Jane McDonald

How I reunited with my childhood rocker boyfriend 30 years on 22&23

and you’re not going to like it.” Oh no, what have you done now?” I joked. “I’ve got cancer,” she said. The world seemed to stop turning. I couldn’t believe it. “Oh no, love. Is there anything I can do?” I said. “Don’t worry, I’m going to beat it,” she told me firmly. I believed her, because if anyone was going to beat cancer, it was Lynda. She was such a strong, loving, positive person. Things started changing at Loose Women in 2014. I enjoyed being with the other girls and staying was the safe option. But sometimes you’ve got to jump off a cliff to see if you can fly. I decided to leave the show to focus on singing and touring but the girls and I have remained good friends.

It was a turbulent year and we were all affected when Lynda dropped the bombshell in September that her cancer was terminal. It was very, very sad news.

I was on tour and had to go on stage that night as if nothing had happened.

But when it came to singing “I’ll Be There”, I couldn’t help thinking of Lynda and crying.

“Picture me beside you and I’ll be there, feel my arms around you and I’ll be there...”

It was hard to sing that song. Lynda’s funeral was held that November in Somerset. There was so much love in that church.

Looking around at the packed pews I thought, “How wonderful to have been so special to so many people”.

Lynda was one of life’s good people, and I’m honoured to have known her.

I lost a very good friend the day she died and her death had a profound effect on me. It made me think about my own mortality and ask myself, “What do you want?”

I thought about Lynda. She knew how important it was to live well and nourish close relationships. She kept on about Ed – “He’s a good one”, she told me, several times. “We need them, you know.” Now her words came back to me and I thought, ‘Yes, I need to spend time at home.’

Ed is more than my rock, he’s my best friend and ally.

I don’t just love him, I admire and respect him. I have peace of mind and a beautiful partner with a kind heart, who adores me and lets me run the business.

The second bite of the cherry is so much sweeter than the first and I’m determined to make the most of it.

Extracted by Rachael Bletchly from Riding The Waves, by Jane McDonald. Published by Virgin Books, part of Penguin Random House.