Coleen Nolan has opened up about her career move into TV. (Image: ITV)

Loose Women's Coleen Nolan reveals Shane Richie split led to huge career change

Coleen Nolan and EastEnders star Shane Richie were together for nine years - sharing sons Shane Roche Jr and Jake Roche together - but their split led to a career change for the Loose Women star

by · Daily Record

Loose Women panellist Coleen Nolan has revealed her split from Shane Richie led to a huge change in her career.

Former EastEnders star Shane and Coleen married in 1990 and share sons Shane Roche Jr and Jake Roche together. Coleen says she was still an active member of The Nolans when both of their sons were born.

The 59-year-old revealed she was performing on stage “up until three weeks” before her due date with the children. However, when Shane’s career began “taking off”, the couple decided Coleen should take a break from performing.

It came as she was performing into the early hours of the morning at discos and events. Coleen officially quit the band she shared with her sisters in 1994.

However, a major turning point in her career came in 1999, after her divorce from Shane. Speaking on the Saving Grace podcast, she explained: “Shane actually said ‘look, if you want to stop, why don’t you stop’ and I did.

“I used to work right up until three weeks before they were due, I’d be dancing about up on stage. So I gave up for a couple of years.

Shane Richie and Coleen were married in the 1990s. (Image: Getty Images)

“And then obviously my marriage fell apart and that’s how I ended up doing Loose Women. I went on as a guest because they’d done a documentary called Celebrity Heartbreak.

“For the promotion of the show, I got asked to go on Loose Women, in 1999. And then I got on well with them and was asked to be a guest presenter. In 2000 is when I started doing it full time.”

Coleen presented on Loose Women until July 2011. She took a break until 2013, having now spent over a decade back on the panel.

Her appearance on the show prompted a successful TV career including appearances on panel shows such as Never Mind the Buzzcocks. She also took part in Dancing on Ice and Celebrity Big Brother.

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