Linda Nolan pictured with her late husband Brian Hudson (Image: Getty)
Loved by countless fans yet devoted solely to one man, held her husband in the deepest recesses of her heart.
The cherished Nolan sister sadly left us on Wednesday, January 15, at the age of 65. Just last year she spoke earnestly about desiring romance despite battling incurable cancer, after the sad fate that befell her treasured spouse who died from liver disease in 2007.
Hailing from Dublin, Linda shot to stardom with her sisters and bandmates Anne, Denise, Maureen, Bernie, and Coleen. Her first brush with breast cancer came in 2005, but it was a fall in 2017 that revealed its spread to her pelvis, and by 2020, to her liver.
In a sad turn this March, Linda announced the cancer had also reached her brain.
Despite the relentless trials, Linda’s spirit never wavered; even amid the harshest treatments, she declared herself “ready for love”. Yet, she knew no suitor could ever measure up to Brian Hudson, her husband of 26 years.
Linda Nolan pictured with her sisters Coleen, Bernie and Maureen (Image: Getty)
The pair first crossed paths in 1977, as Brian was The Nolans’ tour manager, while Linda, a star on the rise. Marriage followed in 1979, her sisters naturally flanking her as bridesmaids.
Their union was saturated with both immense joy and deep sorrow.
Brian’s passing in 2007 at 60 to liver diesease, amidst Linda’s own struggle with breast cancer, carved an irreparable void in her life.
She faced many challenges thereafter, each met with the wish that Brian was still by her side.
As she revealed to the Mirror in 2016: “I know my family are desperate for me to be happy again, it breaks their hearts as well as mine. But I just don’t ever see it happening. I miss Brian every second of the day. I know some people find it difficult to understand that the grief is still that raw, but it will always be raw because somebody you love isn’t with you. A little piece of me died with him.”
Don’t miss… [ADMISSION] [STATEMENT]
The Nolan Sisters performing at the height of their fame (Image: Getty)
Her concerned sister Coleen voiced her thoughts on Linda’s sorrow, suggesting that her sister deserved another shot at love. Yet for Linda, weighed down by her loss, such thoughts weren’t so straightforward; she continued to carry with her a “token urn” containing some of his ashes.
By 2022, Linda had taken tentative steps into the world of online dating, buoyed by the encouragement of her sisters who even helped her create a Tinder profile.
Realising that it didn’t suit her preference for something more substantial, Linda joined dating services catering to an older demographic and admitted to having “spoken and met with a few people”.
Writing for the Daily Express at that time, Linda shared: “While nothing has come of it per se, the whole experience showed me that romance could be possible in my life again one day and made me think it would be nice to have some male company.”
“I’m not talking about marriage or anything like that. I know I’ve already had the love of my life and have been incredibly lucky to have that. But perhaps there could still be someone else out there for me – someone to watch a film or go with a drink with, the companionship.”
By March 2024, Linda was open to finding romance once again, flirtingly confiding to Hello! magazine: “If a lookalike came along, it would be hard to resist, but if he had the personality of a mouse, I wouldn’t be interested. There has to be humour and romance. Not too much to ask for, is it?”
Linda cherished the humour she found in her late husband Brian, reliving the memory of their wedding day when her father inadvertently dropped his dentures into the toilet, leading to him delivering the father-of-the-bride speech with a distinct “whistle”.
Reflecting on the day, she recounted: “That’s how I’ll always remember him, always smiling.”
In the run-up to what would be her ultimate Christmas, Linda chatted spiritedly of her intent to savour every moment.
Sharing a heartfelt message with the Mirror, she declared: “I thought my 60th birthday would be my last, but I’m still here, five years later. It’s easy to sit back and get depressed about it, but I’m still going. My hope for 2025? To not die, obviously. I just want to be here with my family. I want us all to be here next year, that’s the goal.”
In a statement issued to the Mirror, agent Dermot McNamara announced: “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.”
The statement went on to say: “She passed peacefully, with her loving siblings by her bedside, ensuring she was embraced with love and comfort during her final moments. Linda’s legacy extends beyond her incredible achievements in music and entertainment. She was a beacon of hope and resilience, sharing her journey to raise awareness and inspire others. Rest in peace, Linda. You will be deeply missed, but never forgotten.”