The singer and Loose Women star has lost sisters Bernie and Linda to cancer, admitting the tremendous losses have changed her priorities and put things into perspective
OK! / Notebook Magazine Exclusive with Coleen Nolan(Image: Reach Plc / Nicky Johnston)
Coleen Nolan says losing two sisters has put a lot of things into perspective and changed her priorities.
The singer and TV personality says she wakes up grateful every day and is more health-conscious since the deaths of her sister Bernie in 2013 and Linda in 2025.
Bernie and Linda both died of cancer, and there was a massive outpouring of love and support for Coleen and her family on both sad occasions.
Coleen told RSVP Magazine: “I don’t think people realise how much their support means to us. I’d like to reach out and hug everyone who messaged us.
“There was a sadness to it too, of course, because I wanted Bernie and Linda to see how much they were loved, not just by their family, but from people across the world.
“Grief isn’t linear, is it? You move on because you have to.
“Life goes on, and no two people would’ve said that more than Bernie and Linda.
“It also puts a lot of things into perspective and changes your priorities.
“I’m grateful for every day I wake up, even if I know it’s not going to be a great day.”
Coleen misses her sisters every day.
She continued: “There isn’t one day that goes by where I don’t think of them.
“If something nice happens, I think, ‘Bernie and Linda would’ve loved this’.
“If something bad happens and I’m getting frustrated, I think they would give me a kick and tell me to get on with it.”
Coleen has been more aware of her health and mortality since Bernie died.
“I think when anyone close to you dies, whether it be a blood relative or a close friend, you always question your own mortality, whatever age you are,” she told us.
“I think you have to get a handle on it, because if you don’t, you’ll become really paranoid.
“I am definitely more aware. I check myself for lumps and if I’m worried about something I’ll go to the doctor.
“It’s very hard not to get too fearful. As soon as I open my eyes in the morning I feel grateful to have another day.
“When you’re younger, you don’t think of things like that. You think you’re invincible and you’ll live until you’re 100.”
In other aspects of her family life, Coleen’s three children Jake, Shane and Coleen have blessed her with grandchildren.
For the Loose Women host, there is “a massive difference” between being a mother and grandmother.
She said: “First of all, I just enjoy my time with them and hand them back when they get on my nerves, you can’t do that with your own kids [laughs]. I can get a full sleep, they can’t!
“Being a grandmother is fabulous. I was down in London recently minding my son Jake’s boy Rudy, I’ve been babysitting Shane’s boy Cruz, and also looking after little Sydney for Ciara.
“Three grandchildren in one year was a bit excessive, but I’m absolutely obsessed with them.
“It’s very different because you don’t have to parent them, and I’d never go against my kids’ parenting.
“We are very close and open, we always have been. I think that’s because I grew up in a very big family.
“I didn’t grow up in an era where I could speak about anything personal with my parents, like sex or boys, or anything like that.
“I remember as a kid thinking, ‘If I ever had kids, I want them to be able to talk to me about anything’.
“And they do, they always have and I hope they always will.”
Coleen recently started a family podcast called Nolan’s Uncensored – and nothing is off limits.
“Me, my daughter Ciara and son Shane have been doing our YouTube videos for a while now about our life on the farm as I’ve got a small holding,” she explained.
“The kids have been such a big part of that which has been amazing, and that has now evolved into a new podcast.
“We’re really enjoying it so far. There’s nothing better for me than working with my kids, because we’re so close.
“It’s almost like three generations – I’m in my 60s, Shane is 37, Ciara is still in her 20s.
“So there are all these different topics we talk about with completely different opinions.
“We talk about everything. It really is honest and open.”
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