By Mitya Underwood
Coleen Nolan lost a second sister in the New Year when her big sister Linda died, 20 years after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Her death was attributed to pneumonia, and “happened so quickly”, Coleen said, that it sent her on a downward spiral and she “lost her mojo for everything”. Coleen, 60, took time off from her regular job on the Loose Women panel, and left much of the running of the house and her small farm to daughter Ciara, who lives with her fianc茅 Maxx in a separate annexe on Coleen’s property. 鈥淟inda had cancer for 20 years and was so positive,” Coleen told OK! during an exclusive interview. She continued, “I got to a point where I thought she鈥檇 outlive us all. Then when it happened, it happened so quickly. Afterwards, I didn鈥檛 want to get out of bed. It was overwhelming. “My kids literally didn鈥檛 leave my side and when I needed to be alone, they would be in the next room. Ciara took control of everything and everyone that came round. I鈥檇 be asked to do something and say 鈥榶es鈥, and she鈥檇 jump in and tell them no, I wasn鈥檛 ready.鈥 Linda died on January 15 at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, following Bernie Nolan’s death in 2013 , aged just 52. A statement released by Linda’s agent Dermot McNamara after her death said: “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.” Dermot also acknowledged her achievements as a singer, West End star, TV personality, charity campaigner, author and a founding member of The Nolans – who sold more than 30million records, performed for President Gerald Ford and toured with Fran Sinatra. Linda’s death came just a few months before Coleen’s milestone 60th birthday, and the straight-talking TV personality said it changed her perspective on the occasion. She started questioning her own mortality, she said, and didn’t want to go to work or socialise. It was only when Coleen, who has just launched her own YouTube channel about life on her farm, sought help from a therapist that things started to improve. 鈥淚 really needed it this year because I didn鈥檛 know how to push forward and had an incredible sadness, and when it wasn鈥檛 sadness it was numbness. Therapy has absolutely saved me, my therapist can鈥檛 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鈥檓 strong enough to do it.鈥漨ax