ITV Loose Women star Brenda Edwards has broken her silence on rumours of a 'feud' with a co-star after reports suggested she skipped the funeral of Coleen Nolan's sister
Loose Women favourite Brenda Edwards has set the record straight after being accused of "skipping" Linda Nolan's funeral.
Linda, 65, died from pneumonia in January, years after her cancer diagnosis. She and her sisters Coleen, Maureen, Bernie, Denise, and Anne shot to stardom as The Nolans.
Coleen, 60, has formed a close friendship with 56-year-old Brenda during their time on Loose Women. However in April, reports emerged claiming there was a "feud" between the panellists.
It came as Brenda, along with fellow panellist Ruth Langsford, were reportedly absent from Linda's funeral. Brenda told Bella magazine there was no ill-will involved, and that her work commitments meant she was unable to attend the service.
When asked if she was close with her fellow panellists, Brenda replied: "Of course, don't believe the rumours. Somebody wrote something that I didn't turn up to Coleen's sister's funeral and what sort of friend was I?"
“I was working on Chicago. It’s wrong when they post things like that, and people make stuff up that’s not true.”
Brenda also touched on the portrayal of the show's stars, feeling they are often "pitted against" each other. But she remains positive, believing her openness about her own hardships can serve as a beacon of "help" for viewers.
While the panelists can sometimes find themselves clashing on the show, Brenda says it's "good" to be a part of Loose Women. She added: "We talk about both sensitive and fun topics, and it's been great that it's been 25 years."
Brenda first shot to fame in 2005 when she competed on the X Factor, finishing fourth behind winner Shayne Ward and finalists Andy Abraham and Journey South.
In 2007, she secured a role on the West End, portraying Mama Morton in Chicago. She reprised this role in 2022 after former TOWIE star Gemma Collins had to pull out due to an injury.
She first joined the Loose Women panel in 2019. In 2021, she made history alongside Charlene White, Judi Love and Kéllé Bryan as they formed the first all-Black panel.
The show has undergone several changes over the years, and Brenda expressed that it's "nice" to see younger women like Olivia Attwood and GK Barry joining the programme. She remarked: "We're evolving, and you've got to keep it current."
This week, ITV bosses announced that from January 2026, Loose Women will become a seasonal show, airing only 30 weeks of the year as part of a series of daytime television cuts.
Lorraine Kelly's morning programme has also been reduced to 30 weeks, with its run-time cut by half-an-hour. Good Morning Britain will now air from 6am to 10am.
