Coleen Nolan on turning 60: It is an absolute blessing to still be here

Coleen Nolan reflected on turning 60 (Aaron Chown/PA)

Loose Women’s Coleen Nolan said “it is an absolute blessing to still be here” as she reflected on turning 60 and the death of her sisters Linda and Bernie.

Nolan celebrated her birthday on March 12 and admitted she cried a lot during the celebrations for her on ITV’s Loose Women two days earlier.

Asked what it is like to be 60, she told Good Morning Britain (GMB): “I never expected it to be anything. I’m loving it so far, but I’ve only been here a week.

Linda Nolan and Coleen Nolan (Ian West/PA)

“And everyone keeps going: ‘Oh, 60.’ And I’m thinking: ‘Is it bad, 60?’ Because I found my 50s hard. (My) 50s were really hard.”

She continued: “Everything I’ve been through recently, obviously, I’m just happy to wake up every day, and on days when I do feel a bit down, I think, my two sisters would love to be here feeling down or stressed or whatever.

“And so it is an absolute blessing to still be here.”

She added: “But my 50s were only hard because my second marriage was falling apart.

“I was going through the menopause. My kids were at an age where they were fleeing the nest, and everything just felt a bit, ‘I don’t know what to do with myself now’.

I've come through it and I'm living my best life

“But now I’ve come through it and I’m living my best life.”

Coleen was formerly part of family pop group The Nolans, which also included sisters Linda, Maureen, Bernie, Denise and Anne.

Her sister Linda died “peacefully” surrounded by her family in January at the age of 65 while Bernie died of breast cancer in 2013 aged 52.

Nolan also appeared on the ITV show to discuss Loose Women – The Podcast which sees panellists discuss topics also covered on the talk show.

“There’s just two of us doing it on each one, and also you have more time to discuss things,” Nolan said.