50 Time 4 Me, May 2009
interview
OR someone who was never Loose Women regular and recent Dancing On
hungry for fame or ruthlessly Ice star Coleen Nolan talks to HANNAHF
ambitious, ITV1’s Loose
Women regularColeen Nolan – STEPHENSON about how she came back from
thefeisty, funnyBlackpool lass – the depths of depression to remarry at 40 and
has done rather well for herself. enter the happiest period of her life...
Earlier this year the public
voted the youngest Nolan sister actor Shane Richie, was playing family and was performing on
into the semi-finals of Dancing On around. stage fromthe ageoftwo.She
Ice, even though she was With her self-esteem levels at joinedher sisters’ group at the
nowherenearasgoodasthe an all-time low, her weight age of 15 –but she recallsher
other finalists –provingshe had ballooned to more than 13 stone early exposure to smoky,
won the hearts of the nation. (she’s 5ft 6in). run-down clubs.
Now Coleen, 44, is one of the Today, she’s happily married to “I can’timagine putting any of
front-runnerstipped to replace music promoter Ray Fensome, my kidsthrough that,” she
Fern Brittonaspresenter of This with whom shehas a says frankly.
Morning, although she takesall seven-year-old daughter, Ciara, a The Nolans went on to enjoy
such rumourswith apinch of salt, revitalised career and a hits including I’m In The Mood For
saying: “I very much believe in slimmed-down figure. Dancing in the late 1970s,
fate. Things always happen for There’s anew circle of female became huge in Japan, and
areason.” friends in her fellow Loose supported Frank Sinatra on the
Coleen is older and wiser than Women presenters, and ahome European leg of his world tour.
she was in her late 20s, when her would sit up all night sobbing.Iin the Cheshire countryside. “You don’t appreciate it until it’s
career wasinthe felt such afailure. It took alongSomehow she has foundtimeto over and then you look back and
doldrums and time to get over that.”pen her autobiography, Upfront go, ‘Wow, that was brilliant’.”
her then Eventually she filedfor divorce,&Personal. Coleen had always been abit
husband, but the proceedings draggedonCharting her years as a of arebel. At 16 shebecame
forfouryears before thedivorcemember of The Nolan pregnant by akeyboard player
was finalised in 2003.Sisters, her tumultuous andhad an abortion before her
Today they hardly see eachmarriage to Richie, boyfriend left her.
other apart fromsubsequent therapy and a Then in 1986 she
when dealingwithlater rift with two of her metRichieand entered ‘With Shane,
their sons, but bothsisters and her aunt over what was to become a
have remarried.her second husband, it is 14-yearrollercoaster sometimes I
“I’m fine with himan incredibly honest tale. relationship.
now. The boys speakShealsoreveals how “There were times felt likeIhad
to him every day butshediscoveredthather when Ifelt angry, that I
luckilyIdon’t have tothree kids’father had sexually abused wanted to hit myself
speak to him thather older sister Anne. for not getting out
much, now the boys“I felt very guilty because I sooner,” she says.
[Shane Junior andJake] are20knew Ishould hate him for “When somebody is sobbing in
and 16.”her, but I your arms saying, ‘Please don’t
Her personal life is muchdidn’t.” leave me, it’s not true’, it’s very
happier with Fensome, whoColeen difficult, especially when you still
proposed to heronher 40thgrew up love them.”
birthday and whom she marriedin a When she finally discovered
in 2007.large thatRichie had beenhaving an
“Our relationship is real andIrish affair with adancer, she stayed
grown-up,”she says. “Withwith him for awhile until she
Shane, sometimesIfelt like Ihadfound out it was still going on.
three kids.”Fearing that she was having a
Her home life may be happynervousbreakdown,she went for
butshe hasn’t spoken to hercounselling.
sisters Anne and Denise Nolan or“On theoutside Iappearedvery
her Auntie Theresa for aroundnormal andeverything was lovely,
two years.doing all the mum things, but I
“Anne and Ray had astupidwas struggling inside. Ithought I
rowwhenIwas away andAnnewashavingabreakdown.
told me they’d fallen out, and IAt night, once the
thought it would blow over. Thenkids were in
Denise and my auntie gotbed, I
involved and it just escalated. I
can’timagine I’llever makeup
with them.”
Coleen hasbeenapproachedIthought I
to do asingle, acover version
due for release later this year,
whilethere’s talkofThe Nolans
reforming(with Linda, Maureen
and Bernie). She’s also recording
anew keep-fit DVD.was having a
Coleen’s not holding her breath
about stepping into Fern Britton’s
shoes. If it happens, it happens,
she says.
Not bad for anon-ambitious,
dedicated mother.breakdown
❑ Upfront&Personal, by
Coleen Nolan, publishedby
Macmillan is out now, priced
£16.99.
TIME 4 ME 050 May 2009
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