Loose Women star Coleen Nolan opens up about dropping from size 20 to 14 and her new approach to finding love on Celebs Go Dating
Posing for our cameras in an array of glamorous outfits, Loose Women star Coleen Nolan has rarely looked happier, healthier or more confident.
“All the clothes fit and some even have to be pinned because they are big,” she says with an air of mild disbelief. “I’ve never had that happen on photo shoots before. Usually, none of the clothes fit and I have to keep them open at the back and just fake it. I’m just thinking, ‘Wow!’”
At 61, Coleen has undergone a noticeable transformation, dropping from a size 20 to a size 14 using Voy’s weight-loss plan, which offers a combination of weight-loss medication and clinical support to help users shape up.
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“I feel so much better health-wise,” she reveals. “My back’s improved, I’ve got more energy. And confidence-wise, of course it helps.”
But Coleen is clear that it’s not about chasing perfection. She says, “I don’t want to lose any more weight – I’m happy. It’s about maintaining now and having a healthy relationship with food and with myself. And with Voy you get 24-7 support.”
The mum-of-three admits her relationship with food hasn’t always been easy, revealing, “I used to eat when I was happy and sad.”
While she can still feel self-conscious at times, she’s now far more in tune with her body and says, “I don’t worry about it in the same way any more.”
It’s this renewed confidence that has led single Coleen to her latest TV project, Celebs Go Dating . She split from her last boyfriend, who she met on Tinder, in late 2024 after three years together. Their busy schedules ultimately took their toll, and Coleen has previously spoken about how she came to prefer living independently.
But after a year on her own, she says she feels ready to open herself up to love again. “I genuinely want to meet someone and if I’m going to do it, why not do it like this?” she tells us. “I knew I didn’t want to go on the apps again.”
So instead of swiping, she’s now searching for romance on national television. “If they’d asked me before, I wouldn’t have done it as I wouldn’t have had the confidence,” she says. “I actually phoned my management and said, ‘Can I do this?’”
Still, she’s the first to admit that dating in your sixties comes with its complications. “It’s a minefield,” says Coleen. “A lot of the attention I get is from younger men sliding into my Instagram DMs, and I think, ‘Why? What could you possibly want with me?’ My rule is, I don’t want to date anyone I could have given birth to.”
But men her own age don’t always hit the mark, either. “Some of them act really old, like, ‘We’re too old for that now.’ The minute someone says that, I’m out,” she says. “I’m 61, but mentally I’m about 35. I want someone who still wants to live, laugh and do things.”
While she’s keeping tight-lipped about whether she finds love on the show, she says she learned a lot about herself during filming and had “the best time” bonding with her co-stars, including Celebrity Big Brother winner David Potts, MAFS Australia ’s Lucinda Light and ex-rugby player James Haskell.
“The friendships were the best part,” she says. “We’ve got a WhatsApp group and we’re constantly in touch. It was sad when it ended.”
Away from dating, Coleen remains a cornerstone of Loose Women , a role she’s held for more than two decades.
“It’s my constant. It’s great,” she says. “It’s like family.”
She’s quick to shut down any rumours of backstage drama, saying, “We all get on. We’ve got a WhatsApp group and support each other through everything. It’s like having 20 extra sisters.
“I’m closer to the people I work with most, so people like Christine [Lampard], Ruth [Langsford] and Brenda [Edwards].”
She’s also embracing the newer faces on the panel, including podcaster GK Barry and former Love Island star Olivia Attwood. She says, “I learn so much, even if I don’t understand half of what they’re saying.”
Recent budget cuts at ITV have been a double-edged sword for Coleen. “On the one hand, it’s nice to have a bit more time off,” she says. “But on the business side, I think, ‘I’ve got a mortgage to pay.’ We get paid per show and I’m filming fewer shows. But it has given me more incentive to do other TV work.”
When she’s not in the studio, Coleen is happiest at home on her Staffordshire farm, living a very different life from the one viewers see on screen.
“Today I am all glam, but by this time tomorrow I’ll be at home, no make-up, hair scraped back, covered in horse muck,” she laughs. “I’ve got horses, pigs, goats, five dogs, six cats and chickens. It’s full-on, but it’s my dream.”
Family is at the heart of everything she does and her daughter Ciara, 24, her only child with ex-husband Ray Fensome, lives in an annexe at the farm with her fiancé Maxx and their five-month-old son Sidney. Her eldest son Shane Jr, 37, from her marriage to EastEnders actor Shane Richie, lives ten minutes away with his wife Kim and their five-month-old baby Cruz-Carter. And while her younger son Jake, 33, and his wife Georgia live in London, Coleen regularly hops on the train to babysit for grandson Rudy.
“It’s chaos, but it’s the best kind,” she smiles. “We just muck in together. When I’m working, Ciara does everything, and when I’m home, we share it.”
Coleen is proud of the fact that she’s on good terms with her ex-husbands. “I love my relationship with both of them – it’s so much nicer for everyone,” she says. “In the early days it was hard, but watching my kids thrive without feeling torn between parents or being used as weapons is my greatest achievement.
“Both my ex-husbands were at my son Jake’s wedding and Ray stays at my house when he’s gigging in the area. And they’re the first on the phone if something bad happens.”
Coleen is a hands-on grandmother and it’s a role she relishes, even if it sometimes leaves her exhausted. She says, “Sometimes I walk in the door and they go, ‘Oh great, you’re home, can you have the kids?’ and I’m like, ‘Oh God, not today.’ But I absolutely love it.”
Coleen remains determined to make the most of life, a sentiment shaped in part by personal loss. Her sisters, Bernie and Linda, both passed away after battles with cancer.
“It makes you reassess everything. You realise none of us knows how long we’ve got,” she explains. “When I’m stressed or tired, I think, ‘They’d love to be here, even worrying about something silly.’ It gives me a kick up the arse. It reminds you how precious every minute is.”
Looking ahead, Coleen is showing no signs of slowing down and reveals that she, Ciara and Shane Jr are working on a new podcast: Nolans Uncensored .
“Nothing will be off limits,” she says. “People are often surprised by how we talk to each other.” Despite her packed schedule, she’s still open to more opportunities.
“I’d definitely do more reality TV,” admits the star, who won Celebrity Big Brother in 2017. “I’d do I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and I’ve literally begged to do Strictly Come Dancing . I’ll keep hoping. Life’s too short, so enjoy it while you can.”
Nolans Uncensored launches on 21 April, with new episodes every Tuesday. Available on YouTube and all podcast platforms
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