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Linda Nolan’s last interview reveals a heartbreaking wish months before death at age 65 from secondary breast cancer.
The Nolans singer died in hospital surrounded by her sisters— Anne, 74, Denise, 72, Maureen, 69, and Coleen, 59 — 20 years after her initial diagnosis.
‘Linda’s legacy extends beyond her incredible achievements in music and entertainment,’ the statement read from her agent. ‘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.’
In her final interview, the Loose Women star hadn’t lost her cheeky sense of humour and revealed she was still looking for love ahead of her birthday.
Speaking to Hello in March, she shared: ‘If a George Clooney lookalike came along, it would be hard to resist, but if he had the personality of a mouse, I wouldn’t be interested.
‘There has to be humour and romance. Not too much to ask for, is it?’
She had been married to The Nolans’ manager Brian Hudson from 1981 until his death in 2007 from liver failure.
Linda was originally diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, undergoing a single mastectomy the following year but in 2017, an incurable secondary mass on her pelvis was discovered.
At the time, Linda told The Mirror she would not go through chemotherapy ‘after what Bernie went through’, adding: ‘I’d rather have a couple of months feeling OK instead of the chemo making me feel awful. I want to enjoy the last months of my life to the full.’
The Chemistry singer was unflinching in her honesty and frequently shared updates on her health, offering support to others going through similar situations.
She also raised more than £20million for breast cancer and mental health charities as well as Samaritans.
Linda did later undergo chemotherapy but kept her sense of humour as she joked she ‘didn’t do 80 lines of coke’ before appearing on Steph’s Packed Lunch — her runny nose was a side effect of her treatment.
Her chemotherapy came after things took another turn for the worse and the cancer spread to her liver, although the singer said she was trying to remain upbeat.
‘I told my sisters I was fine but when I got inside my house, I cried,’ Linda heartbreakingly revealed. ‘I needed to have that cry because I’m scared to death of dying.’
Three years later, she gave the devastating update that the cancer had spread to her brain with the star picking out a ‘pink glittery coffin’ in preparation.
This was in keeping with Linda’s reputation as the ‘blingy Nolan’, a larger-than-life character even when in a girl group with her equally spotlight-happy sisters.
The Nolans burst onto the music scene in 1973 when they were discovered and began touring with Frank Sinatra, with charting hits and numerous performances following.
After huge success, Linda attempted to break away from this wholesome image in the best way possible — posing for a risque photoshoot and starring in stage productions, including as Maggie May in Blackpool for 10 years.
She had also continued to write as a columnist for The Mirror during her treatment, revealing days before her death that Christmas had been incredibly hard.
‘I hadn’t eaten for 11 days – what a Christmas! A complete wipe out,’ she wrote. ‘Everyone’s been so worried. The girls have been bringing me energy drinks and that’s all I’ve been able to get down.’
Linda, who was the sixth of eight siblings, had been struck down with the flu but was struggling to walk, which reminded her of her sister Bernie ‘at the end’.
Bernie Nolan died on July 4, 2013, after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 and undergoing chemotherapy.
The year before her death, she said she was cancer-free. However, by the end of 2012, the cancer had returned and metastasised to her brain, lungs, liver, and bones.
Linda continued in her column that she had tragically thought ‘Oh my God, is this it?’ but her health improved over the week and she even ventured outside.
She wrote: ‘It feels like a whole new world out there. There’s nothing like the sensation of starting to feel better after an illness. You’ve forgotten what it feels like to feel normal (well, I say normal…).’
‘It’ll take more than the flu to finish me off,’ came her defiant sign-off.
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