The Nolans singer Linda Nolan dead at 65
Singer Linda Nolan, best known for being a member of the pop group The Nolans, has died at the age of 65. Nolan was diagnosed with cancer two decades ago.
In a statement, her manager, Dermot McNamara, confirmed her passing. He said: “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Linda Nolan, the celebrated Irish pop legend, television personality, Guinness World Record holding West End star, Sunday Times bestselling author and Daily Mirror columnist.”
McNamara continued: “She passed at around 10:20am at Blackpool Victoria Hospital on the MCEW Ward. The family said the hospital couldn’t do enough, they were tireless and made it so much more bearable.”
Her manager also stated that Nolan was surrounded by her siblings when she passed away and was “embraced with love and comfort during her final moments”.
Nolan was initially diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005. In 2011, she was given the all-clear; however, she developed secondary breast cancer in 2017, which had spread to her brain by 2023. She was taken into hospital on January 14th with double pneumonia, after which she went into a coma and end-of-life care.
The late vocalist originally found fame in the 1970s when she formed a pop group with her sisters, Coleen, Bernie, Denise, Anne, and Maureen. One of their biggest hits was ‘I’m In the Mood for Dancing’, which was released in 1979 and became a number-one hit in multiple countries.
Initially, Nolan wasn’t a fan of the song, as weren’t any of her sisters when they originally heard it. Anne commented on the song in her memoir, Anne’s Song. “When I first heard ‘I’m In The Mood For Dancing’ written by Ben Findon and Mike Myers, I didn’t like it,” she said, “But then I was always hopeless at spotting a potential hit. None of my sisters liked it either. What did we know?”
The song became a hit worldwide, propelled the band to stardom, and The Nolans went on to sell over 30 million records across their careers. Their other biggest hits included ‘Gotta Pull Myself Together’ and ‘Attention to Me’.
During an interview with ITV News in 2023, Nolan explained how she was no longer able to perform live due to her illness. However, she maintained a positive outlook, stating, “I just try to wake up and say, yes! Another day to make memories! There are sad days obviously, but most days I try [to stay positive], and if I feel like I’m going down that road I go, no, where’s the gin!”
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