My Story

Riding the Waves

Much-loved BAFTA-winning TV star and platinum-selling recording artist Jane McDonald is on the crest of a wave, with two number one TV shows, a sell-out tour and a new book out this autumn.

Jane McDonald was already in high demand as a performer on the club circuit and cruise ships, when BBC1's docusoap The Cruise catapulted her to mainstream stardom in 1998. Jane went on to release a string of hit albums, with her debut achieving platinum status, and she set up her own record label in 2009. 
 
Alongside her recording career, Jane performs live concerts across the British Isles. A former panelist on Loose Women, she has also been a frequent broadcaster throughout her career. She currently presents Holidaying with Jane McDonald on Channel 5, appears in Celebrity Gogglebox on Channel 4, and presented The Soap Awards on ITV. This is Jane's third book, and she lives in Wakefield.

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 
 
'Everything is much easier in life when difficult situations are faced with humour and a smile. But, don't get me wrong, that took years to realise. What a journey...' 
 
Whether performing in an arena, presenting a number one TV show or recording a top-ten album, Jane McDonald will never forget her Northern roots. 
 
Her down-to-earth Yorkshire charm is as much a part of her as her talent for singing, and here she is telling her remarkable story with characteristic wit and warmth, in her own words. A miner's daughter from Wakefield, Jane was a shy child who struggled with anxiety, but she found the courage to overcome her fears and follow her passion for performing. 
 
Jane famously hit the big time overnight on TV show The Cruise twenty years ago, but here she talks for the first time about how she survived the dark legacy of that early success, and climbed right back up for a second bite of the cherry. 
 
It hasn't all been plain sailing, but in Jane's world tough times make the good times better, and her spirit, heart and humour sparkle from every page.

Jane McDonald

Lessons learned through life, love and laughter

The instant Sunday Times bestseller 
 
'Life is what you make it, nothing is for free 
Stand up and be counted, and be who you want to be' 
'Let The Light In' Jane McDonaldJane was planning a golden retirement with her beloved partner Ed, when a shocking cancer diagnosis changed everything. Ed was terminally ill. Jane nursed him at home until the end, on her own, with the UK in lockdown. At first she was overwhelmed, but slowly gathered strength from caring for her loved one, and now sees that it was a privilege to be there for him. 
 
'Let The Light In', a song Jane wrote over twenty years ago during another dark time, points the way to finding a new kind of joy out of sorrow. It's a philosophy Jane has always lived by and, in this deeply personal book exploring the same themes, she reveals the lessons she's learned that have helped her grow, adapt and rise up through adversity. She looks back with candour and honesty on her experiences of heartbreak and loss, failure and burn-out. Cherishing the ring of support around her, taking the odd duvet day and keeping a sense of humour throughout, she grew stronger through each challenge, building resilience, trusting her gut, going for her goals.Read on and let Jane McDonald’s fabulous light into your own life.

Jane McDonald

Books by Jane McDonald

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