Coleen Patricia Nolan is an English-Irish singer, television personality and author who has enjoyed a career spanning more than five decades. She first became famous as the youngest member of the family singing group The Nolans, performing alongside several of her sisters and helping the group become one of the world’s best-selling girl groups. The Nolans have been credited with selling more than 30 million records worldwide, while their international success included the hugely popular “I’m in the Mood for Dancing.”
After her years as a singer, Coleen successfully established a second career in British television. She became a regular panellist on ITV’s Loose Women, where her frank discussions about relationships, family, grief and everyday life helped make her one of the programme’s best-known personalities. She has also presented on This Morning, appeared on Dancing on Ice and competed twice on Celebrity Big Brother, winning the programme in 2017 after finishing as runner-up in 2012.
Away from television, Coleen is an author who has written autobiographical books, relationship and family advice titles, novels and a book about grief. Her personal life has also received considerable public attention, including her two marriages, her three children and the deaths of her sisters Bernie and Linda Nolan. Despite the many changes in her career, she has remained a familiar presence on British television and continues to appear on Loose Women.
Coleen Nolan Profile Summary
| Profile | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Coleen Patricia Nolan |
| Date of Birth | March 12, 1965 |
| Age | 61 years old in 2026 |
| Birthplace | Blackpool, Lancashire, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Heritage | Irish |
| Profession | Singer, television personality and author |
| Years Active | 1974–present |
| Famous For | The Nolans and Loose Women |
| Music Group | The Nolans |
| Father | Tommy Nolan |
| Mother | Maureen Nolan |
| Siblings | Seven |
| Husband | Shane Richie (1990–1999); Ray Fensome (2007–2018) |
| Children | Jake Roche, Shane Richie Jr. and Ciara Fensome |
| Religion | Raised Catholic |
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) |
| @coleen_nolan | |
| Net Worth | Estimated at approximately $6 million, unverified |
Coleen Nolan Early Life
Coleen Patricia Nolan was born on March 12, 1965, in Blackpool, Lancashire, England. She was the youngest of eight children born to Irish parents Tommy and Maureen Nolan and is the only one of the eight siblings to have been born in England. Her parents had moved their family to Britain from Ireland, and music became an important part of family life.
Coleen grew up alongside siblings who would also become entertainers. Her sisters included Anne, Denise, Maureen, Linda and Bernie Nolan, several of whom eventually performed together professionally. The family developed its musical abilities through performances at working men’s clubs and other venues, giving the children extensive stage experience from an early age.
Being the youngest child shaped Coleen’s personality within the family. She has described herself as the shy or quiet member of the family when she was younger and has recalled allowing her older sisters to do most of the talking during interviews. That reserved personality contrasted with the confident television personality she would eventually become.
Coleen Nolan Education
Detailed information about Coleen Nolan’s formal education is not extensively documented in major biographical sources. Her childhood and teenage years were instead heavily shaped by her family’s professional musical activities and the demands of performing.
Her practical education in entertainment began at a very young age. Coleen first performed publicly with her sisters and gained experience singing, dancing, rehearsing and appearing before audiences. This early exposure prepared her for the professional career that followed.
Rather than pursuing a conventional academic career, she entered the entertainment industry as a teenager. Her experience with The Nolans became the foundation of her professional life and eventually led to opportunities in television, publishing and other forms of media.
Coleen Nolan Career
Coleen Nolan and The Nolans
Coleen first performed on television with her family in 1974 and eventually became a full-time member of The Nolans. The group was originally formed around the Nolan sisters and developed into one of the most successful family pop groups associated with Britain and Ireland. Coleen was the youngest member of the group.
The Nolans achieved their biggest period of success in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Their 1979 song “I’m in the Mood for Dancing” became their signature hit and established them internationally. The group also recorded several other successful singles, including “Gotta Pull Myself Together” and “Attention to Me.”
The group became particularly successful in Japan and other international markets. They also had the distinction of touring with Frank Sinatra, giving the sisters an opportunity to perform alongside one of the most famous entertainers of the era. The Nolans are credited with selling more than 30 million records worldwide.
Coleen remained a member of The Nolans until 1994. Her years in the group gave her extensive experience in live performance and international entertainment and provided the foundation for her later transition into television.
Coleen Nolan’s Television Career
After leaving the music group and becoming a mother, Coleen moved increasingly into television. She eventually found her most enduring television role on ITV’s Loose Women. She joined the programme’s panel in 2000 and became one of its most recognizable regular contributors.
