Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware - Jane McDonald

Episode Date: March 18, 2026

This week, we have the legendary singer and cruise extraordinaire, Jane McDonald! Jane arrived with a gorgeous bunch of flowers in hand and mum & I instantly fell in love with her. We talked about everything from her life on the cruise ships (and the secret crew parties), performing everywhere from Blackpool to Vegas, learning to dance with her dad, growing up in a police lodging house, her tips for the perfect gravy and we discover that she is also her own manager - there’s no end to her skills! Jane is welcome to join us for lunch anytime, maybe even on the high seas next time! Jane's brand new album 'Living The Dream' and tickets to her tour are available now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jessie's new album, Superbloom, is available to pre-order now. There's a 10% discount if you go to her store, jessieware.com, and put in Tablemanners. James Norton's not included. Teas and C's apply. Welcome to Table Manners. I'm Jessie Ware and I'm here in my kitchen with my mum. She's got a leopard print on. She's just given me a bag of food that I didn't ask for, which now I will have to

use even though I had an Akado order this morning so thanks for that man there's five of you in the house yeah do you think my children eat lettuce but you do but maybe I didn't fancy letters tonight Lenny you can have it tomorrow yeah it's like wilting nearly dead but yeah where are you going

tomorrow mom shriek oh Lenny I'll be in Colombo on Saturday oh it's the best Can't wait going everywhere Colombo Dambula Kondola How are you travelling around in cars

Shofa. I know, it's so fun. I'm going to try and get down to the south and go to Papa Sont. Oh, yeah. St. Margot sent you. Yeah, St. Margo sent you. So today we have... Oh, an icon.

National Treasure, absolutely. Absolutely icon. Grey Star screens in 1998 on a BBC One documentary about cruise ships. Yeah. She was the kind of breakout... star and the nation fell in love with her. Jane McDonald was a cruise ship singer. She was completely warm and open and fabulous and she was just kind of cherished from that day on. Well, she's a Yorkshire lass, isn't she? She has made, I think, over 10 studio records. She's

headlined the MGM. Number one. Yep. Yeah. Basta. Yep. With her child. a five show cruising with Jay MacDonald where she goes and travels around. She was one of the first panel members on Loose Women, I believe. And we just love her. She's also covered one of my songs. She does very famous cover. Which song does she cover, darling?

Remember where you are. She didn't do another one of yours. She didn't do Say You Love Me? I mean, if she hasn't, she should. Okay. And she's coming on to talk about her new Nashville country-inspired album, Living the Dream. Yeah.

Which she actually made in the Blackbird Studios, which is in Nashville, which is a very famous studio. And it's fab. I wonder when you make a country album, whether you have to drink bourbon? We can ask her. Jane McDonald's coming up on Taylor Manor. Jane McDonald. Oh, my God, I'm here. You've just come in with the biggest bouquet of flowers, giving me the most gorgeous cuddle.

It's really nice to finally meet you. Oh, right back at you. And can I just say your cover of Remember, All of You? Can I just say your cover of Remember Where You are is fantastic. Oh, bless you. And it gave me, it was like a career highlight for me that I got, seeing you do a cover of my song, so thank you. Well, thank you for doing it because it's one of the best songs, I think,

in a long, long time. Thank you. It's one of those songs that I had to stop the car. Oh, I love that. And just listen to it. And it was just, because I don't know about it. My favorite artist is Miner Riperton. Oh, well, she's my dream.

And I thought this is as close to Min in Ripperton as I can. And it was just like, so I've been a fan of yours for such a long time. Thank you. Can we talk about those? Cheers. Cheers. Oh, lovely. And congrats on the new record.

Thank you. And congrats on yours. Oh, thank you. Cheers, Mom. Cheers, Mom. And, well, I mean, before we get into the new record, how do you, when you've done, you've done some really iconic covers. Jaiho, big one.

You with the two bits of material. You're fucking, nobody needs a dancer. You've got two bits of material and you're giving it. It's amazing. Can do anything with soft furnishes. Reh pulse to your body. Absolutely. You've done Cape by the Ocean.

Do you know what that means? No. What does it mean? Are we allowed to say? Well, yeah. Well, I thought I heard it was really dirty. Yeah. Did you hear about that?

I heard it's really dirty. And I said, la, la, la, la. Don't because I sing it in my show. I mean, but then I heard someone, I think they've like PG, PG'd it on the internet. Oh, I love this. I am quite naive. I don't know if you noticed that. But I just think it's about having a piece of Victoria Sponge looking out at sea. Yeah, that's a little cup of tea. And that's how I picture it and my fans all sing along. And I love it. And they don't know.

Your Kate by the ocean would be a Victoria Sponge. It would love, yeah. Yeah. Drinking. What, what, cup of tea? Cup of tea or champagne. Okay. You know. Do you like champagne? the best. Me too. I do. It is my favourite go to drink. Me too.

So we are so happy to have you on and it feels like you, I mean you've had such a huge career and yet you're still, Jane, that everyone feels like they fell in love with on the cruise ship and you're exactly the same. That's very kind of you to say. I don't take it too seriously. I just think, blammy, I'm still here. I can't believe it really. I love what I do.

