JANE MCDONALD’S HEARTBREAKING CONFESSION: “TIME ISN’T A HEALER FOR ME” CQ😢

Jane McDonald, who appears on James Martin’s Saturday Morning today (Saturday, March 14), once opened up about the heartbreaking loss of her partner, Eddie Rothe.

Eddie sadly died in 2021 after a battle with lung cancer.

Eddie and Jane rekindled their romance after dating as teens (Credit: Splash News)

Jane McDonald’s heartbreak laid bare

Back in 2021, Jane was left devastated when her long-term partner, Eddie, passed away.

Jane and Eddie had dated as teenagers before splitting. They rekindled their romance almost thirty years later after a chance meeting on the set of This Morning.

They got engaged in 2008, but never tied the knot.

Almost five years on from Eddie’s death, Jane opened up about him and his passing in an interview with The Mirror.

Speaking about grief, Jane said: “It’s not easy. It never leaves you. People say that time is a healer, but it isn’t. Time isn’t a healer for me.

“But what I’ve had to do is fill my life with as much joy as I possibly can to sit alongside the sadness. That’s how I deal with it,” she confessed.

Jane McDonald on tragedy

Back in 2023, Jane opened up about how Eddie’s passing had affected her approach to work.

“When you lose your partner, it’s difficult, and your life changes so, so much,” she said.

“When you’re very busy, you’re not thinking about loss, so I am very blessed to still have this amazing job that I love. And it helps me being busy,” she then continued.

“At my age, I know how important friendships and family are, and you want to do as much as you possibly can. Trust me, I’m on a mission to live my life to the full, and that’s my advice to everyone: don’t wait. Don’t wait for any experiences, just do it,” she then said.

Jane on being ‘traumatised’ by Eddie’s death

Speaking to The Times in October 2024, Jane admitted she was “traumatised” by Eddie’s death and was urged to see a PTSD therapist by her close friend, Sue.

“I nursed Ed virtually single-handedly. I barely slept and was in a constant state of high alert,” she said.

“When he died, I was emotionally wrung out and physically exhausted. I did a lot of crying and didn’t want to leave the house. When you are grieving, there is nothing as tempting as shutting yourself away. Home becomes your rabbit hole.”

Pal Sue could see how much Jane was struggling and urged her to get help. “Sue could see I was traumatised and advised me to see a PTSD therapist. Walks, sometimes to nearby Sandal Castle, helped me reconnect with the outside world. I also went back to work,” she then said.

While Jane admitted she wouldn’t rule out meeting someone new, “I’m embracing the freedom that comes with being single”.