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Eddie Rothe, The Searchers musician, has died, partner Jane McDonald confirms
Musician Eddie Rothe has died at the age of 68, his partner former Loose Women star Jane McDonald has confirmed.
A statement released on Jane's social media said Eddie, who was best-known for being part of 1960s band The Searchers, died last month after he lost his batted with lung cancer.
“It is with immense sadness that we share the news that Jane’s beloved life partner, Ed, passed away on Friday 26th March. He had been battling lung cancer for the last few months," the statement shared across Jane's social media accounts read.
“We would like to thank everyone for all their help and support during this very difficult time, especially the NHS staff and the wonderful team at The Wakefield Hospice.”
The statement confirmed that Eddie’s funeral took place on Wednesday and went on to ask for the privacy of Jane and Ed’s family to be respected.
Jane and Eddie first dated as teenagers before rekindling their romance almost 30 years later after a chance meeting on the set of This Morning. They got engaged in 2008.
Eddie's first big gig in the music industry came as the drummer of disco group Liquid Gold in the late 70s, where he went by the name of Wally Rothe.
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The group’s biggest hit came in 1980 when they released 'Dance Yourself Dizzy', which reached number two in the UK charts and was subsequently covered by Jane.
He went on to join The Searchers in 1998, replacing Billy Adamson on drums. He stayed with the group until 2010.
British talk show Loose Women shared a tribute to the musician on the show’s Twitter account.
“Our deepest condolences go to our friend and former Loose Woman Jane McDonald whose life partner Ed Rothe has passed away," it read.
“Ed was a part of our Loose Women family for many years and appeared on our show on numerous occasions. We’re sending love to Jane and her and Ed’s family."
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