And I never take it for granted. And I feel blessed to be able to do what I do and travel the world and sing. I mean, we've got a gift that is God given. We're so lucky that we get to do it, yeah. And it's joyful. And I've always thought, I'm great if I'm feeling a bit down. I think, what are you doing? Change that vibration go, you know.

And so I'm into that a little bit. And I sort of think how blessed, really, that we are to do a job that we do. Do you still get nervous? Oh, God, yeah. Okay. What do you do to calm your nerves? Click it. Okay.

So I used to be so bad. I used to be sick. Oh, wow. You know, nausea, sweats, palms. Was this before the cruise ships in the clubs? Yeah. Was that when you were the most nervous? Yeah.

Okay. So, and I've always been a sickly child as well. I was a very sickly child. Really? I was being, I'm in mum's apron. I was pathetic, actually. I was a bit pathetic. You were shy, weren't you?

Yeah. Very, very shy. Are you just an only child? No, no. I've got a lovely sister and a fabulous brother. You know, my sister can't even believe I do what I do really because Janet will say, you were so mongy as a kid, you know. Marnie? Oh, Mongy is a Yorkshire word, do you be?

Yeah, it's a real Yorkshire. It's a bit like a Mary Mian. Yeah. Or a bit Mardi. A bit Mardi. Mardi. Do you know Marnie? Not to do anything.

Isn't that a bit more attitude? No. Do you remember Arctic Monty's? Mardi Ars. Oh, okay. Yeah. Mardi is like kind of miserable, not very, not very joyful. No, and I wasn't.

I was always sick, very nervous, you know. And so when my mother said, you know, go off and sing, I was like, please don't make me do this. And my dad used to argue with my mother and say, Jean, just leave her, leave her. But she didn't. She just kind of pushed a little bit. Because she knew you had a sad voice. Well, I'm not that far, but she knew I had a way of earning a living.

So she sort of pushed a little. And then when I got the microphone, it was a different thing, really. So how did it begin, Jane? Well, I got an old piano. We went to a house. We were moving house at the time. And there was a piano in it,

and I just went over to it and played a tune. You're joking? Just played a tune on the piano. How? I don't know. She's got a good melody, isn't you? How old were you then? Probably about seven.

Wow. So that's when I knew, oh, hang on, some musical. So then my mother sent me to piano lessons. And my first teacher said she's not got a musical note in the body. So my mother sent me to a blind man called Francis Walker, who was incredible. And he got me to grade seven in piano. Wow. Wow, that's brilliant.

So I, so I, I wouldn't think that now. And you still play, do you? I play, yeah, because I write. And that's what I, I, I, yeah. do all my songs on. That's amazing. But then when did the singing start? Well, this lovely piano player, Francis,

he had an accordion band and said to me, do you sing at all? I went, yeah, I can't, yeah, I can sing. And he just played something, and I started to sing. And he went, I want you to stop piano lessons,

and I want you to go to singing lessons. And I went, is it that bad? You know, because I thought, oh, you thought you could. I didn't think. And I said, oh, please don't. tell my mother. Please don't tell my mother that you're sacking me from piano because I'd already had one teacher. And anyway, he talked to my mother and she found the money. She got a job in a

corner shop and she sent me to both. So I still did piano and then I went to singing lessons as well. Jane needs to tell you what her first word was. Downtown. Bloody oh. I know because... We're listening to Petula. Yes. Because my mother loved the radio and still today I put the radio straight on because it was my mother. And she ran a boarding house. And she used to come in and say, now, mum's going to be a bit busy for a bit. And she says, you never, ever muffed you.

I put the radio on. And she says, but your first words were downtown. Do you know the song? Yes, of course I do. Yeah. So that's, that's strange. That's child abuse now, isn't it? But fantastic.

I mean, yeah. And, you know, maybe it made you have that great pitch. Probably. You know. So tell us about the lodging house. You know, how many lodges did your mum? Yeah, we were a police house. So we had...

Was your dad a policeman then? No. My dad worked down the pit. Oh, gosh. But my mother and my grandmother ran the boarding house. And we used to take in lodges and it was all the police because we had a school in Wakefield where all the police from all over the world used to come and stay. So we had sort of the lodgers. from the police and they ran a great, never made any profit.

I mean, my mother was rubbish at business, but a great cook. Really? Yeah, really good. Always a clean bed, you know, so she had all that but no business. So I always said if I was the age that I was now and my mother said, let's have a body now, so it had been brilliant. You say she's a great cook. So can you describe a very memorable family meal from your childhood?

Yeah, there was always a pan of soup. Okay. And you know how to say, oh, sell by dates and all this. She just kept adding to this soup. I mean, literally, it was on there for weeks. I've heard that before. A good soup.

A good place. And you just keep adding to it. Honest to goodness. We all came in from school and just got some of this soup, you know. But it was good stock. It was a ham stock that had been soaked overnight. And then lentil split peas, leeks, all the seasonal veg.

Gorgeous. You know, so. And then when it got down a bit, she'd put a bit more stock. and then just add some more veg. So there was always a big pan, there was always a lovely smell of food in the house. Not in my house, because I can't cook.

