During the latest episode of ITV’s , panellist Janet Street-Porter opened up about her reflections on life after turning 78. She admitted to feeling acutely aware of being the last surviving member of her immediate family, following the deaths of her parents and younger sister.
Sharing an old photo of herself with her sister on her birthday, Janet described it as a poignant moment of remembrance. Fellow panellist Ruth Langsford also shared her thoughts on ageing and remembering lost loved ones.
As she approaches her 65th birthday, Ruth expressed her determination to celebrate life: “I’m 65 this year, it’s very easy to slip into that, ‘Oh god, I can’t believe I’m 65, I’m so old’. I don’t, I now have to look forward and think, ‘How amazing I’m 65, I’m here, I’m alive, I’m standing up’.”
She also spoke about the heartbreaking loss of her sister Julia, who tragically took her own life in 2019 at the age of 62 after a long battle with depression. Ruth revealed that she strives to live well in honour of her sister, saying: “I remember when she died thinking, ‘I must live my life well because she didn’t get the chance’.”
Don’t miss…
Ruth with her late sister Julia (Image: RUTH LANGSFORD/ INSTAGRAM)
She added: “She wouldn’t want me being sad forever without her. So, that kind of drives me on.”, reports .
Following Julia’s death, Ruth took a hiatus from her presenting duties to grieve for her sister.
Ruth has openly shared her personal struggles with grief on the show, revealing that she often found solace in crying in the shower. In 2022, she confided to her co-presenters: “When my sister died, I had good cries in the shower because it’s very private.”
Coleen spoke about her late sister Bernie on the show (Image: ITV)
She explained the sense of privacy and release she found in the bathroom, saying, “I think if you’re in the bathroom, whether you like a bath or a shower, it’s that shut the door and nobody really disturbs you. I could have a good old, proper old, loud snotty cry and get that out of my system.”
In another heartfelt moment on the show, Coleen Nolan reflected on the loss of her sister Bernie and how it impacts her perspective on life’s challenges. She shared with her fellow panellists: “Whenever I get down about things or really worried about things, I just bring myself back into the moment and I go, ‘Yeah, but Bernie would love to be here with those problems and she’s not’.”
Coleen also spoke about approaching milestones with gratitude, particularly in light of her upcoming 60th birthday in March.
Ruth doesn’t worry about getting older (Image: ITV)
Despite others’ comments about aging, she feels a profound appreciation for life, stating: “Then with birthdays, obviously as you get older, I’ve got my 60th coming up in March, people go, ‘Oh, you’re 60, you’re getting on’ and all that. To me, it’s cheesy I know but honestly, because of things that have happened in the past and losing loved ones when it was way too soon to lose them, it makes me celebrate when I wake up in the morning, let alone if it’s my 60th. I literally wake up and go, ‘I’m still here, I’m alive.'”
Loose Women is on ITV1 weekdays at 12.30pm and on ITVX