Singer and TV presenter Jane McDonald has announced the death of her fiancé, Eddie Rothe, at the age of 67. Rothe, best known as the drummer for bands Liquid Gold and The Searchers, had been battling lung cancer in recent months. He died two weeks ago, with his funeral taking place on Wednesday.
In a statement on McDonald's Twitter page, the couple expressed gratitude for support during the difficult time, particularly thanking NHS staff and the team at Wakefield Hospice. Rothe enjoyed chart success throughout his career, narrowly missing out on representing the UK at Eurovision 1981 to eventual winners Bucks Fizz.
The pair first dated as teenagers after meeting in a Wakefield nightclub, where McDonald worked as a waitress and Rothe played drums in Liquid Gold. They later broke up but rekindled their romance nearly 30 years later after a chance meeting on the set of This Morning, becoming engaged in 2008.
In her 2019 autobiography, McDonald praised Rothe for supporting her career. She recalled their engagement, describing how he proposed by saying, 'Jane, you are definitely the one for me, and I should have done this 26 years ago.' Rothe's band Liquid Gold scored a number two hit in 1980 with Dance Yourself Dizzy, which McDonald later covered. He later spent over a decade as drummer for The Searchers.
Loose Women, the ITV series on which McDonald was a panellist, offered their deepest condolences, stating Rothe was 'a part of our Loose Women family for many years.'