You'd know. I can't cook. I'm rubbish. Your mum didn't teach her? Well, yeah, I found her a soup recipe. And? And I made it. I had three attempts. Two of them had to chuck out.

But yeah, finally, finally got it. And it's in her handwriting. Oh, I know. So that cheered me up that day. It was a really winter. day and I thought right come on mother make this suit with me and it was delightful and all the memories came flooding back of my mother and this smell and the soup and it tasted great and I thought I've got it so that's my that's my only thing she's there now she yeah yeah yeah when did she

hold was she when she passed away um she was 87 so yeah she was yeah she was great and she was to go. As she was. Yeah. So, you know, I don't mind when they're ready to go. So, but she was great. You lost your dad before the cruise. Yeah, 93. 93. You were, you were, yeah, quite young. 30 or something. But I still feel like he's rode even for me now. Yeah, you're quite spiritual, Jane, because you talk about this quite a lot that you felt like, you talked, I watched some clips of you from the cruise and like you know you do talk about like your dad's there with you and does he pop out and like in different situations is he kind of does he no it's just my father and my mother were like Ian and Yang I mean they were so different how they got together I'll never know I think

he lied I think that could have been it was he good looking very see yeah he was a very good and a great dancer oh wow it was a really good dance did they go dancing Yeah, so there it is. And I used to go to ballroom dancing with my dad. Did you? So he taught me out to dance. In fact, it sent me to dance lessons. And I came back and I was very, anyway, no, no, no. Dancing is for enjoying. He says, I don't want you to feel stiff. I don't want you to think about steps. I want you to just feel the partner and follow. Have you ever been approached for Strictly? Yeah. No. Couldn't you do it? No, it's too long. Oh, she's got too much to do. Yeah. Yeah, I can't. But be fun, I think. No, I'm in sequence all time anyway. Okay.

And it's hard work. It's hard work. They work so hard on that. They do. They work hard. Where do you, so you're often very glamorous. Yes. Who dresses you?

Where do you choose? I have a lovely girl called Kay Healy, who worked in a wedding shop in Wakefield. But she was really good at just saying, and I'd say to her, can you whip up a frock? And what were you asking for? Is it always sequins? Well, I've upgraded now. More beading. Congratulations.

Yeah, Diamante. I love a bit of Diamante. Do you like feather, frou, frou? Yeah, I love that. Feathers are really in. Yeah, they are. Are they? Oh, thanks for telling me.

Yeah. So, yeah, a bit of everything really. So this lovely lady has done my gowns for 20 years. This is why we love you, Jamie. She still making it. We are still using the local wedding dress shop. That's right. Wakefield.

Yeah, I mean, she's Angel Couture now, but she's Angel Couture. But it's, her gowns are second and on. So where's your next gig? My next gig is at The Mighty Hoopla. Whoa! Now, we need to, you are playing the main stage. Are you doing the Saturday or the Sunday? I think it's the Sunday.

Okay, amazing. Oh, we're coming. We're coming. Oh, amazing. Because I wanted you to get on stage with me at Hoopla. And you were, learn behold, on a cruise. cruise, I was, yeah. I was mortified. You're very on brand. But you are now going and performing, they are going to adore you. Oh, that's so lovely. It's such a great festival. There's

glen who runs it is heaven. So yeah, I can't wait to watch you perform. And then you're doing two nights at the Palladium. Yes. And a big old tour. Yeah, arenas apparently now. Oh, wow. Yeah, I know what's going on. That's amazing. Hang on, Arena tour. Hang on. We've got We've got in the thing. It's the Palladium stuff. So you're doing them and then you're going on to arenas. Yeah. So I'm doing two theatres.

I'm doing Blackpool because I love Blackpool at the house. So I'm doing two nights at Blackpool, which is like a rave. You've never seen anything like it in your life. So we're doing two nights there. And then we're doing, I think, two nights at the London Palladium. But then we're off like to Leeds Arena. We're doing the Bick at Barnmouth, you know, the Sheffield Arena. Amazing.

It's Cardiff Arena. I mean, what's going on? You're a big deal. You've done Vegas too. MGM, thank you very much. Yeah, I did Vegas as well, which was amazing. It was great. But, you know, it's really strange this,

because I should have had the best time of my life. I just got to Vegas, but I knew my marriage was on the brink. Oh, okay. So. Is this when your husband was managing you as well? Henry. Yeah. Nice guy, though.

Okay. You know, a lovely fella. How long had you been together at that point? Eight years. And you got married very publicly? Like, you know. But you were in love. I know.

And I really was and everybody could see it. I'm going, oh, that's not going to last. Oh, I can't. Oh, mate. So I was the only one that didn't see it. But he was a great guy and he did his best, you know. So you good manager? He was, um,

okay, come. He was in certain things. He was brilliant. But he was, he was very Danish. and didn't understand that it's all a game. This is all a game as our business. I know.

