Loose Women star Coleen Nolan opened up on the importance of laughter while she recalled a touching moment she had with sister Linda before her death.
At the beginning of the year, it was announced that singer Linda Nolan died at the age of 65 after a long battle with secondary breast cancer.
During Thursday’s instalment of Loose Women, the presenters discussed King Charles’ recent event at Buckingham Palace honouring cancer charities.
During the show, ITV’s Christine Lampard referred to a poignant statement from the programme of the Royal gathering where King Charles noted: “The darkest moments of illness can be illuminated by the greatest compassion.”
Looking towards Coleen, Christine mentioned how impactful and powerful those words must have been given the recent death of her sister Linda.
Linda died at the start of 2025 at the age of 65 (Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images for Hearst)
Coleen nodded in agreement before opening up about how humour has kept her going over these last few months, reports Belfast Live.
She candidly shared: “It always is! I’ve kind of got this thing where if I don’t laugh about it sometimes, then I won’t stop crying, and that’s getting nowhere.
“Life does have to go on, everything is the same the next day and people carry on with their lives.”
Coleen then relayed a comical incident involving Linda shortly before she died.
The Loose Women star recalled: “We were all with Linda at the hospital and we didn’t know at this point that we were going to lose her the next day. She was on oxygen, she was sitting up in bed, eating what she said was revolting rice pudding.
Coleen Nolan details heartwarming moment by sister’s bedside day before her death
“They told her to stop talking because they couldn’t get her oxygen levels up. So, she was sitting up, she had a 100 per cent oxygen mask on and then she’d move it and start talking.
“So, I’m talking to her, and I’m watching the thing go down and down, then I’d go, ‘Linda, please shut up and put your oxygen mask on!'”
“We were just crying laughing because she’d take it off, wait until it got to a certain level while she could get her story out then put it back on. We laughed and what a great memory to have before, 24 hours later she passed away.”
Hundreds of people attended Linda’s funeral to pay their respects(Image: Getty
At the start of February, Linda was commemorated with a heartfelt memorial service at St Paul’s Church in Blackpool where she had tied the knot with her husband Brian Hudson.
The funeral witnessed an incredible turnout as hundreds congregated in the streets to show their love for the Nolan family during such a poignant time.
Reflecting on the immense support on Good Morning Britain previously, Anne Nolan mentioned: “My sister Maureen started crying. I mean, we were all very emotional, but she started crying because of all the people that were there.
“She said, ‘I’m so glad because Linda would’ve been so disappointed if all these people hadn’t turned up.'”
