Linda Nolan

Linda Nolan dresses up and dishes on dating, her health and giving the Love Island ladies a run for their money

‘Honestly, if I had a pound for every time someone asked me if I was in the mood for dancing, I’d be a millionaire,” Linda Nolan jokes as she glams up for our pop-tastic photoshoot.

The singing legend, one fifth of The Nolans, is famed for the 1979 megahit and, along with her siblings, including Loose Women panellist Coleen, has shifted over 30 million albums worldwide.

But when she joins us at Maggie’s 80s-themed bar in London, she’s not too precious to put her slap on in the loo. With a crew setting up the shoot in such a small space, it’s the only place where Linda can apply her lippy in peace. Yep, she may be a seasoned entertainer with over 40 years of experience in showbiz, but the 60-year-old is as down to earth as they come.

But then Linda herself admits she’s learned to be humble, given the hardship she’s had to face. The Nolans have been blighted by tragedy and Linda believes cancer has been a “curse” on her family.

In 2007, she lost her husband Brian Hudson following his battle with skin cancer and in 2013 she buried her sister Bernie after she passed away from breast cancer aged just 52. Their sister Anne also suffered from the illness, but got the all-clear in 2000. Linda herself was first diagnosed with aggressive, stage three breast cancer in 2005, before going into remission a year later. However, in 2017, she was told the cancer had returned and was incurable.

So when the former CBB star arrives for the shoot we’re not expecting to see the chatty, vibrant woman who greets us. She looks fantastic and talks frankly about her diagnosis, but

it’s not what defines her.

Instead, she’s more interested in regaling us with tales from her time in the band, why her days of feuding with her sisters are over, and her hunt for a new man…

Linda, you look amazing! How are you feeling?

I’m loving getting dressed up and feeling glam! It’s like the good old days. And on the whole I’m good, thank you. My treatment’s going well. The cancer’s contained in my hip and, although I’ve got arthritis in the bones, I’m OK.

For those readers who may not know, what’s your prognosis?

The cancer is treatable but not curable. And that’s frightening for me, because that’s what they said to Bernie and two years later she passed away. But right now my cancer is stable thanks to the treatment – it’s contained where it is – and I have to stay positive. You do seem in great spirits…

I am, actually. Financially, things are tricky. In this business you’re self-employed and you don’t get sick pay, so that’s been difficult. But nothing matters other than staying as healthy as possible.

For the first time in a long time I’m ready to get back out there. That applies to work and dating.

You have our attention!

Well, why not! The love is still there for Brian – he’ll always have a piece of my heart – but

I’d love to meet someone for companionship. It’s not about sex. If it happens, that’s great, but it’s not the be all and end all. It’s nice to have someone you can go for dinner with, go on holiday with. Brian and I were together for 28 years, married for 26. He was strong and romantic. I’d love to find something like that again.

Do you think you will?

I hope so. I felt ready for it at the end of 2016, just before the cancer came back. I even had a little kiss with a lovely gentleman who I’d known for years. So when I was re-diagnosed, that was sad. It was just when I felt I’d turned a corner after such a long process. When Brian died I was diagnosed with complex grief, which developed into depression and suicidal thoughts. As a result I’ve had counselling on and off for 10 years. He was my first love and all of a sudden half of me was gone. I wish I’d met him sooner so I could have loved him longer.

Do you worry about the pressures that come with modern dating?

Of course, and sex is part of that. I have issues with my body right now. I want to lose the weight I’ve put on through being ill and I’ve got issues because of the scars from my mastectomy and the reconstruction surgery.

‘FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME I’M READY TO GET BACK OUT THERE’

‘WE WOULD GET MOBBED IN JAPAN. WE OUTSOLD THE BEATLES OVER THERE!’

So body confidence is a big deal for you right now?

Yeah, the scars are quite a thing. I used to wear nothing but perfume in bed, but after the mastectomy in 2006 I started wearing T-shirts and Brian was really upset by that. It took a while for me to be comfortable again, even around him. So I think it would be a little bit difficult, the sexual side.

Have you slept with anyone since Brian?

No and I lost him 12 years ago. Don’t worry, I’m not climbing the walls. There’s stuff out there if need be!

And you’ve had a facelift, too?

I had that in 2017, shortly before the re-diagnosis. I felt like a new me. I went to Harley Street and had a lower facelift and a chemical skin peel. I was thrilled with the results. I still am.

Katie Price doesn’t appear to be so lucky. What do you make of her botched surgery?

She’s going to end up like the Bride of Wildenstein if she carries on. She must have body dysmorphia. She was so pretty back in the day when she was in the jungle. It’s quite sad, actually. She’s ruining herself. And all that surgery is such a risk. Joan Rivers died going under the knife. I was scared when I did it, but the aftercare was brilliant.

Do you feel under pressure to look a certain way because you’re an entertainer?

I always did and I think I always will. When we did our first appearance on Top Of The

Pops, we bought these dresses we thought were nice, but the record company sent us back to get them tightened in at the waists and to draw in more cleavage. There’s always pressure to look glamorous and perfect in showbiz.

And what do you make of the way youngsters deal with that today? Well, I watched Love Island for the first time this year – I didn’t want to love it, but I did. But it made me sad that kids will watch that and think they have to have hair extensions or huge lips or Botox or fake tans to fit in. Or that they have to sleep with someone on TV to become famous. Though Ex On The

Beach is worse for that!

We’re living for your reality TV knowledge, Linda!

Ha, I love all that sort of stuff! But the dark side is that it used to be celebrities who would do a reality programme to show themselves in a different light and now the reality shows are making the nobodies into celebrities. The girl who won Love Island, Amber, they reckon she’ll make over £1m off the back of it. She’s great, but seriously? And Maura got a job on This Morning! I saw that and I thought, “Oh God, that job would be so great for me!” Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t watch This Morning and I’m sure she was good, but I could have done that!

Do you find that upsetting?

It’s an age thing. And age is a massive issue for women. I could walk into a room with younger people and I’m invisible. And that’s hard. You want to walk into a room and have people look at you, like they used to. Well, you girls were household names back in the day. How wild were those times?

Oh, we used to drink like anything. Bernie was a devil for it. We never did drugs, but we did like a drink. We didn’t have problems with it, but some nights we just wanted to go back to the hotel and have a cup of tea, and we’d find ourselves apologising for it. How famous were you?

Put it this way, we would get mobbed in Japan. We outsold The Beatles over there! They would have to shut down the store when we went shopping. It was quite scary when we would get rushed at by hordes of children. But then we became a bit blasé about it. We’d come home and we’d be begging people to take an autograph. Ha!

Have you ever had a weird experience with a fan?

I had a guy who would send me vulgar letters and one day he showed up at my door. Brian told him to leave, but as he did he went to pull something out of his pocket, which I thought was a knife. Brian punched him and he went away. But a few days later we got a letter from the same guy saying he was going to shoot Brian dead at our Sheffield concert. Thankfully, the police took it seriously. When they