Jane McDonald has praised Wakefield as an ideal UK staycation destination, highlighting a range of local attractions and recalling fond childhood memories of the West Yorkshire city. Speaking on Alan Carr’s podcast, Life’s A Beach, the singer and television presenter said Wakefield has “beautiful” places that would appeal to visitors looking to holiday closer to home.
Among the spots discussed was Yorkshire Sculpture Park, which McDonald described as beautiful for its indoor and outdoor exhibition spaces. Carr also mentioned The Hepworth Wakefield, the waterfront modern art gallery named after sculptor Barbara Hepworth, along with Trinity Walk Shopping Centre as other well-known places in the area. McDonald said she had recently visited the shopping centre while attending an HMV signing.
The 63-year-old also used the appearance to celebrate local food, singling out Allums Butchers for what she said were the best pork pies. She praised the seasoning, pastry and jelly, saying the shop’s pork pies are “second to none.” Her comments added a personal touch to her defence of Wakefield as a destination with both cultural and traditional attractions.
McDonald went on to list several more places she believes visitors should see, including Newmillerdam, which she described as a beautiful place for a walk, and Pugneys Lake, another scenic spot for leisurely strolls. She also mentioned Sandal Castle, calling it beautiful and suggesting it would appeal to DIY enthusiasts. Her remarks painted a picture of Wakefield as a city with outdoor spaces, heritage sites, shopping and food culture all within easy reach.
The conversation also prompted McDonald to reflect on her childhood holidays. She said family trips to Bridlington were as far as her father’s van could take them, joking about the lack of safety standards at the time. She recalled sitting on the petrol tank as the youngest child and described the family vehicle in humorous terms, saying her father smoked while driving and the van had lost its top at some point along the way. Her memories highlighted both the rough-and-ready nature of family travel in earlier decades and the affection she still holds for those experiences.
McDonald’s podcast appearance comes after a major personal change in her own life. She recently sold her five-bedroom detached home in Wakefield after living there for two decades. She later explained that the decision was influenced by the deaths of her mother, Jean, and her long-term partner, Eddie Rothe, saying the house held too much history and had become difficult to remain in.
She has since moved into a smaller home in the area, where she lives with her friend Sue, and also owns a seaside property she can retreat to when she wants a break. McDonald said the move has given her a greater sense of peace and admitted that clearing out the old house was an enormous task, with “seven skips” needed to remove accumulated belongings. She said letting go of possessions was important and credited Sue with helping her stay practical about what to keep and what to discard.
