Its back to 1998 as we cruise with Jane McDonald

Best on the Box for Monday, June 21.

Today she’s the queen of Channel 5. In the 1990s she was the singing sensation of cruise liners. Tonight BBC Four takes us back to where it all began as Jane from The Cruise became a TV star.

In 1998 she found national stardom when she first appeared on the BBC One docusoap with each episode attracting 13 million viewers. The performances of Jane within the episodes resonated with many viewers and it wasn’t long before they wanted more.

More came with the launch of her first album. It outsold her nearest rivals by four to one and gained Jane a place in the Guinness Book Of Records. It remained at Number One for three weeks and achieved platinum status staying in the Top 10 for 8 weeks. Each of Jane’s subsequent 4 major albums have all reached gold and silver status. 2009 saw the first album release under her own label.

Simply titled ‘Jane’ it entered the Official UK Album Chart at Number 7 and achieved silver status within 6 weeks.

Jane continues to tour and can’t wait to be back out on the road in 2021 for, what she describes, as possibly ‘her best tour to date.’ Tickets are now on sale for her ‘Let the Light In’ tour which will visit venues across the UK. She will also be back at the First Direct Arena in Leeds on 19th December 2021 for her Christmas Concert.

But tonight we return to the late ’90s as we once more go behind the scenes of luxury cruise ship Galaxy as she sails around the Caribbean.

The Cruise, BBC Four, 7.30 pm