Yorkshire singer and TV host Jane McDonald was seen in tears on her new Channel 5 show Jane McDonald in Nashville as she opened up on her struggles
Jane McDonald wipes away tears on new Channel 5 show(Image: Channel 5)
Yorkshire favourite Jane McDonald was moved to tears on her latest programme, confessing to perpetually being “the underdog” while reflecting on her career challenges.
Channel 5‘s Jane McDonald in Nashville premiered on Thursday, 9 April, following the former Loose Women panellist as she explored Tennessee’s capital to understand its appeal to countless visitors. She immersed herself in the local culture, meeting residents while recording her newest album in the city.
Jane, celebrated for her cabaret performances after rising to prominence as a cruise ship vocalist, was filmed at the legendary Blackbird Studio “where my country music dreams are being made”, working on her latest record as the team refined her “country sound”.
“Today the musicians, the engineers and the producers are mixing the songs. This is the part of the process where it all comes together and I’m not going to lie, it’s all a bit nerve-wracking,” she confessed.
However, she became emotional while listening to her finished track as the team applauded her work. She continued: “It’s blown my mind a little bit really. When I started here I thought ‘what am I doing?’ I’ve always felt my heart is in country as I’m a story teller. And when I write songs I write a story and this is my story.”
Jane reflected: “All of my life I’ve sort of been the underdog. Never give up, If I’ve learned anything form being in Nashville I just never gave up. I fought all the way through. It’s been a struggle. I’m not going to lie. This industry is hard – very, very hard.”, reports the Mirror.
Yet Jane’s journey wasn’t purely sentimental, as she embraced her Nashville experience to the fullest. Upon arrival, she explored the iconic Honky Tonk Highway, remarking: “This place is just wild. There’s every bar open from like 10 o’clock in the morning and there’s bands playing in the windowsills. It’s just buzzing.”
Speaking to her audience, Jane revealed: “I’m going to let you into a little secret. I’ve come to Nashville because I was making a new album. And when I started writing I realised there was like a country feel.”
She explained: “For many years people have been telling me I should be a country singer and my dad always said ‘you should be a country singer’ and that was years ago. But if I’m honest I never gave it much thought until now.”
While crafting her latest record, Living the Dream, she recognised that perhaps a visit to Nashville would provide the creative spark she needed, particularly to connect with the legacy of her idols including Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton and Elvis Presley.
Laughing at the timing, she admitted: “It’s only taken me 27 years to finally come round to doing what I maybe should have been doing all along!”
Throughout her visit, the proud Wakefield lass fully embraced the Southern lifestyle, immersing herself in the music scene and rich history while sampling the regional cuisine and even trying her hand at line-dancing.
Jane McDonald in Nashville is available to watch on Channel 5
