Coleen
Coleen Nolan admits she’s struggling without her kids
She’s got her first solo tour to look forward to, a steady job on Loose Women and her children are grown-up. It’s finally time for Coleen Nolan to focus on herself, but it appears the star is struggling with this new chapter.
Coleen, 58, has admitted that she still suffers from ‘mum guilt’ and is finding it tough now her kids are flying the nest. The singer, who has sons Shane, 35, and Jake, 31, as well as daughter Ciara, 22, said, ‘Empty nest is a real thing, who knew? Whether we like it or not, mum guilt is a thing, even though it shouldn’t be. I still have it now when I’m absent, even though my kids are adults.’
Midlife challenges
NOLAN, SHUTTERSTOCK
She’s been a mum for over half her life and with her youngest, Ciara, heading off travelling in the new year, it seems Coleen is finding it difficult to accept that her offspring need her less these days. ‘When the children were younger I thought I’d be thrilled when they became independent. But it’s the opposite. I’ve been feeling so redundant, like I don’t have a purpose any more,’ she said.
Coleen previously opened up about her struggles when her boys were going through their 20s, saying, ‘I thought, “Empty nest syndrome? I can’t wait,” but actually it’s really lonely. I’ve dedicated my life to them. All of a sudden when they’ve gone, I need to find something else to fill that gap. Nothing will ever fill that gap but my children.’
The star also shared earlier this year how turning 50 was ‘a watershed moment for me’, adding, ‘Entering your 50s and also coping with menopause is a really challenging time and you do start questioning everything. When your kids get older and become more independent, you start thinking about what you’re left with and I felt a bit redundant. It’s a tough age.’
Family problems
When it comes to Coleen’s personal life and relationships, her children will always come first. The singer started dating logistics worker Michael Jones in 2021, but has now revealed that perhaps part of the reason they split a year later was due to her children’s concerns.
Coleen said, ‘The first year I was with Michael, they weren’t sure because one minute I was all about him and the next I was saying I finished it, so they were confused.’ She added, ‘They were
