Wakefield singer and television presenter Jane McDonald shared where’s best to visit in her hometown, as she reflected on her childhood memories
12:11, 31 May 2026Updated 12:19, 31 May 2026
Jane McDonald discussed ‘beautiful’ Wakefield spots
Jane McDonald has said her hometown of Wakefield would make the perfect UK staycation destination for Britons looking to holiday closer to home. The singer was tasked with selling the West Yorkshire city as a holiday hotspot while appearing on Alan Carr’s podcast, Life’s A Beach.
During the conversation, the pair discussed several attractions popular with both tourists and locals in and around her hometown, including Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
In response, the 63-year-old described the attraction’s indoor and outdoor exhibition spaces as “beautiful”, to which Alan replied: “It’s amazing.”
The comedian also highlighted The Hepworth Wakefield, a modern art gallery on the waterfront, named after sculptor Barbara Hepworth, and Trinity Walk Shopping Centre as two other popular destinations in the area.
Asked whether she had visited the shopping centre recently, Jane revealed: “I have in fact I was only there very shortly, I was doing a HMV signing.”
While in the city, she said she made sure to pick up some “lovely” pork pies from one of her favourite local businesses, Allums Butchers.
Jane McDonald spoke about her hometown with Alan Carr
“I got my Allums pork pies – they do the best meat, no, it’s true,” she shared. “It’s seasoned tremendously well and the pastry is just right and the jelly, ooh, it’s lovely. Their pork pies are second to none.”
Praising her hometown further, Jane went on to highlight some of the area’s other attractions.
She said: “We have got some great places, we’ve got Newmillerdam, which is a beautiful spot where you can walk around, and then we’ve got the Pugneys lake, which is also lovely, [you can] have a nice walk around there, we’ve got all sorts of things in Wakefield.”
Mentioning Sandal Castle as another place worth visiting, she added: “That’s beautiful, it would suit a DIYer.”
Reflecting on family holidays during her childhood, Jane revealed that trips to Bridlington were a regular occurrence.
“That’s as far as my dad’s van would get us,” she joked. “There was no health and safety, I mean he was a heavy smoker.
“I used to have to sit on the petrol tank because I was the youngest and there was no top on it.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park is a popular attraction
“So, we lost the top from somewhere and my dad were there with a fag on. So I mean, we could’ve all just gone up couldn’t we really, but we got there.”
Jane’s podcast appearance comes after she sold her five-bedroom detached home in Wakefield following two decades at the property.
The former Loose Women star said she made the decision to move after the deaths of both her mother, Jean, and her long-term partner, Eddie Rothe.
“I found it difficult. There was too much history there,” she told the Daily Mail.
Jane has since purchased a smaller home in the area, where she lives with her friend Sue, as well as a seaside property that she retreats to when she needs a break.
She explained: “We all need peace in our lives and I’ve got that now.” Opening up about the move, Jane continued: “You’d be surprised at how much stuff you have. Seven skips later! I was ashamed of myself. You’ve got to let it all go. But Sue is great. She’ll ask me: ‘Why you holding onto this?’ Take a picture of it and bin it.”