And you'll have to play it. Do you find that hard? Do you feel like, you mean, you've been doing it over what? 27 years. Yeah, third decade, right? Can you see how the industry, because you got basically, it was quite a big thing when after the cruise aired and people fell in love with you

and heard your amazing voice, you got this record deal. You went to number one. You were kind of a breakout reality start. Now, I don't think you are a reality. It's not, that's exactly what you were. Yeah. But you weren't going on the telly to gain fame.

You were. She were doing your job. You were doing your job. Yeah. And you've talked about Chris, who was the director and just this guy with a camera on his own on this cruise ship who fell for you and knew that everyone else would. And he documented the wedding as well, didn't you? Yes. And, but do you feel like you've had, like you said, you adapt and play the game and stuff,

but do you feel like it gets easier to play the game or do you think it's, if you, it must have been quite hard to have been coming at such a high level and maybe there being this great expectation for you then? Yeah. And I was a club artist, a cruise ship singer, which was like, oh, we don't allow this in our industry. and nobody thought for one minute that I would go straight to number one with that album. Nobody. So not even the record company.

Which record company was it? I can't possibly go into that. Okay, fine. But it was a shock to everybody. And then my tour sold out massively, which was, you know, another learning curve. And I was learning the business with Henrik along the way, you know. So it was like, hang on a minute. This is not tallying up.

That's not tallying up. But it's a game. And you have to play it. And then I got dropped from my labels. And I thought, how hard can this be? So I did it all myself. Well, now you're probably making way more money than you did when you're on labels. So there you go.

Congratulations. Thank you. But you don't realise that. I know. Every artist thinks they need a record company. And you don't. You just need a bit of money. money. So if you've got a backer or a good bank like I had, you know, they'll just say, yeah, off

you go. I put my house up more times to fund, yeah, because I had no kids, it didn't matter to me. So my mother would live wherever I will. So I put my house up all the time to fund the tours and the albums. And I just kept going and building the fan base. And my fans are the best in the world. And they've stuck with me. So it's only been the last sort of fact. years that I've finally, I can breathe now. But I never gave up. And I think that's the thing. I think so many people get frightened, lose a lot of money, think this is not for me, I can't stand this, or they get so disillusioned with the industry. You've just got to play it or do it a different way. And because I got dropped from everything, loose women was my saving grace.

Really? Yeah. They saved my life on that. show. I went on there and I could just be me. Didn't have to be anything else. Were you one at the panel? Yes. I was on. Who was on with you? Kay Adams, Jackie Brambles, Carol McGiffin, Zoe Tyler. There were just great, great girls. Denise Welsh. How did you get into that?

Well, I was a guest. Yeah. Oh, okay. And it was the first interview I did just after Henrik and I, had split up. Yeah. And they showed my wedding. Do you believe that? Criky.

That was, they didn't read the room. No, I went to pieces. Oh, you know, and I just, I just said,

well, what can I say? He's left me and I don't know what to say. He left you? Yeah, he left me. Bog off.

Yeah, I did. But I don't blame him. I don't, I don't blame him. It was hard. He did your term, really,

yeah. It was the best thing he ever did. Because I learned, everything, all the books he'd read, I then read. And that's when I thought, how hard can this be? So I've run the company and the label and I've managed myself for... You manage yourself?

Yeah, I managed myself. Oh, she's a bad bitch. And so that's how I do it. I had a TV agent, it was great, but I managed everything, all the music, everything in-house. production, all the tours I did in-house, because nobody had touched me. And then all of a sudden, Leeds Arena went, we'd love to have you here. And as soon as I got into Leeds Arena and it went, woof. And then thankfully, I'm now with Peter Taylor, Cuffin Taylor and Live Nation.

So Live Nation picked me up straight away and boom, that's it. It's just gone bang now. So where's your favourite place to perform, Blackpool? Blackpool. I've never paid him back. Blackpool? Oh, Blackpool. I know. I've got to do that.

Do you go after the show? Do you go to Funny Girls? Oh, it's great. Oh, I love Funnel. Isn't it my mum? Oh, my. My mum couldn't get over it. She said, this is like Paris, like Mulan Rouge.

I've never seen so many fabulous people. I know. It's just the best night out is Blackpool. Such good fun. Where do you eat, though, in Blackpool? Is it still fishing? It's a struggle. Yeah, fish and chips.

But there's a really good street where there's a fabulous Italian on there. Yeah. And I can see it. I know where to get to it. It's just up from the front door of the opera house. You go up there and you turn left and there's a really good Italian restaurant. Okay, so you say you don't cook? No.

So what do you eat? Yeah, what do you eat? And is it because you've been spoiled by being on cruise ships? Yeah, I've been spoiled because I live with my mate as well. Yeah. So, Sue live with me food. You know. Is this Sue who does Gogglebox with you?

She's fantastic. Isn't she amazing. Oh, you two are a fan. Oh, no. I know. She was supposed to be here. She's got her. She's not here. You can come again with Sarah.

She's fab. How do you know each other? 35 years ago. We had the same agent in the clubs. And we had the same fan base. And the guys used to say, you've got to go and see you. And they used to say,

you've got to go and see Jane. And then one day we met in our agent's pub and we had to do a free gig for him. I know. He always said it was for charity. But I think, you know, it wasn't. Oh, yeah. It was charity.

