Jane McDonald said she had to have a crash course in nursing while caring for her dying fiancé Eddie Rothe.
The musician, who was a member of The Searchers, sadly passed away in March at the age of 67, following a battle with lung cancer.
Former Loose Women panelist Jane, who left the ITV show in 2014, returned to speak about her beloved partner with her former co-hosts on Thursday, and began to sob as a montage of Eddie was played for viewers.
In her first interview since his death, Jane broke down as she talked about Eddie, and heaped praise on his “beautiful nature”.
“I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't want to be like this," the grieving TV star cried as she wiped her eyes. “I don't want to feel sad for the rest of my life.”
Jane and Eddie first dated in 1980, when the former cruise ship singer was just 17, and they sweetly reunited in 2008 after 27 years apart, with Eddie proposing just a few months later.
She spoke of their 13-year romance, as she heartbreakingly revealed the final six months of Eddie’s life were “horrendous”, and she had to have a “crash course” in nursing due to the Covid pandemic.
“Thirteen years of absolute bliss. That’s how I’m getting through it. I’m not thinking of the last six months because it was horrendous,” Jane bravely shared.
“I had to have a crash course in nursing. Ryan, the lovely district nurse, – thank you Ryan – came and showed me how to do everything,” she explained, noting that “no one was allowed” to care for Eddie because of the virus.
“Because it was lung cancer, they were so afraid of him getting Covid that I took over everything,” she added.
Jane said she was honoured to care for her beloved fiance during the final days of his life, and said she found strength in her position as his carer.
“And that was a privilege. At first I thought, ‘How am I going to do that?’ But then you get a strength when you’re nursing your loved one and it really is a privilege,” she stated.
“I changed all the dressings and cared for him and I nursed him and I’m glad I did,” Jane smiled.
She thanked Loose Women hosts Kaye Adams, Judi Love, Carol McGiffin and Nadia Sawalha for being there for her during her darkest days.
“I’ve got to do the first interview and I couldn’t be with better people here. It’s been tough but there’s so many of us out there who have been through this and my heart goes out to you all,” Jane said.
