Jane McDonald has revealed that she believes her late Loose Women co-star Lynda Bellingham – who died of cancer in 2014 – continues to ‘guide her life’ many years after her death

Jane McDonald says she believes the late Lynda Bellingham is still guiding her life in some ways years after her death.

Singer and TV star Jane, 61, appeared on Loose Women from 2004 until 2010 alongside Lynda and says she gave her other career breaks along the way.

The pair were very close friends when Lynda died in 2014 from cancer.

Jane said: “I owe such a lot to Lynda because she asked me to take over her Birmingham panto for that year when she was poorly. Thank goodness I did because through that I got Cats[Musical she appeared on stage in 2015], then through Cats and getting the vocal training that I did, that’s when my voice changed, and I went on to be able to sing just about anything – that’s all through Lynda.

“So I still think Lynda’s guiding us all in our own ways. Her and I became really, really good friends over the years of Loose Women. I’ll always be grateful to Lynda for guiding me a little bit because she was the first person that interviewed Ed for the job as my boyfriend. She says I need to see this guy, and the first thing she said to him, what are your intentions to my friend?”

Jane also told the White Wine Question time podcast(PLS REF) about her grief losing her partner Ed and how she struggled going on tour so soon after he died in March 2021. Musician Eddie Rothe and Jane had dated briefly in their teens and then rekindled the romance in 2008 but he died of lung cancer 13 years later.

Jane told the podcast: “We had the best 13 years. I think that’s why I’m in such a good place now, because I had the best time with that man, and I am blessed to have had that time with Ed. I was going to retire with Ed after lockdown so everything that I’m doing now, Kate, I think is a gift. He was a very, very special partner and not many people can say they’ve had that absolute love.”

She added: “I’d sold out a tour just after it all happened, and it gave me something to do, I think we all need to just carry on as much as we can. Obviously the emotion goes through your throat and I did lose it quite a lot on that last tour because I wasn’t in a very good place. Whereas now, with this tour, I’m in a totally different place and this is my thanks to everyone for propping me up when it all went wrong.”

Jane is now heading out on a new tour called With All My Love. She says it is “about finding love wherever you can find it” be it a partner or a pet or a friend.

Kate Thornton’s White Wine Question Time is available to listen to on all podcast platforms.