I know, it's charity. But God love him. Anyway, he brought this friendship together. And I instantly liked it. And I watched her and I laughed at my head off because she was that type of person who would sing a song, you know, belt out the park. And then say, oh, what a day. You know. So I was similar.

I used to say, have you seen Emmerdale this week? You know, so, because always get the women on side. That was the secret of me in the clubs. Really? Don't speak to, don't even acknowledge. the men, never did that, always speak to the women. And because I'm a real woman's woman, I like women's company. And so I used to say, oh, flipping neck, I've he's watched Emmerdale this week. You know, something that I asked. And they'd say, oh, oh, it's kicking off on that. So the

women were straight on then. And the men just follow. So, you know. So what do you normally eat? You don't cook, so do you open packets? No, I've got some great restaurants that I go But I've only just started to live on my own. Her first time in my life. You lived with your mum for a long time. I lived with my mother. Then Ed took over the cooking. He was a great cook.

And then Sue, Sue came in and she lived with me for a while. And she was a fabulous cook. And so it's only just now I thought, nothing in fridge. Better learn how to boil an egg. Yeah, which I have done. I can now poach an egg, which I'm very proud of myself. Do you add vinegar? No.

Do you do the spinny thing? No, I just put it in. Fresh, fresh eggs. I've learned that. Just Google it. Snapchat, whatever it is. What is it? Snapchat.

I think it's YouTube. ChatGBT. Chat GBT. Oh, chat GPT. Yeah. Okay. Where's that come from? Well, I don't know.

Really, you're so youthful. Not, not. So, yeah. So I've done quite a few. Oh, I'm so glad she's reached up. Boclead. So, okay. Because I've never been on a cruise.

Yeah, oh what? We were just talking about it now because Tully is a big cruise fan. Tully, you've just been on one of the virgin ones. Oh my God, adults only. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, it's fab, out there. I've just started doing my own fan cruise now.

Yes, let's talk about it. Can we come on that? Of course you can. Is it a good? Excellent. Okay. Which boat is it, though? It's the ambassador.

It's the ambience and it's just gone into dry dock. It's all been done up. Is it as good as the galaxy? say better. Well, it's different now because I'm a headliner now whereas I was just, you know, look at me, I'm a headliner.

Yeah, whoopi Goldberg. Yeah, that's right. It's headline is still the old language for me, you know, because I was a cruise ship singer so long. So if you'd have said to me when I were a cruise ship singer, one day you're going to hire your own cruise and you're going to have,

it's going to be fully off. Gosh, all the staff, all the sailors are going to be really cute. Oh, they are? Yeah. They are gorgeous. Nice little outfits. Yeah.

Beautiful. They are. And it's just the best party ever. We tried it out. We thought, should we have a go? So me and Peter Taylor and Jonathan Blackburn all got together, had this meeting, said, right, let's do this. How exciting.

And we got this ship and it was the biggest party you've ever seen in your life. People were dressed up as me. People were in my outfits that I'd give to charity. It was just the best week of. my life. I've never known out like it. Didn't feel a bit single white female? No. Okay, fine. It felt fab. It felt like it was like your birthday point in a week.

Yeah. Is it how many women and how many men would you say? Probably more women. Yeah. But then again, I have a fabulous gay following. Yeah. So there was lots of young men who were just having the time of their lives. And the disco was up to like three in the morning because we had Mary Mac on there as well with us. and who's doing the next one with us, which is fabulous. Lots of single people. That's what I loved.

Lots of single. They got onto the chats and everything that we have going. I'm on my own, never done a cruise before. Then another had come on. So am I. Should we share a cabin? And these friendships just are, isn't it gorgeous? But that's because you're so warm and gorgeous.

That's very kind. But I want to ask, like, when you graduated from the kind of the clubs, to the cruise ships. Did you have to get your sea legs? Because that's the thing that gives me the fear because I get a little, me and my mum and my weight on a boat. Just take a tablet. Right.

And then you get used to it. But then it kind of drugged us and we're like, which is the best seasick to that town? Stoogoron. I think we had that, Jesse. I think we had another. No, other meme was the one. That's probably a prescribed one.

That's a prescribed one. I didn't see the ocean. I was like, ah. No, you would do. No, it's still grown. And just take it. Even if you're not seasick, I'll say to anybody, take it anyway, because you never know. And I guarantee you'll be fine.

Okay. Yeah. Now, what does a day in the life of Jane McDonald and food on a cruise ship look like? Right. I don't do three meals a day. Okay. So you intermittent fast? I do, yeah.

Okay. So I don't eat until probably midday. Right. So then I have a really good lunch. and then some at quite light. At night. Is that because you're going to be singing or because you're going to be partying?

Both. Yeah. So I don't... I sometimes look at myself and like, how do I keep that thing? Because I live on cruise ships night. I eat in restaurants. Yeah, and it's right.

But it's your metabolism. Yeah, I think you're probably right. Yeah. I mean, you're very slim. I won't go that far. I love you for that. You are very slim. But I just, I've got to be careful.

