Pop star Linda Nolan, 65, died following a long journey with secondary breast cancer on January 15. Today her family and friends will say a final goodbye at her funeral
Linda Nolan protected her beloved siblings from further heartache with one very selfless decision before her death.
The late Daily Mirror Columnist, TV personality and pop star died on January 15 with her loved ones by her side. Linda was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in 2017 and in 2020 was devastated to learn it had spread.
To spare her family from planning her funeral – which is taking place today – she opted to make all the arrangements herself, admitting in her autobiography From My Heart that she didn’t want to cause them any more “worry”.
She wrote in the 2018 book: “I want to get all my affairs ‘in order’, as they say. I’ve caused my family enough worry over the years and so I want everything I can decided now so they don’t have to if I become very poorly.” Linda planned her own funeral, drawing inspiration from how her late husband Brian prepared for his.
She chose the Neil Sedaka tune Our Last Song Together for the service, writing: “It’s beautiful and by then it really will be our last song with my wonderful family”. She also appointed funeral directors before her death.
“Brian organised his funeral and it was amazing,” she said. “Bernie arranged hers. It’s easier for people left behind.” When it came to her coffin, the singer opted for one in pink glitter. “Brian’s coffin was like a flight case, with ‘This way up’, ‘Fragile’ on it,” Linda told the Mirror. “Our auntie had a beautiful coffin with pictures of us around it.”
“Maureen said, ‘Look at this coffin, it was made for you, it’s pink glitter’,” added the star, who was once dubbed the “naughty Nolan”. “Absolutely. I am the blingy Nolan.”
Linda learned her cancer had returned 12 years after her original diagnosis in 2005 when she was babysitting her grand-nieces Ava, Sienna and Roma. After falling down the stairs, she felt a crack in her hip and rushed to the hospital. Doctors later discovered a mass, which they confirmed was cancer.
Her agent Dermot McNamara told the Mirror at the time of her death: “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.
“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.”