Game Jane’s hit right note

Any fan of Channel 5’s Cruising

With Jane Mcdonald worth their (sea) salt knows what the best thing about this wonderful programme is.

Trying to guess which song Jane will close the show with. Last Friday she was cruising the Californian coast, so there were plenty of options. Given her self-confessed thirstiness – for tea, I mean – Drinking In LA was my first guess.

Or maybe something from Jane’s easy-listening back catalogue, such as I Left My Heart in San Francisco. In the end she did California Dreamin’ by The Mamas & The Papas which, given Jane’s West Yorkshire roots, turned Mama Cass into Mama Castleford for a few glorious minutes.

As Jane strolled through the sunshine, knowingly strumming a guitar that had clearly been handed to her at the last minute, the only disappointment was that the crew had failed to find a church along the way for her to stop into.

I’m not mocking her. I’m absolutely certain Jane is in on the joke. It’s one of this show’s biggest strengths – she’s up for anything.

Not many hosts of her vintage would be prepared to strip off for a chocolate massage on camera.

Even fewer would brave -250F for a 3min cryotherapy session. Then again, she did 10 years on Loose Women. I’m guessing it can get quite frosty in that green room.