What's your favourite meal? Probably Sunday roast. Yeah. I love a Sunday roast. Well, should we go into the last supper? Yeah, your last supper. Let's talk about the last supper. I'm just going to sort of start it.

You start it main drink, right. And dessert. Always champagne. Always champagne. Gosh, we've got it right, Jeff. Yes, you did. That is brilliant. Probably a prone cocktail, something similar.

Yeah. You know, without tomato. Without, you don't like, I don't like raw tomato. Okay, like I don't like. tomato. Cook tomato, fine. Okay. But, um, so a brown cocktail.

Yeah. Sunday roast. Bit of brown bread. Oh, yeah. Yeah, that's nice. Nice buttered. Oh, love it. Yeah.

Butter only. Yeah. And then, uh, oh, what do I fancy? I do like profiteroles. Oh. Yeah. That's a very, that's a very quick. Have we gone straight?

Yeah. Which race? No, but which. Yeah. No, which meat though, Jane. Beef. Eve, Yorkshire? Of course.

Who made the best Yorkshire you've ever tasted? Sue. Sue makes them. Sue is just, they're like this big. Oh, what's she do? Is it just very hot fat? No, she, equal of everything. Milk, eggs and flour.

All equal. Okay. Then whisk it like a demon. Yeah. Season it, put it in the fridge. Does she leave it rest? Yeah, let it rest. Then really hot fat.

Really hot. Which fat would she use? Oil or fat? She'd probably use oil. Yeah. And then just stir it, pour it, boom. Leave it. Don't open, just leave it.

And hers are like, so she makes great. Which is your favourite song to sing? Oof. At the moment. At the moment. Probably dance yourself dizzy because of Ed. Ed was in liquid gold. He's in liquid gold.

And he was the drummer in liquid gold, the mad one. and I remember going out with him when I was very, very young and that was in the charts and I thought, I'm going out with the superstar. So when, and it's one of those songs that everybody just goes, oh, I love this song, you know,

so when we kick into dance yourself, you know that. You would do if you heard it. Would I? Come on, Jane. Come on, just give us a little bit of it. It goes like, do, do, do, do it doze.

Oh yeah. Dance yourself Disney. Dada do Dada Yeah, I know. Yeah. So there's that. And which is your normal finale song?

It's always a disco medley. Oh, a disco medley? I love people to feel up when they're leaving. So I've got them crying. I have them laughing. And then everybody's singing on the way out. And disco, Donna Summer, Kylie, all of them.

Yeah, all of it. But usually really well. and all was like burn baby burn stuff like that and have you ever done have you ever done um the last dance i feel like that's always really good last dance that one yeah last chance oh i love that so she was so wonderful amazing amazing i know should i just serve out here because it's a bit easier yeah yeah so we're having we're having persian chicken rice with pomegranates and pistachios and then just with a cucumber basil onion salad.

Oh, marvellous. If you've got into my head. Is that good? That's absolutely fantastic. Yeah. Perfect. What made you do a country and western album? Well, it's a country album.

Country. Sorry. No, I think it's changed. Well, country and Western was very much about three wheels on your wagon and, you know, shot my dog. That type of thing. But country is massive.

Yeah. So it's like country rock. You've got, everybody's having to go at a country album. And when we were writing it, this was the first time I've had sort of proper a team of writers in. I've never done that before. And all of a sudden it started to go down a country.

And I went, oh, this is, I said, this is very country. I said, why don't it go to Nashville? So they were like, what? Thank you so much. You want to go to Nashville? I went, yeah, let's just go. I love Nashville. It's such a great.

It's an amazing place, totally. Were you really inspired there? And I think I got it because I didn't want to do, I've done all my vocals back in Castleford. I know that sounds weird, but I've got Castleford, Yorkshire. Right, okay. Because the studio there is second to non. It's called Chairworks.

and I found it during COVID because I wanted to do an album but, you know, everything was shut and then I found this place up the road and apparently everybody goes there everybody records there chairworks in Castleville chair? Oh

Chairworks as in sitting there way Oh right, I thought you're saying chair works in Castleville No That's a good one And so I got the flu when I got to Nashville so I couldn't record the vocals. But just getting that, we were at the Blackbird's studio

and just recording. Have you been there, doesn't it? Well, Taylor Swift did her album there. Of course she did. Coldplay did. There's just every massive star on this wall as you walk in. There was only me, I didn't know. And I thought, wow, this is incredible.

So it was just a vibe. And then all the Musos just came in. and I remember watching muscle shows and I thought I want that vibe and they got it What's a muscle show? Muscle Shoals is a group of people who used to work with the Reef of Franklin

It was in Tennessee Yeah And it was This amazing rhythm section That were like All the incredible songs you're going to There's an amazing documentary on it Yeah

And I thought I want that vibe And we were I was in there one night And because I was filming through the day and then I used to get in at night and I've written this song called Ain't Gonna Begg and it's all about that when you know your

partner's cheating on you and you've known it for a while but you've never actually admitted it and all of a sudden you're like I'm done with you I'm not going to do this anymore and I just went on it to be like ain't no way you know that theory and they went

and they just went into this like bluesy and I just thought I can't wait to sing this And it's one of my favourite tracks on the album. I love it. Ain't gonna beg. And I thought, yeah, come on. Sounds so exciting.

