24 I NEWS www.sundaylife.co.uk Sunday Life 10 January 2021 10 January 2021 Sunday Life www.sundaylife.co.uk NEWS I 25

CANDOUR: Linda EXCLUSIVE NOLANS ON WHY THEY’LL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR EACH OTHER and Anne Nolan have both spoken honestly about their battles By Kelly Allen with cancer DURING a year when most families were apart the Nolan sisters actually got to spend more time together thanks to filming their own reality TV show. CONFESSION: Mark Barry Battisti Coleen Nolan (55) and her sisters, Anne, Denise, Maureen, Linda and their late sister Bernie ACCUSED: Mark Wilson were part of the girlband The Nolans but they’ve never been Dealer admits far from our screens entertaining us for more than 40 years. Student denies Most recently they opened up their homes and lives for their no-holds barred £75k drugs At Home With The Nolans show on Quest and have released a new 45-trackSISTER three ACT blackmail over CD compilation album, The Nolans: Gold, celebrating their four decades of hits. raid charge As Anne, Denise and Maureen spoke By Paul Higgins with Sunday Life, they revealed the naked photos series was the best excuse for the A DRUG dealer and addict who sisters to be with each other. By Paul Higgins allegedly ran a £75,000 canna- Denise (68) said: “We’re just bis growing operation from his thrilled that we got the opportunity A MAN accused of blackmailing home has admitted a string of to spend time together. And it was young boys into sending him charges. great bringing people to Blackpool naked pictures is to go on trial Crumlin man Mark Barry Bat- because it’s our home town and we after denying the offences. tisti had faced 13 charges over love it. We’d forgotten how much Student Mark Wilson (21) ap- a raid at his Co Antrim home in fun we have together really because peared via video-link at Newry early January last year. we don’t see each other as we’ve got Crown Court to enter not guilty At the time police said they our own lives and our families. And as pleas to each of the 12 charges had seized £75,000 worth of much as we all love the kids, just to spend he faces. drugs in the raid on an illicit time with each other and have a laugh Wilson (21), from Thornleigh drugs factory. was amazing.” BOND: The Nolan in Armagh, faces four counts of At Antrim Crown Court on Maureen (65) agreed and revealed it sisters let the blackmail and three of distribut- Thursday, defence counsel allowed them all to reconnect with Loose CLOSE: Coleen Nolan and son Shane; and cameras in last year ing indecent images of children. Jonathan Browne asked for five Women presenter Coleen and brought (below) the sisters’ new album Gold He is also accused of two of the charges to be put again to back memories of their early counts of inciting a person to Battisti and the 39-year-old duly days on the road. Over the take an indecent photograph confessed to them. years they’ve toured the world and a single charge of sexual Battisti, from Manse View, en- with legendary artists Frank communication with a child. tered guilty pleas to cultivating Sinatra and Englebert Hump- Wilson is also accused of cannabis at his home, possess- erdink, performed for Queen inciting a child to engage in sex- ing cannabis with intent to sup- Elizabeth II at the Royal Vari- ual activity and attempting to ply and two charges of offering ety Show and even released a possess an indecent image of a to supply the class B drug. duet with Motorhead. child, with all the alleged crimes He also admitted possessing She explained: “It definitely said to have been committed criminal property, with all the gave us a chance to reconnect between December 2016 and crimes committed between more with Coleen because we June 2017. January 3 and 7, 2020. don’t see much of her as we None of the evidence sur- Following his confessions, see each other because we all rounding the allegations were prosecuting counsel Mark live very close to each other. opened in court on Wednesday Farrell asked for the remaining “We’re very, very close an- but the charge sheets disclose offences, which were all similar yway and when we’re not that Wilson allegedly black- drug offences, to be “left on the working, we do see each mailed four victims to send him books”. other a lot but as Denise said, “naked images”. None of the facts surround- without the children and the Following the brief arraign- ing the offences were opened grandkids, it was really nice. ment, prosecuting counsel in court but it was reported by It reminded me of when we Fiona O’Kane told the court the police at the time that as well were younger and touring.” complainants would be giving as the drugs, cops also seized The Nolans, whose hits include I’m In their evidence to the trial by money and drug paraphernalia the Mood for Dancing, Gotta Pull Myself video-link. during the raid on the cannabis Together, Who’s Gonna Rock You and Family admit filming new series has brought them even closer despite Covid and two cancer diagnoses She said the jury hearing growing operation. Chemistry, were often referred to as the would take around a week. In court on Thursday, defence ‘First Family of Music’ and sold over 30 With the trial scheduled for lawyer Mr Browne asked for million records. treatable but not curable so I know it Tom as they went through their treat- thought of somebody at home on their Down Under or back to the castle in March 8, Mrs O’Kane and de- sentencing to be adjourned The sisters constantly chatted about will be a continuation of treatment but ment. Praising hospital staff who helped own and trying to get through it, though. Wales? fence counsel Justin Byrne told to allow for the completion of the old times when they were back togeth- I feel good. My hair is just about starting POMP: Linda, her during chemotherapy, Linda added: You know, I was traumatised when I lost Linda wishes she had done it before