Jane McDonald’s best friend and PA to move in with Yorkshire star after death of her partner Eddie Rothe

Mr Rothe, a drummer who played in bands such as Liquid Gold and The Searchers, died in 2021.

“She’s got a big rambling house and since she tragically lost Ed and I’ve separated from my husband, so she invited me to move in with her,” said Sue.

Sue, who also features in Jane’s Channel 5’s docu-series My Yorkshire, one of her biggest ever rated TV shows, is selling her Doncaster home to move in with Jane.

“I was invited by Jane - we both live on our own. She’s got a rather large bungalow in ‘Shakey Wakey’ and I spend most of my time travelling between Wakefield and Doncaster.

“We do spend a lot of time together anyway and she invited me to move into a part of the house,” said Sue, who now works as her PA.

Sue, 71, met Jane on the working men’s club circuit when the pair were both working as singers and represented by the same agent.

“Jane was in her early twenties. We started off as acquaintances, we both admired each other’s talents as singers and we got on well with each other.

“Jane came to see me one night in Leeds before she got married to Henrik (Jane’s second marriage was to Herik Brixen in 1998).

“I joked and said can you put me in your suitcase?”

But the pair felt the same and Sue ended up attending the wedding and “the rest is history.”

That same year was when Jane shot to fame with her first appearance on BBC One’s The Cruise.

Sue then became Jane’s backing singer which meant the pair could travel together around the world.

She said: “I used to be a hairdresser, so I would often do Jane’s hair and makeup for shows.”

Ever since, Sue has been on every one of Jane’s tours except for one in the US when her visa didn’t come through in time.

She said: “We spend so much time travelling, so if we’re back in Yorkshire for a night I will often stop at Jane’s before setting off again the next day.”

When Sue decided to give up being Jane’s backing singer to make way for “younger talent”, she became Jane’s PA.

“It's a nice job, it’s kept me going. It’s all travelling but with all the unpacking and packing, it’s tiring.”

The best friends are currently at home together for a rare pause in their touring schedule in which they’re finalising plans for Sue’s move to Wakefield.

Sue said: “We already know how to be together because we’ve worked together. We know so much about each other, we know each other’s ways. It’s a bit like living with family.”

Sue said she is up and out on a morning going for coffees and Jane likes a leisurely morning around the house.

She added: “We will have our own parts of the bungalow and then share a kitchen and dining area. I’ll be doing the cooking, Jane loves chopping things - she makes a great sous chef.”

When at home the pair “love all different salads, basic things and roast dinners.”

Jane is a dab hand at making Yorkshire Puddings - using James Martin’s recipe.

“Or we might splash out and go buy something a bit more exotic,” said Sue.

Jane and Sue also enjoy eating out at local Italian restaurants or drinking tea and scones.

But one thing that will be definitely be on the menu at their shared home is down-to-earth fun, laughter, singing and the odd glass of wine.

“We’re not touring next year. Jane’s taking a break, so who knows what the year will hold but we’re both in need of some downtime,” added Sue.