It was, it was brilliant. Have you got a new TV series coming up? Well, I've got the Nashville. I've filmed in Nashville for two weeks. Making the album? Yeah, not so much making the album, getting the inspiration for the album. So I spoke to some great writers out there.

And it's a community of, musicians out there who you know unlike sort of here people really want to help you you know so you know why is it different

when you get to Nashville it's like a pilgrimage for a musician to go to Nashville and people will say I know this bar they'll take you on or there's a place here that you could stay or do you need a musician for that so there's loads of people

you can go to and ask for help. And the people that I spoke to were very much saying that. It was a community of singers and writers. And the writers are revered as much as the musicians over there. I'd love to go and do a writing trip there. Loads of songwriters are kind of the LA songwriters all moving to Nashville. Do you have to work on your voice still? Because I'm having so many singing lessons at the moment.

I'm really, really working at it at the moment. Not because I think I've lost it because I want to keep on getting better. do you feel like your voice has changed and for the better for you know you're more challenged by it like I'm sure you know you've still got a fantastic voice but has it changed yeah I'm much more earthy now

so it's dropped a little but it's stronger so I got a virus on the ship just before COVID I think I had COVID when I got back from one of the ships and it took me ages to get over over it. And when I went back in the studio, it was let the lighting, it was the album I was doing was let the lighting. And I was like, my voice has changed. And then Sean, Sean Barry, who's my MD, and one of the producers on the album and one of the writers, went like it better. He says

you've got a lot more power. It's like a grown-up voice now. And he helped me a great deal. So I went, yeah, I can't like this. So it's more gritty. It's more powerful. now and it's I can sing rock now and and really go for it whereas my earlier albums were very I could hit any note that I wanted but there was no no soul in it but I think the older you get the more life you live your voice takes on a completely different tombrough is that right sombra um I thought I just made that word up no no it is that word and it's and just embrace it. So when your voice changes, don't worry,

just think, oh, this is new. I'm going to work on this now. I think you could have like self-help books. Yeah. That should be. Maybe that's like the next avenue. Could be. Could be, you never know. But don't be afraid of that. Okay.

But so when you're singing, do you have a little routine that you prepare? Yeah, I just, I used to, I can't believe I'm going to admit this, I used to literally cough, have a drambeouy and go on stage. That was me. And for years, I don't worry about my voice.

I think if I can talk, I can sing. So don't be worried about it. I think the worry is the thing that constricts you. Well, yeah, you were doing like 12 shows a week. Yeah. On the ships. Like, you're in kind of musical theatre land of like how much you're having to work your voice.

Isn't it full sets and stuff? I mean, it's kind of remarkable. Like Jessie. That's steamer. No, Dr. Nelson. Yeah. No, do you warm up? I do now because I'm a bit older.

So, and I had a great Fiona McDonald who I worked with in Cats. In fact, she was very pivotal. Pivotable? Pivotable. Because how many of I am? Keep going. Pervousal. She was very pivotal in my career because she started to work with me and gave me a few runs and, you know, this is bring your voice out, blah, blah, blah. And she went, you've no idea where you can go with your voice. And she made me superwoman. Oh, that's amazing. So I've then recorded, Never Enough. I did, This is me. And boom.

just hit every night. So it was just someone saying to me, you've got no idea. Yeah, you can go with that voice. And singing cats every night when I was in cats. Which cat were you? I was Grizzabella. The best song do you get?

Memory. Memory, yeah. So when you're hitting a top sea every night, you know, and thinking, here we go. And you've got to hit it because that's what they're here for. You know, it's... Come for the top sea. That's right.

Come for the top sea. Is the top seeing the bodyguard, the song? Oh God, you'll know that I don't know. Which song? I have nothing. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Don't make me.

Yeah. Yeah. Is that the top scene? Don't I. Probably with Whitney, yeah. Okay. Yeah. Do you sing any Whitney?

I used to. Whitney made me who I am today. Did she? Because I took all Whitney's songs in the 80s. and, you know, the 90s. And I was like Queen of the Clubs because I could sing Whitney. So, and that was it.

And I did a place called the Maid Marian in Skegness. And I was on the summer season there. And I remember going, If I... And the whole place was two and a half thousand people in there. Oh, keep going, Jane. I love that song. You know when you think,

I would only be in your way and then I learn you'd have to shout if you'll just bring it down people will come down to you and that's what I learned at the maid Marion that you don't have to keep shouting above it come down and they'll come down to you

I think you need a Jane McDonald's school of soul and sass and success. I'm in. I'm drinking it all up. Oh, love you. Before we let you go, we do have a cookie. Have you got a sweet tooth? Oh, yes. Do you like a cup of tea? Oh, I'd love a cup of tea.

For the cookie? Oh, yes, please. And I know I'm going to get a teapot out for you because I know that's how you like it. I do like it. How do you know? We've got the orchard tea, yes. I do have the auction tea. Oh, yeah. Bloody hell.

