In a candid interview with The Guardian, Jane McDonald, the popular singer and TV personality, made shocking revelations about her first husband, Henrik Brixen. The 62-year-old star, who is known for her powerful performances and down-to-earth charm, confessed that she “never loved” her ex-husband, who was also her manager during their eight-year marriage.
In the eye-opening chat, Jane shared how Henrik, a Danish ship plumbing engineer, tried to “change who she was” during her rise to fame, which she found heartbreaking. According to Jane, Henrik sided with an industry that mocked her working-class roots in Wakefield, a background she was fiercely proud of. She explained that while her debut album topped the charts in 1998, the music industry wasn’t kind to her image, forcing her to change in ways she resented.
“I hated it. They cut my hair. I was laughed at and shunned,” she recalled. “But I was proud of where I came from. The public liked me because I was real.”
Reflecting on her marriage, Jane admitted that Henrik’s decision to end their relationship in 2003 was, in fact, “the best thing he ever did.” Despite being with him for many years, she realized that she was the only one who didn’t see the cracks in their marriage.
Speaking about the struggles of being married to her manager, Jane added: “He was a great guy, and he did his best, you know, but I wasn’t in love with him.” She also noted how Henrik failed to grasp the importance of the “game” that is the entertainment industry.
Their marriage came under increasing strain as Jane’s career suffered a dramatic dip in the early 2000s. Henrik left her life, and she was dropped by her record company and the BBC. But instead of letting it break her, Jane fought on. “I thought, carry on, but do it yourself. How hard can it be?” she said. And so, she did.
She went on to fund her own albums and tours, even putting her house on the line to finance her dreams. It paid off—her fanbase remained loyal, and she soon regained her momentum in the industry.
“I never gave up,” she said. “You just have to play it or do it a different way.”
Jane also revealed her heartbreak over the loss of her teenage sweetheart, Eddie Rothe, who tragically passed away from lung cancer in 2021. She confessed that she missed him every single day. “There’s not a day goes by that I don’t think of him, talk of him—it’s awful,” she shared. “Grief stays with you all the time, but you have to bring as much joy into your life as you can.”
Her reflections on love and loss came at a time when she was gearing up for her new book, Living The Dream, and her UK tour, which starts August 28.
Source: Daily Mail