Coleen took a break from Loose Women in 2011 but later returned to the programme in 2013. Her style on the show has generally involved openly discussing relationships, family, grief, popular culture and personal experiences, helping establish her as one of the programme’s familiar voices.
She also worked on This Morning, co-presenting the ITV daytime programme from 2001 to 2002. She later returned to This Morning between 2010 and 2012, presenting interactive hub segments. Her television work therefore expanded beyond Loose Women into several major ITV programmes.
Coleen Nolan on Dancing on Ice
In 2009, Coleen competed on the fourth series of ITV’s Dancing on Ice. She progressed through the competition and finished in fourth place. Her participation added another reality-television credit to a career that was increasingly extending beyond music and daytime presenting.
Coleen Nolan on Celebrity Big Brother
Coleen first entered Celebrity Big Brother in 2012, appearing on the tenth series. She reached the final and finished as runner-up to Julian Clary. Her performance made her one of the more prominent contestants of that series.
She returned to the programme in 2017 for its nineteenth series. This time, Coleen went all the way to the final and won the series. She received 33% of the final vote, making her a two-time finalist and the eventual champion in her second appearance.
Coleen Nolan as an Author
Coleen has also developed a substantial career as an author. Her published books include Upfront and Personal: The Autobiography, Mum to Mum: Happy Memories and Honest Advice, From a Real Mum, No Regrets and Live, Laugh, Love: Lessons I’ve Learnt. She has also written novels including Envy and Denial.
Her later writing has focused increasingly on grief and personal experience. In 2024, she published A Hand to Hold: All I’ve Learnt About Grief, drawing on her experiences of losing members of her family and reflecting on bereavement and how people cope with it.
Coleen Nolan Trending: Why Is Coleen Nolan Famous?
Coleen Nolan is famous primarily because of her long career with The Nolans and her subsequent success as a television personality. As the youngest member of one of Britain’s most successful family singing groups, she became known internationally during the group’s peak in the late 1970s and 1980s.
Her second major period of fame came through Loose Women. Since joining the show in 2000, with a subsequent break before returning in 2013, she has become one of its most recognizable panelists. Her willingness to discuss personal experiences, relationships and family issues has been central to her television persona.
Her 2017 Celebrity Big Brother victory also generated significant public attention. Having finished second in 2012, she returned five years later and won the nineteenth series, adding a major reality-television achievement to her already lengthy career.
Coleen Nolan Personal Life
Coleen Nolan married actor and television personality Shane Richie in 1990. The couple had two sons, including singer Jake Roche, before separating in 1997 and divorcing in 1999. Coleen later spoke openly about the end of the relationship and the effect it had on her life.
In 2001, Coleen had her third child, daughter Ciara. She later became engaged to musician Ray Fensome, who proposed on her 40th birthday in 2005. The couple married in November 2007 and remained together until their divorce in 2018. Coleen has said that despite the end of the marriage, they were able to remain friends.
Family has remained an important part of Coleen’s life. Her son Jake Roche became a musician and was a member of the band Rixton. Coleen has also experienced significant family bereavements, including the deaths of her sisters Bernie in 2013 and Linda in 2025, both of whom had also been involved in entertainment. Her experiences with grief later influenced her writing and public discussions about bereavement.
Coleen Nolan Age, Religion, Nationality, Height and Physical Appearance
Coleen Nolan was born on March 12, 1965, in Blackpool, Lancashire, England. She is 61 years old in 2026. Although she was born in England, she comes from an Irish family and is commonly described as English-Irish. She is British by nationality.
Coleen was raised in a Catholic family. Her Irish family background was an important part of her upbringing, although she has not built her public career primarily around religious identity. Her family connections to Ireland and her upbringing in a large Irish family in Blackpool have nevertheless remained important parts of her personal story.
Her height is reported as approximately 1.68 metres, or 5 feet 6 inches. She has traditionally been recognized for her dark brown hair and green eyes, although her appearance has naturally changed throughout her long career. Her television style generally combines contemporary clothing with the approachable presentation for which she is known.
Coleen Nolan Social Media Presence
Coleen Nolan maintains an active presence on Instagram under the handle @coleen_nolan. She uses the platform to share photographs, television-related updates, family moments, lifestyle content and material connected with Loose Women.