Judge Gordon Kerr QC the case reports, revealing that heavi- er filming the show and also when they to grow back. I was traumatised when Anne, Bernie, “We were lucky in that respect, but it was my hair. Absolutely. But I had somebody but both she and Maureen are rooting for would “benefit from a review” ly-tattooed Battisti “had very got together for The Nolans Go Cruising it came off but it’s like bum fluff now.” Coleen and very different because of Covid. And it’s at home going, ‘It’s ok, this is a massive Coleen (below) to follow in the footsteps which was listed for February 24. significant multi-drug addic- television series. The hardest thing for the siblings was Maureen Nolan scary because, Anne and I, our immune thing for a woman’.” of her ex-husband. tion” problems. “We did reminisce. We have never not being able to give Linda or Anne in their heyday; systems have been depleted, because of The family all united in their support She revealed: “I wish I had done it but and (left) Freeing Battisti on continuing laughed so much especially when Shane, a comforting hug due to the Covid-19 chemo so we do have to be wary with who of their ex-brother-in-law Shane Richie as I don’t think I could now. I’m desperate Passenger jet bail, Judge Patricia Smyth said Coleen’s son, was with us too. And he’s so pandemic as they went through the Bernie died we’re mixing with. he competed on I’m A Celebrity at the end for Coleen to do it. I think she’s like us in 2013 she would pass sentence on funny and I just laughed and it’s lovely treatment but the Nolans rallied to “And I think some people are fright- of the last year. Shane, who was married though with insects and everything she goes missing February 12. to laugh,” added Maureen. make sure they were supported as best ened to go to hospital for treatments and to Coleen with whom he has two hates them. But she’d have a go. But it isn’t all laughs with the family. they could be. stuff but really we had all our treatment children, Jake and Shane Junior, Added Maureen: “I hate to be A PASSENGER jet carrying 62 After tragically losing their sister Bernie Maureen explained: “Well obviously during the first lockdown, and the hos- came third on the ITV show. mercenary but I probably couldn’t people yesterday lost contact to breast cancer in July 2013, both sisters it’s been a horrendous time for everybody pital was the safest place to be. Maureen admitted: “We all turn the money down for one with air traffic controllers after Three dead in Linda (61) and Anne (69) are facing their but with the cancer as well it was awful. It “They were so vigilant about watched it every night. I voted thing, But I’m literally scared taking off from Indonesia’s capi- own battles with cancer. made it twice as bad because of Covid, everything. So I’m doing okay but Anne for him every night because of everything. I’m really claus- tal on a domestic flight. snow storm After both being diagnosed because normally as the family we got great news and then she’s just fin- he’s got a weak stomach but trophobic. The older I get the The Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737- STORM Filomena yesterday in May 2020, they underwent are all together. Linda’s husband ishing off for treatment, which will take he did great. We were very worse it gets but I wouldn’t 500 was on a 90-minute flight blanketed parts of Spain in their treatment during lock- used to call us an army, whenever another year.” proud of him.” be a wimpy girl hope- from Jakarta to Pontianak, the heavy snow, causing at least down. Linda has liver cancer, anybody was in trouble we’d all really very strange for us.” Denise recalled daughters and she was distraught about The sisters have not shied away from Denise added: “He fully. I think Coleen capital of West Kalimantan three deaths. her third recurrence of the close ranks and support them, even how she had a tearful encounter on Anne’s that more than the cancer. I think they discussing their fight against cancer came across as very would do well if she province on Indonesia’s Borneo Madrid, one of the worst disease — she was diagnosed in good times. doorstep when they were unable to hug both handled the cancer amazingly. But in interviews as well as on their show nice. The whole group did it but she would island. There were 56 passen- affected areas, is due to see up with secondary terminal breast “We couldn’t really do any of each other. they were missing the family. Straighta- because they want to help other people were good and it was have Shane Junior gers and six crew members to 20cm (eight inches) of snow cancer in 2017. Anne has breast that and Linda and Anne sep- She recalled: “I remember popping way, Maureen went, ‘Ok I’ll move in with going through similar that don’t have the really enjoyable to voting for her to do onboard. by today. cancer for a second time. arately spent time in hospital. down to Anne’s and standing at the Anne’, who lives with our 86-year-old aunt same family support. watch.” every trial.” Contact was lost 45 minutes A 54-year-old man was found Speaking about her diagnosis, Anne was 11 days and Linda doorstep. who has skin cancer.” “People say, ‘You are so open about And if the call ever n The Nolans: into the flight. dead under snow in the town of Linda told me: “I’m good actually. was eight or something. And “And she starts crying ‘I just want to Maureen moved in and then Linda it’,” Linda said. “But it’s because we have came could we see a Gold is on sale Fishermen later spotted met- Zarzalejo and two other people I mean, I know that my cancer is we couldn’t visit so that’s hug my girls’. She couldn’t even hug her moved in with Denise and her partner got a fabulous family. I can’t bear the Nolan sister going now al objects believed to be parts were said to have been swept of a plane in the Thousand away by floods near Malaga. Islands chain north of Jakarta.