It was announced that Irish singer and actress Linda Nolan had passed away from secondary breast cancer on the 15th January 2025, aged 65.
The news was shared in a statement released by her agent Dermot McNamara, which read "with profound sadness" in a statement on Wednesday, adding Nolan was "surrounded by her devoted family".
"Over the weekend, Linda was taken by ambulance to Blackpool Victoria Hospital and admitted with double pneumonia. In the early hours of Tuesday morning, she went into a coma and into end-of-life care, surrounded by her devoted family.
"At around 10.20am on Wednesday 15 January, she passed peacefully, with her loving siblings by her bedside, ensuring she was embraced with love and comfort during her final moments, aged 65.
"The family said the hospital couldn't do enough, they were tireless and made it so much more bearable.
"Linda's legacy extends beyond her incredible achievements in music and entertainment. 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."
Linda was born on the 23rd February 1959, and her family moved to Blackpool 3 years later. As a touching tribute to the star on the day she passed, the Blackpool Tower glowed pink in her honour.
The Nolans
Linda was a member of the band The Nolans alongside her sisters Bernie, Coleen, Maureen, Anne and Denise. Their biggest hit was I'm in the Mood for Dancing.
One of the biggest-selling girl groups of all time, they sold over 30 million records and travelled the world. They were particularly popular in Japan and even toured with Frank Sinatra.
Linda left the group in 1983, but they later reformed for several comeback performances.
In 2020, Linda, Coleen, Anne and Maureen presented their own reality television show called The Nolans Go Cruising, which saw the sisters swap Blackpool for Genoa.
They chatted about everything, from loss and heartbreak to sex post-40.
Linda Nolan's health and cancer diagnosis
Linda Nolan was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 and underwent a single mastectomy. In 2007, she was diagnosed with cellulitis and lymphedema in her arm, before being given the all-clear 4 years later.
Both Linda and her sister Anne had received cancer diagnosis within days of each other and wrote a book called Stronger Together: How We’re Living While Fighting which documented their journey.
AmazonIn an interview with Yours, Linda said “I had also been treated for breast cancer in 2006 which returned as a secondary cancer on my pelvis in 2017, but it seemed to be under control. However, after coming off the cruise I had an MRI scan and was informed the cancer had spread to my liver and was incurable.
“This news brought me back down to earth with a bump. I kept it to myself for a few days as the family were still in shock about Anne. Also, at the back of everyone’s mind was the awful fact that our beloved sister, Bernie, had died from the disease in 2013.”
It was after a fall onto her hip that doctors discovered Linda's incurable secondary cancer, and she underwent regular radiotherapy. She did not want chemotherapy after seeing how her sister Bernie was in pain after having the treatment before her death.
Linda announced that the cancer had spread to her liver in 2020 and by 2023 it had metastasised to her brain, where a tumour had been discovered on the left side. This caused Linda to lose her balance so she had to use a wheelchair.
She was admitted to Blackpool Victoria Hospital with double pneumonia in January 2025 and sadly fell into a coma before passing away.
Her younger sister, Loose Women panellist and TV personality Colleen Nolan, posted a touching tribute to Linda on Instagram.
"I am utterly devastated by the passing of my sister, Linda." She "was a beacon of love, kindness and strength. Her wit, humour and laughter was infectious, her presence could light up any room", she writes.
"Linda had a heart full of compassion and always knew how to bring comfort and joy to those around her."
Linda Nolan on Loose Women
Linda appeared on the pane show Loose Women a number of times with Coleen.
During the show on the day of her passing, presenter Christine Lampard said that the singer's death was "very sad news".
Co-panellist Nadia Sawalha told the audience that it was an "awful shock" and said the team was "sending our love".
Linda Nolan husband
Linda Nolan married Brian Hudson, a former musician in 1989 and the pair spent almost two decades together before Brian passed away of cancer in September 2007.
They stayed together despite her parents' reservations about the 13-year age gap and Brian's two divorces.
The pair did not have any children. "My only regret in life is that I didn't have children and that is nobody's fault but my own," Linda told RSVP Magazine.
Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Yours at Bauer Media. She's a bookworm who is passionate about TV, film and theatre. She enjoys cooking, scrapbooking, playing board games and spending time with her pet dogs, tortoise and chickens.