Yorkshire singer Jane McDonald belongs to the Val Doonican school of overnight success. Like the Irishman, she spent years in the wilderness learning her craft before BBC TV's seafaring documentary The Cruise launched her into the limelight.

In a breathtakingly short space of time she was selling out The Palladium and watching her debut album rocket into platinum sales figures.

"It took me 15 years singing in clubs to get spotted on an American cruise ship. That was two years ago now.

"Mind you, I'm glad I did the clubs for so long - Manningham Ward Labour Club was one of them. They gave me a good grounding; it's your apprenticeship. I called it the Yorkshire RADA because I did it for years and now it's paying off. I know how to go on stage and sing," she said.

On October 8 she began touring with a 14-piece orchestra, four backing singers, and Mike Alexander who for 15 years was Shirley Bassey's musical director.

"Last year I did two concerts in Leeds and people complained they couldn't get tickets, so this time I am doing five concerts in Yorkshire - Doncaster Dome on October 22, St George's Hall, Bradford on October 30, Sheffield City Hall on the 31st, and two nights in Harrogate on November 12 and 13.

"There are two halves and each show lasts about 2 hours. There are three big medleys and the big standards for which I am known on the album - You're My World, and I'll Always Love You.

"Everything fazes me. The bigger the audience the more I am fazed. We're finishing at the Albert Hall on November 22. I have played to 8,000 at Chelmsford but the Albert Hall is a big venue to fill, so I hope we just have a good night down there," she added.

The day on which we spoke Jane was about to leave for the BBC studios in Cardiff where she was scheduled to watch auditions for one of the shows she's been recording for her first television series, due out early next year she thinks.

"It's a Saturday night showcase for new singers. There's a celebrity panel of judges and I sing while the judges are making up their minds.

"I got together with an independent London TV company and we discussed the idea between us and said there should be a TV show like this.

"I have been on my soapbox for about a year with the BBC. It's taken a while to convince them it will work. I am sure it will do, with the talent we've found.

" There are to be eight shows, two lots of four. I am filming right up until December 21. Then I'm right back in January until May," she said.

Jane was 35 when she became a star. She knows more than most how much of a long hard slog it is to reach the top.

She also knows that there are fewer shows today on which new talent can get an airing, and this applies especially to television. It was a point which Maureen Nolan of The Nolans made in this space a few weeks ago.

"You're either a club act, on a cruise ship, or a TV star. It's a great shame that we're not providing stars. It would be nice to get it back on," Jane said, the "it" in question being the variety show.

Now that entrepreneur John Pennington has opened his variety club in Manningham Lane, at least another venue has been added to the number of classy night spots available to talented acts.

Jane herself may one day appear there and take the place by storm.

Until next summer this likeable down-to-earth woman from Wakefield has probably got enough on her plate.

"When I stop enjoying it I'll give it up. I never expected to get this far. It's a fickle business - you can be out as quick as you came in - that's why you have to take whatever comes along," she added.

I'm sure Val Doonican would approve.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.