The Nolan family, famous for their music and vibrant stage presence, have endured more than their fair share of heartache over the years. Behind the glittering showbiz careers lies a painful history of loss, illness, and resilience.
From a devastating cancer curse that has affected multiple family members to the heartbreaking deaths that have shaken them, the Nolan family have fought through some tough times together.
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Loose Women presenter Coleen Nolan has stuck by her siblings' sides through all the difficult times. Her long list of siblings—Linda, Bernie, Maureen, Anne, Denise, Tommy, and Brian— have all battled with health scares and loss.
READ MORE: Coleen Nolan 'completely numb' as she reacts to brother's devastating diagnosis
The TV star has been left devastated at the news that her brother Brian has been diagnosed with prostate cancer just weeks after losing her sister Linda. While he told the Mirror his doctors are hopeful about his treatment, Coleen said the news made her numb.
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"I couldn’t speak," she said. "I went completely numb, and about an hour later, I wanted to punch walls and scream. In our family, cancer’s just there. But he was so positive, and I’m just so proud of him.
"We’re a family that treats everything with as much humour as possible, and we say, ‘OK, we can face this together.’ That’s what we’ll do."
Cancer has cast a dark shadow over the Nolan family for decades. Sisters Bernie, Linda, and Anne all bravely fought the disease, with the heartbreaking loss of Bernie in 2013 marking one of the family’s most painful moments.
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The talented singer and actress, best known for her role in The Bill and her success with The Nolans, tragically passed away at just 52 after a long battle with breast cancer.
Anne, 74, was also diagnosed with breast cancer but successfully fought it off, while Linda faced multiple battles with the disease. Coleen, 60, spoke in 2023 about her own skin cancer diagnosis.
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In 2020, Mirror columnist Linda said that her cancer had returned and spread to her liver. Linda, 65, was the second Nolan sibling to die from the disease in January.
Sister Maureen has spoken candidly about the “cruel cancer curse” that has haunted the family, describing the immense toll it has taken on them all.
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Their beloved sister Bernie’s passing in 2013 left a huge void in the family, with her siblings frequently expressing how much they miss her. Tragedy also struck when their father, Tommy Nolan, passed away in 1998.
A key figure in their early music career, Tommy played a crucial role in guiding The Nolans to stardom. His death was a heartbreaking blow to the close-knit family, and they have continued to honour his memory.
Despite their grief, they have remained united, cherishing every moment together and continuing to support one another through the toughest of times.
