Category: ABBA

Coleen Nolan and Linda Robson stole the spotlight in ABBA-inspired costumes as they attended The National Lottery New Year’s Eve Big Bash 2024 at the OVO Arena Wembley on Wednesday evening.

Coleen, 59, wowed in a striking red and silver jumpsuit, while Linda, 66, dazzled in a bold yellow and silver one-piece.

The Loose Women stars were joined by Lorraine Chappell, Mazz Murray, and Caroline Deverill – all of whom donned outfits inspired by the Swedish pop group.

The group appeared in high spirits as they posed up a storm on the red carpet before taking the stage for a spectacular performance during the glittering affair. 

Hosted by Vernon Kay and Fleur East for the first time, the hosting duo took to the red carpet where they were joined by fellow stars KSI, Olly Alexander, Craig David and Ella Henderson.

The show also celebrated the big moments of 2024 such as the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, The National Lottery’s 30th anniversary and included surprise contributions from Richard Armitage and Jason Isaacs.

The festive event comes after Coleen shared a heart-wrenching update on her sister’s cancer battle live on Loose Women in October.

The former singer revealed that her sister Linda Nolan, 65, ‘doesn’t want to know how long she has left’ as she continues to battle breast cancer.

The Loose Women panelist felt inspired to open up about her sister’s condition after Sir Chris Hoy announced his cancer was terminal.

She explained that having already lost one sister, Bernie, to cancer in 2013, she understood how the Olympic cyclist’s family were feeling.

She told viewers that her sister doesn’t want to know how long she has left and is trying to enjoy the rest of her life.

She said: ‘I know my sister Linda at the moment, who’s been amazing and is still amazing, I’m in awe of her every day.

‘But I know, for her, one of the things she doesn’t want to know is how long she’s got left. Because she feels that once she’s given that prognosis that it would probably make her just give up trying to live.’

In a candid confession, Coleen explained her sister was still going through treatment and was trying to remain as positive as possible.

She added: ‘At the moment, she’s still having treatment and that’s what’s keeping her going you know, “as long as they’re still going to treat me then I’m going to keep on going”‘.

But despite her positive outlook, the presenter revealed her sister had gone through some darker times and thought about what life will be like when she is no longer here.

In an effort to combat this, Coleen said that she wants to do as much as possible and has moved plans forward to make sure she enjoys every day.

‘But she does say more often than not now, she’ll say things like ‘well no, let’s do that this week because I might not be here next week. 

‘Or she’ll say she’s now doing more because she’s “living each day like it might be my last day” and “I might not have tomorrow,” so that mindset has changed.’ she said.

The Nolans star received the all-clear from breast cancer in 2006, but was later diagnosed with incurable secondary cancer in 2017.

Linda previously issued an update that the tumours in her brain – which were thought to be stable – have grown.

Appearing on GMB in August, Linda revealed that she is being set on a new course of chemotherapy as a result of the update – and shared the news that she could face losing her hair for the fifth time.

She also revealed the physical toll the ongoing treatment was taking on her smile, pointing to a gap in her teeth and exclaiming: ‘Look, I’ve lost a tooth!’.

Linda’s sisters also have a history of cancer, with herself, Coleen and Anne all receiving diagnoses.

During her interview on the breakfast show she said: ‘I’m just like everybody else really, I just want it to go,’ Linda said of cancer’s prevalence in her family. ‘Or leave us alone for a little while at least.’

‘You would be entitled to feel a rage at the universe that your family has been cursed by the big C,’ host Richard Madeley said to Linda, before asking if she gets angry at how it has affected her family.

She replied: ‘I asked Bernie one time, somebody said to her “Do you ever think Why me?” and she said “No I think why not me”. It doesn’t pick and choose.

‘You can’t put your name down and say you’re next in line. But we have had a rough time with it.’

Linda then revealed that her step son Lloyd has also recently been diagnosed with cancer.

‘It’s like “Go away leave us alone”,’ she said. ‘But the treatments out there are brilliant now and hopefully that will work, and if it doesn’t work he’ll (her oncologist) put me on another.

‘He said “It’s a marathon not a sprint”, so I said “Well it feels like I’m getting faster by the day”.’

The singer was first diagnosed with stage-three breast cancer in 2005 before getting the all-clear in 2006. But in 2017 she was diagnosed with a form of incurable secondary cancer in her hip, which spread to her liver in 2020.

Last year, she shared the news that the cancer had spread to her brain, with two tumours discovered on the left side of her brain which left her struggling with her speech and balance.

However, while the disease appeared to be stable in Linda’s recent updates, her latest prognosis has revealed the devastating news that two of her largest tumours has grown in size, while further cancer spots have been found.