In a candid and emotional interview with The Guardian’s G2, singer Jane McDonald, 62, has reflected on her troubled first marriage to Henrik Brixen, admitting she “never loved” her former husband. The Loose Women star, known for her remarkable career in music and television, shared how Henrik, her former manager, wanted to change who she was as a Wakefield-born singer, and how he aligned himself with an industry that often mocked her roots.
The Strain of a Public Marriage
Jane’s marriage to Henrik, who she was married to for eight years, began when Henrik became her manager. Despite their long marriage, Jane confessed she was “the only one” who didn’t realize that she wasn’t in love with him. Reflecting on their relationship, she admitted: “I really wasn’t in love with him, everybody could see it. I was the only one who didn’t see it.”
In her interview, she explained that Henrik’s desire to reshape her public persona clashed with Jane’s own identity and values. She remembered how, during her rise to fame in the late ’90s, everyone in the industry wanted to change who she was, from altering her appearance to fitting into a mold that didn’t align with her authentic self. “They cut my hair. I hated it. I was laughed at and shunned,” Jane recalled. Despite the pressures, she remained proud of her background, explaining, “I was proud of where I came from. The public liked me because I was real.”
Her debut album in 1998 topped the charts, but the industry’s attempts to change her left her feeling alienated. “I was a club artist, a cruise ship singer, which was like, ‘we don’t allow this in our industry,’” Jane said, explaining how no one, not even her record company, thought she’d succeed. The shock success of her debut album proved everyone wrong, and yet, the forces around her tried to mold her into something she wasn’t. “Nobody thought for one minute that I would go straight to number one with that album. Not even the record company.”
The End of the Marriage: ‘The Best Thing He Ever Did’
In another heart-wrenching admission, Jane confessed that Henrik’s decision to end their marriage in 2003 was “the best thing he ever did”. Their split came as a relief for Jane, marking the beginning of a new chapter in her life. Despite his efforts to manage her career, Henrik struggled to understand the nuances of the music industry, which Jane described as a “game.”
As she found herself navigating the complexities of fame, she also faced the realization that her relationship was on the verge of collapse. “I should have had the best time of my life,” she shared, speaking about her Las Vegas shows in 2001. “But I knew my marriage was on the brink.” Jane called Henrik a “nice guy,” but admitted their personal and professional lives had become increasingly incompatible. The realization that she wasn’t in love with him was evident to everyone around her, and the eventual breakup allowed Jane to regain control of her life.
Building a Career After the Breakup
Following the divorce, Jane faced significant challenges. Her record company dropped her, and she was left to rebuild her career on her own. “Henrik had left, I got dropped from the BBC, my record company dropped me. And I just thought, carry on, but do it yourself. How hard can it be?” Jane said.
She soon found herself funding her tours and albums by putting up her house, determined to continue building her fan base and reclaiming her career. “I put my house up all the time to fund the tours and the albums,” she recalled. Despite the setbacks, she continued to push forward, and her efforts paid off when her tours and albums became massively successful. “My fans are the best in the world, and they stood with me,” she added.
Jane’s resilience in the face of adversity was clear, and her ability to keep going—despite the financial and emotional hurdles—helped shape the successful career she has today. “It’s only been the last sort of five years that I’ve finally been able to breathe now, but I never gave up,” she said, emphasizing that perseverance was key to her survival in the tough entertainment industry.
A New Chapter: Grief, Loss, and Hope
While Jane’s career may have rebounded, her personal life has also been marked by heartache. After rekindling a relationship with her teenage sweetheart, Eddie Rothe, Jane was devastated by his death from lung cancer in 2021. She openly shared her grief, explaining how “not a day goes by” that she doesn’t think about him. “It’s awful,” she said of the loss. “I’m not going to butter this up in any way: grief stays with you all the time, but what you have to do is sit it beside joy.”
Despite her heartache, Jane has remained optimistic, practicing a daily mantra to help her embrace both the pain and the joy in her life. “You have to bring as much joy into your life as humanly possible, so that you feel more joy than the grief,” she explained. Jane’s approach to grief is a testament to her resilience, as she continues to move forward while honoring Eddie’s memory.
Reflections on Love and Loss
Through all the twists and turns in her personal and professional life, Jane has remained candid about the challenges she has faced. Her openness about her divorce from Henrik, her battles with the music industry, and the loss of her beloved Eddie Rothe shows a woman who refuses to hide behind a façade. Her story is one of heartache, but also one of strength and self-discovery.
Now, as she reflects on the past and looks toward the future, Jane’s focus remains on continuing to build the life she wants, alongside the fans who have supported her every step of the way. “My fans are the best in the world,” she said with gratitude, knowing that her journey—though filled with ups and downs—has shaped her into the person she is today.
Jane McDonald’s story is one of resilience, growth, and embracing life on her own terms, no matter the obstacles.
