Standing at her graveside and tearfully saying farewell to the sister he adored, Brian Nolan was keeping a potentially deadly secret of his own. Planning the perfect memorial for Linda, who died from cancer in January following a 20-year journey, was especially tough as just three days after her funeral, Brian, 70, had his own diagnosis of level 2 prostate cancer confirmed. “I just want cancer to leave us alone,” says Brian, who will soon have surgery to remove his prostate gland, but has been told his cancer has not spread. The disease has dogged the Nolan family, who lost Bernie aged 52 to breast cancer in 2013, before Linda aged 65 died on 15 January this year. Anne, 74, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000 and Coleen, 60, found out she had skin cancer in 2023. Now Brian and Coleen have revealed in an exclusive interview that they could be getting some answers as they, along with siblings Tommy, 77, Denise, 72, and Maureen, 70, have been referred to a genetic clinic.
Coleen told us she ‘wanted to punch the walls and scream’ after Brian told her the news
(Image: LORNA ROACH PHOTOGRAPHY)
Recalling his reaction to his diagnosis, Brian says, “You’re never ready for somebody to say, ‘Yes, you’ve got cancer.’ It’s like being hit by a train. You start plunging into the abyss of, ‘I’m going to die.’ The urologist stood up and said, ‘We’re going to treat this and we’re going to cure this.’ I’m focusing on that and hope I have the courage my sisters had.” His news has also been a body blow for Coleen. “I couldn’t speak,” she says, describing the moment she found out. “I went completely numb and about an hour later I wanted to punch walls and scream. In our family, cancer’s just there. But he was so positive and I’m just so proud of him. We’re a family who treat everything with as much humour as possible and we go, ‘We can face this together.’ That’s what we’ll do.” Sleep deprived because of his diagnosis and the trauma of losing Linda, former Nolans tour manager Brian adds, “It’s been a tough three weeks,” as he waits for surgery. Sitting in the lounge of the Blackpool home where he’s lived for 25 years, he says, “I had a bad moment about Linda yesterday, just driving the car.” Back in November, Brian realised he was going to the loo more often and saw his doctor. PSA tests – blood tests to help screen for prostate cancer – led to an MRI scan just after Christmas and a biopsy in the New Year, when it finally “clicked” that he likely had the disease.
Brian says his devoted wife Ann has been his ‘rock’
(Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)
Supported by his “rock” of a wife, Brian decided to stay quiet about his cancer fears to protect his siblings, who were devastated by Linda’s deteriorating condition. “I thought I was doing the right thing and I still do,” he says. “It would just have meant more tears and we were already knee deep in tears and grief.” Alongside his sadness, Brian and wife Ann planned Linda’s funeral, during which she was carried into the church in a glittery pink coffin. A host of stars attended including Shane Richie, Paul Chuckle and Jodie Prenger. Fans lined the streets for the February service at St Paul’s Church in Blackpool, where Linda had exchanged vows with her “soulmate” – her late husband Brian Hudson – back in 1981. “The day was so hard but it went well,” says Brian. “Everything she wanted, she got.” Brian spent 28 hours at Linda’s hospital bedside in her final days and “hallucinated” from tiredness. “There were about 20 of us in there, we broke all the rules as we always do and the staff were just extraordinary,” he says. “She went with everyone she loved around her.” With the funeral successfully planned, Brian’s next traumatic task was telling his siblings about his cancer. “They were devastated but they were great,” he says. “We’re all in it together.” Loose Women ’s Coleen could not be more proud of him. “He’s my big brother, I love him,” she says. Speaking out to raise awareness of prostate cancer, Brian continues, “My consultant said people are dying through a lack of knowledge, through not doing anything about it. I’m going campaign to send guys a letter once a year to tell them to have a PSA test.”
Brian with his late sisters Bernie and Linda
(Image: Daily Mirror)
The family have now been referred to a genetic clinic in Manchester by Brian’s Blackpool oncologist following his diagnosis. “They think it’s hereditary, they can’t seem to find that magic bullet,” he says. Beautiful memories of Nolan siblings still surround Brian. “They’re not gone, they’re everywhere,” he says. “People like that can’t be gone. You keep them alive and remember the positive things.” Linda spent many afternoons in a café in the seaside town’s Stanley Park, where a table is still reserved for the monthly Peach Melba Club, named in honour of her favourite dessert. Brian’s wife Ann and Linda’s sister Anne are both regular attendees and the dessert can be requested over the counter, served with soft-style ice cream. It was Linda’s preference to substitute this for traditional ice cream. “I’d like to think I’d have even half of Linda’s courage if this went haywire,” he says of his “force of nature” late sister. “I never heard her or Bernie whinge. They had extraordinary hope and positivity.” Online resources for information about prostate cancer include nhs.uk, prostatecanceruk.org and cancerresearchuk.org.