Her social-media activity provides fans with a more personal view of her life outside the television studio. She has also continued to use her public platforms to discuss subjects that are important to her, including family, entertainment and grief.
Her social-media presence complements her long-standing television career and allows her to maintain direct contact with audiences who have followed her since her years with The Nolans.
Coleen Nolan Net Worth
Coleen Nolan has earned money from several areas of the entertainment industry throughout her career. Her income has included music with The Nolans, television presenting and panel work, reality television appearances, publishing and book sales. Her career has lasted more than 50 years, giving her multiple long-term sources of professional income.
Celebrity Net Worth estimates Coleen Nolan’s wealth at approximately $6 million. This figure is an external estimate rather than a publicly audited statement of her assets, income or investments, so it should not be treated as a confirmed net worth.
Her long-running position on Loose Women, continued television work, publishing activity and earlier music career have all contributed to her financial profile. However, the exact value of her property, savings, investments, royalties and other assets is not publicly disclosed.
Coleen Nolan Legacy
Coleen Nolan’s legacy is closely connected to her ability to successfully move between different areas of entertainment. She began as a teenage performer with The Nolans, became part of an internationally successful recording group and later established herself as a television presenter and personality in her own right.
Her work on Loose Women has been particularly important to her later career. For more than two decades, she has been part of one of Britain’s best-known daytime television programmes, developing a recognizable role as a candid and conversational panelist.
Coleen has also used her public profile to discuss family relationships, bereavement and personal experiences. Her books, particularly A Hand to Hold, have extended this part of her work beyond television and into publishing. Her career consequently spans music, television, reality entertainment and writing, making her one of the enduring personalities of British popular entertainment.
Conclusion
Coleen Nolan has built one of the longest and most varied careers in British entertainment, beginning as the youngest member of The Nolans before successfully establishing herself as a television personality, presenter and author. Her work with the family group brought international musical fame, while her decades as a Loose Women panellist gave her a second major career on British television. Her two appearances on Celebrity Big Brother, including her 2017 victory, further expanded her public profile. Through her books and television appearances, Coleen has also spoken openly about relationships, motherhood, family loss and grief, helping her remain a familiar figure to British audiences across several generations.
Frequently Asked Questions About Coleen Nolan
How old is Coleen Nolan?
Coleen Nolan is 61 years old in 2026. She was born on March 12, 1965, in Blackpool, England.
What is Coleen Nolan famous for?
Coleen Nolan is famous for being a member of The Nolans and for her long-running role as a panellist on ITV’s Loose Women.
Is Coleen Nolan still on Loose Women?
Yes. Coleen Nolan remains a regular panellist on Loose Women, having returned to the programme in 2013 after an earlier period away.
Did Coleen Nolan win Celebrity Big Brother?
Yes. Coleen Nolan won the nineteenth series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2017. She had previously appeared on the programme in 2012 and finished as runner-up.
Who was Coleen Nolan’s first husband?
Coleen Nolan’s first husband was actor Shane Richie. They married in 1990, separated in 1997 and divorced in 1999.
Who was Coleen Nolan’s second husband?
Her second husband was musician Ray Fensome. They married in 2007 and divorced in 2018.
How many children does Coleen Nolan have?
Coleen Nolan has three children: sons Jake Roche and Shane Richie Jr., and daughter Ciara Fensome.
Who is Coleen Nolan’s son Jake Roche?
Jake Roche is an English musician and singer. He was a member of the pop-rock band Rixton, later known as Push Baby.
How tall is Coleen Nolan?
Coleen Nolan is approximately 1.68 metres, or 5 feet 6 inches, tall.
What is Coleen Nolan’s religion?
Coleen Nolan was raised Catholic in her Irish family.
What is Coleen Nolan’s Instagram account?
Her Instagram account is @coleen_nolan.
What is Coleen Nolan’s net worth?
Coleen Nolan’s net worth is estimated at approximately $6 million by Celebrity Net Worth, although this is an unverified external estimate rather than a publicly confirmed financial figure.
How many siblings does Coleen Nolan have?
Coleen Nolan is the youngest of eight siblings. Several of her sisters, including Anne, Denise, Maureen, Linda and Bernie Nolan, were also involved in entertainment.
Are The Nolans still performing?
Members of the Nolan family have continued to perform at different times, although the original lineup has changed considerably over the years. The group remains associated with hits such as “I’m in the Mood for Dancing” and its extensive international career.