to do. I’m moving forward and taking them with me.’ 

Jane said last year she was not worried about finding love again after losing her partner and insisted she didn’t need anyone new in her life now. 

Prioritising her health, the screen favourite has also spilled the beans on her life-changing diet – revealing only eats one type of bread after her incredible weight loss.

The presenter kick-started her weight loss journey back in 2015 and later signed up to the TV show, Sugar Free Farm in 2017.

The ITV show followed celebrities around as they tried to live a sugar-free diet. The hack was one of Jane’s favourite things she picked up from the TV show. 

She told The Express: ‘The only bread I eat is one that I’ve got a recipe for from Angelique. 

‘It’s got no yeast in it and it’s made with lots of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, wholemeal flour, oats and yogurt of all things.

After quitting her cruising series in 2020, the telly legend continued to travel the globe on lavish cruises where she still enjoys performing

Since then, Jane has nurtured fondly her pᴀssion for cruising across the world and regularly updates her social media followers about her ventures

Her most recent Instagram post shows the singer diving into a cruise Q&A, which she captioned: ‘All aboard! ⚓️ Q&A Cruise Edition with Jane McDonald’

‘It’s literally 20 minutes and it’s made – ready to put in the oven.

‘I don’t eat a lot of it but when I’m really craving a bit of starch I just get some out of the freezer and stick it in the toaster and it’s done.’

The former Loose Women panelist managed to shed 9lbs in two weeks while starring on the show, and following the farm, she lost another stone and a half thanks to cutting out sugar.

Jane continued: ‘I lost a stone and a half from taking part in the TV show Sugar Free Farm.

‘I used to eat so much rubbish. I didn’t realise how much rubbish I used to eat. I’ve always loved a pie and I was very carbohydrate-led as I was always hungry.

‘I ate far too much and all the wrong things. I didn’t realise that if you eat the wrong things, it doesn’t feed your body so you will want more.

‘I like my life, and my schedule takes a lot of energy, but I was beginning to get quite tired and I was blaming it on age.’

The Wakefield-born star said her ‘change in mindset’ allowed her to drop those extra pounds. 

Tragedy struck when her fiancé Eddie (both pictured in 2018) died aged just 67 having been diagnosed with lung cancer 

The screen favourite has also spilled the beans on her life-changing diet – revealing only eats one type of bead after her incredible weight loss (pictured in 2020)

Read MoreEXCLUSIVE Jane McDonald puts her beloved £1M bungalow on the market – four years after death of partner

She added: ‘I used to live to eat, but now I eat to live.’

Just earlier this month, Jane put her £1million bungalow up for sale four years after her partner Eddie died of lung cancer.

The singer has lived in the house for 18 years. 

Jane has lived in her bungalow with her best friend Sue Ravey since 2022 and in recent years it has had a huge renovation project and now has an open plan kitchen, panoramic views of the garden walk in wardrobes.

Last year she hinted at a move, telling The Times: ‘I converted the bungalow into a house during lockdown. 

‘I had everything done and it’s gorgeous, but now it’s far too big. All I do is clean. I’ll probably downsize. The sea is calling.’

The five bedroom house was sold for £485,000 in 2007 and £205,000 in 1998 and is now priced at £1million.

It has four bathrooms as well as a conservatory and a gym.

Jane, who grew up not far from her house, has always stayed true to her roots.

In 2022 she presented a series called My Love Letter to Yorkshire. Talking about her beloved home, she said: ‘It’s where I’m from. I love it, I miss it when I’m not there and I’m fiercely proud of it.

‘No matter where I was, I always tried to get in a mention of Wakefield – or Wakey as I call it.

Because I wanted everyone to know about my beautiful home city and the county of Yorkshire beyond.’

Still very involved in the community, on Wednesday she opened a new £6million MRI suite at Wakefield’s Pinderfields Hospital. 

Jane has now changed postcode after putting her £1million bungalow up for sale four years after her partner Eddie Rothe died of lung cancer  

The five bedroom house was sold for £485,000 in 2007 and £205,000 in 1998 and is now priced at £1million 

Jane has lived in her bungalow with her best friend Sue Ravey since 2022 and in recent years it has had a huge renovation project and now has an open plan kitchen and panoramic views 

‘As a proud Wakefield lᴀss, I’m deeply pᴀssionate about supporting our local hospital trust because I know just how much it means,’ she said.

‘And we’re finally here, cutting the ribbon to this amazing MRI diagnostic suite, which will be so crucial to Wakefield and surrounding areas.

‘This new facility represents a major step forward in delivering the best possible care to patients, and I hope everyone shares my sense of pride today as we celebrate this important milestone for our community.’Before that, her ex-husband Henrik Brixen, who she divorced in 2003 once tried to get her to move to London, but she refused and wanted to stay in Yorkshire.