Jane McDonald admits "it's awful" as she opened up about a daily struggle. The former Loose Women panellist announced the death of her fiancé Eddie Rothe in 2017.

Eddie was widely recognised as the drummer with bands including Liquid Gold and The Searchers. However, shortly before his passing, he was diagnosed with lung cancer after developing a "persistent cough". Jane, a singer and television presenter, became Eddie's full-time carer during the final stages of his life. The couple had originally begun a relationship as teenagers before going their separate ways.

They rekindled their romance almost three decades later following a chance encounter on This Morning. The pair announced their engagement in 2008, with Jane crediting Eddie for his support in advancing her career.

Now, nine years on from his death, Jane has spoken candidly about how much she misses Eddie. In an interview with Heat magazine, she said: "There's not a day that goes by when I don't think of Eddie - it's awful. I'm not going to butter it up in any way.

"Grief stays with you, but what you have to do is sit it beside joy. You have to bring as much joy into your life as humanly possible, so that you feel more happiness than grief.

"I'm just about level now. Every day, I do a mantra and say, 'Right, you can go two ways here - you can either go down that route, or you can go that route.'"

Jane says she finds it vital to "pick the positive" path, and believes this outlook has been a driving force behind her successful career. The 63-year-old confesses she had been contemplating retirement, yet has instead found herself achieving a top 10 album with Living The Dream and continuing to make television appearances.

The album marked Jane's first top 10 as an independent recording artist. Speaking to the Official Chart Company, she said: "It's almost 30 years since I released my first Number 1 album, so to be enjoying this success now is beyond my wildest dreams."

Jane attributes her ongoing success as a "gift from Eddie". Separately, the TV presenter recently opened up about receiving a PTSD diagnosis following Eddie's passing.

Speaking to the Guardian, she said: "If I could bring back Ed, I would give everything up and have him back.

"My life has just gone: boom! That is a gift from him. So why wouldn't I celebrate him? And not be sad. I don't want to be sad about Ed. He was a wonderful, beautiful soul."

Jane nevertheless says she feels "blessed" to have shared so much time with Eddie. She added: "I feel like he's with me all the time. And now, with the songs, he will be."

The former Star Treatment presenter returns to Channel 5 this evening with Jane McDonald in Nashville. The second instalment of a two-part series, it will follow Jane as she explores Tennessee while offering a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of her album.