This is my husband. I've done your tea how I think you like it. Do we need to let that brew more? Yeah. Just leave it for a good, a minute at least. A minute or two. A minute more than that? No, I think you've done two minutes now.

Okay. Should we check? Yeah. Because I don't want to get this wrong. You don't want it overbrewed? No, you don't. You want it brewed, not stewed. Okay, got it.

That's grand. Thank you. All right, sorry I haven't got it in a jug. No, it's fine. I know people that leave this bag in when they're... I think it's bitter. It's awful. Horrible. That should never happen.

I think in a shop they should have a colour chart. You know, for coffee. And you say, I'd like it that. That's a good idea. That's a great idea. Yeah, I think you're exactly right. We have a dark chocolate and rye with sea salt cookie if you want a little bit. Absolutely.

Okay, great. Thank you so much. Jane, I actually could just have you live. with me. If you want to move in, you don't fancy living on your own anymore. You can just come and be in here and we could just do duets all night. That'd be lovely, wouldn't it? I was hoping for a duet. No, I'm not warm. I'm not as good as Jane on the spot. Before we let you go, would you be able to give us a nostalgic taste that can transport you back somewhere, happy or sad? Would it be your mum's soup? My mother's soup.

Split, please. Split please. I can't believe how drunk I am. You two are naughty. Split peas, lentils, leeks, turnip, fennel. That's her secret fennel. Fennel. Gorgeous. That is unusual because it's not a common vegetable. No, it isn't.

But that was her take. It gives it just a slightly different take. I mean, I don't think my mum knew about broccoli till I was kind of in my teens. Well, that was sort of a late comer, wasn't it broccoli? Yeah, it was broccoli. Yeah, nobody ate broccoli. It was cauliflower. Also, I mean, is there like a very memorable food moment on the cruise ships that you can remember?

Good or bad, you know. Sundays. Oh yeah. Mashed potato. What do you mean? They did mashed potato on a Sunday. Instead of rose. A celebrity, yeah.

No, it could have what you wanted. Okay. The fact that there was proper mashed potato, and that's when I was a cruise ship singer in the old days. and I used to think I must protest on gravy that's all I think you love gravy do you like an onion gravy

I love any gravy okay do you have a secret recipe for gravy oh you do I do have a secret I'm good at sort of Yorkshire's gravy

I'm good at the side bits it's just the main thing I don't red currant jelly oh in it yeah that's the secret and I learnt that in Denmark of all places

so You know, a friend of Henrik said, this is the secret to a really good gravy. And it was a little bit of Worcester sauce. Oh, nice. Can I... Look at me. I sound like I'm Delia. I want to know.

Nigella. I want to know, is there the place where all the people on the cruise ships, like you go behind a door and there's like a door. and there's like a dirty dancing party happening for all the star. You mean like Titanic? Yeah, or Titanic. Is there these after hours places that only the start that go and it's like the wildest parties?

Below decks. There are, yeah. Are they great parties? Fabulous. Really? And of course, when your staff or officer or crew or whatever, there's hundreds of people work. There's another city underneath this, you know.

and there's always somebody who's got a birthday. Of course. It speaks through. So there's a party every night. I'm fine. So, and we used to have this, when I worked on Celebrity, and I had a fabulous cast on there. They were just amazing.

And we used to say, after the show, are we going out for a drink or straight to bed? And everybody used to say straight to bed and end up in the bar. So we'd just say, we're straight to bed tonight. So we just called it straight to bed. But I ran a singles club on there as well. Because there's a lot of people who don't want to cop off, you know. Yeah.

I did my ears of that and I had a fabulous time. Oh, I did. And I did all that. And then I thought, no, just now. I like just a bit of solace now. But there were a lot of people who didn't want or got partners at home or something like that. So I used to run a singles club and we used to have the best time

Cataround trips. I used to run quite a lot of things in the background as well as being a singer. So you're also a tour operator holiday, a show. Of course, you can do it all. James Donald, you do it all. Thank you so much

for being such a delight, for sharing such gorgeous stories and just being really inspiring. Thank you for your kindness and your lovely hospitality. Such a pleasure. Can't wait to watch you perform. Oh, God, Elvis.

Jane MacDonald is my spirit animal. She's a fabulous woman. She's really inspiring. She's inspiring because she absolutely knows who she is and completely comfortable within her skin and just adores what she's doing, which is so wonderful, and she feels lucky to do it.

And she has fun with her. The best fun. Also, she's a business. woman. She is. And a very good one at that. And I like her and I respect her. And I just, it was a real treat to meet her. She could run the world. Yeah. Probably. Jane McDonald for prayers.

Yeah. Travel the world and run the world, Jane. Oh, I loved her. Thank you Jane for coming on the podcast, for being so open and gorgeous. Love you. Jane's album, Living the Dream, is out on March the 20th. And she's certainly living the dream. She's also going to be on tour in the autumn. Definitely going, darling.

So you can go and get tickets for any of those shows. It's a big stretch. And the hoopla. The best gig. The bank holiday. She's paying the Sunday. So definitely, definitely catch Jane McDonald this year.