‘I Couldn’t Recognise Myself’: Coleen Nolan on a Devastating Year of Loss, Loneliness, and the Quiet Strength She Discovered After Love Fell Apart

It’s been a difficult few months for Coleen

Loose Women star Coleen Nolan has had a rollercoaster year so far in 2025.

From the death of beloved sister Linda, to baby joy, to Loose Women limbo, here’s an inside look at the star’s year…


Coleen split from her boyfriend towards the end of last year (Credit: ITV)

Split from boyfriend Michael

Back in December, Coleen revealed that she’d split from her boyfriend, Michael, for good.

The couple had initially met on Tinder in 2021. Though they briefly split in 2022, they reconciled. However, in December, Coleen revealed they’d called time on their romance.

“We’ve decided that we would rather just stay friends, take it as a friendship. And, you know, it’s nothing to do with anyone else, it’s nobody’s fault,” she told OK! magazine.

“But I’m really busy and when I’m not really busy with work I’m busy on the farm and I feel personally that I can’t give time to everything. We still get along great and hopefully, we can continue to be friends, who knows?”

Coleen Nolan’s emotional rollercoaster year – Death of beloved sister Linda

Back in January, Linda Nolan sadly passed away after a long battle with cancer.

In a statement, her agent said: “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Linda Nolan, the celebrated Irish pop legend, television personality, Guinness World Record-holding West End star, Sunday Times bestselling author and Daily Mirror columnist.

“She passed at around 10:20am at Blackpool Victoria Hospital on the MCEW Ward. The family said the hospital couldn’t do enough, they were tireless and made it so much more bearable,” the statement then continued.

“She passed peacefully, with her loving siblings by her bedside, ensuring she was embraced with love and comfort during her final moments. Linda’s legacy extends beyond her incredible achievements in music and entertainment. She was a beacon of hope and resilience, sharing her journey to raise awareness and inspire others. Rest in peace, Linda. You will be deeply missed, but never forgotten.”


Coleen was trolled after the funeral (Credit: SplashNews.com)

Backlash after Linda’s funeral

As if funerals aren’t hard enough, Coleen was then cruelly trolled for smiling at the funeral.

Speaking on Loose Women shortly after, Coleen said: “I got out of the funeral car smiling. Because there were so many people standing there smiling at me. But then I got slated for smiling online.”

She went on to explain that it was the turnout that made her smile. “The turnout made us cry in the car. It’s exactly what she would have wanted. Linda would have loved it. When I was smiling, it was a gratitude thing,” she explained.

In February, Coleen revealed that Linda’s death had taken a physical toll on her.

“My skin has gone insane,” she said on Loose Women at the time. “I got a terrible rash all around my middle; it went up my shoulders. It was so sore and so itchy. I was thinking, what is this? It was all over Christmas and New Year.”

After going to see a dermatologist, she was told she had eczema, which had been brought on by stress.


Coleen received a nice surprise on her 60th (Credit: ITV)

Coleen’s big birthday

There were some happier times for Coleen in March when she celebrated her 60th birthday.

On the day of her birthday, she was surprised on the set of Loose Women by her kids, sons Jake Roche and Shane Nolan, and daughter Ciara Fensome.

Not only that, but her rarely seen brothers, Brian and Tommy, also appeared, surprising her with a bunch of flowers.

Breaking down in tears, she described them as the “funniest” and “best brothers”.

“How do I feel? I feel great about turning 60,” she later said. “I believe that age is still a number. Physically I’m feeling it, but mentally I feel great and excited about turning 60.”


Coleen has been involved in Loose Women – on and off – since 2000 (Credit: ITV)

Loose Women limbo

However, in May, some bad news came Coleen – and the Loose Women team’s way.

ITV announced that from 2026, the show would only be airing seasonally, broadcasting for just 22 weeks of the year going forward.

The move also cast doubt on the cast’s future on the show, with some reportedly concerned they won’t get as much work on the show now that it’s being cut down.

“Loose Women isn’t ending, which I’m so thankful for, but it’s changing. It’s going to be very different in the respect of the size of the crew, but it’s still running,” she told The Sun this month.

“Which it should be – there isn’t another show that celebrates and supports all women of every size, age, whatever. But it’s heartbreaking to see some of my colleagues not knowing what they’re going to do. Many of them have young families and mortgages,” she then added.

“You read about it all the time – a chain store’s shutting down and 300 people are affected. You go, oh that’s awful. Anyway, what do you want for dinner?’, because it doesn’t directly affect you. I’ve never been so close to it. It’s made me realise how much this is happening across the whole country at the moment, and it’s devastating,” she then said.

Coleen Nolan’s Baby joy

Last month, Coleen was left over the moon when her daughter, Ciara, announced that she was pregnant.

Taking to Instagram, Ciara shared two pictures. The first one showed her cradling her baby bump on the beach. The second showed her and her boyfriend Max Innes in a photobooth, holding their ultrasound pictures up.

“One of me is cute but two tho? Baby Innes pending,” she captioned the post.

“So my daughter Ciara is expecting. It’ll be my third grandchild. We’ve known for ages but they like to keep it secret for ages. She’s 21 weeks this weeks,” Coleen explained later on Loose Women.

She later added: “She’s so excited but she’s really scared and really worried and keeps saying: ‘I mean, you’ll have it most of the time.’ Not sure that’s in the contract. I mean, I will, I’m already planning the nursery. When all my grandkids are there I’m going to have a room for them all, when they all come and stay. I love it.”

Earlier this month, her son, Shane, also announced he was having another baby.

“I can’t actually believe this but I wanted to share with you all that I’m going to be a Nanny AGAIN!” Coleen wrote on Instagram. She posted a picture of herself, Shane, and Kim for her followers to see.

“My first born Shane and his lovely partner Kim have just announced they are having a baby and I’m so excited. Wishing them all the congratulations in the world,” she then added.


Coleen opened up about her therapy (Credit: ITV)

Coleen Nolan’s difficult 2025 – ‘Saved’ by therapy

During a recent interview with OK! magazine, Coleen revealed that therapy has “saved” her following Linda’s death.

“Linda had cancer for 20 years and was so positive. I got to a point where I thought she’d outlive us all. Then when it happened, it happened so quickly. Afterwards, I didn’t want to get out of bed. It was overwhelming,” she confessed.

She has since started going to therapy following Linda’s passing.

“I didn’t know how to push forward and had an incredible sadness, and when it wasn’t sadness it was numbness,” she said.

“Therapy has absolutely saved me. My therapist can’t give me a pill or an operation to fix me, it ultimately has to come from me, but it gives me the belief and the courage that I’m strong enough to do it,” she then added.

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