Coleen Nolan’s “Hard Launch”: Secret Tattoos, Family Group Chat Panic, and a Brand New Romance
After weeks of teasing and speculation, the cat is finally out of the bag. Coleen Nolan, the beloved Loose Women star, has officially debuted her new romance, and the internet—along with her own family—is buzzing with the news. But it’s not just the sweet confirmation of her relationship that has everyone talking; it’s the shocking, permanent steps the 61-year-old has taken to prove her love.
For weeks, listeners of the podcast hosted by Coleen and her children, Ciara and Shane, have been treated to hints and playful jabs about a mysterious new man in Coleen’s life. The teasing finally culminated in what her daughter, Ciara, perfectly described as a “hard launch.” Taking to Instagram, Coleen posted a loved-up selfie with her new partner, Ryan Brockbank, an educational leader at a London fashion college. The caption was simple yet definitive: a single “R” followed by a love heart. It was a bold statement that she is officially off the market.
However, the real drama unfolded behind the scenes, as revealed by Ciara during a recent podcast episode. While discussing the Instagram reveal, Ciara dropped a bombshell that left listeners stunned: Coleen didn’t just go Instagram official; she went tattoo official.
Before Coleen could steer the conversation away, her daughter jokingly began singing, “It’s matching with Ryan,” exposing that the Loose Women panelist had taken a massive leap by getting a tattoo of the first letter of her new beau’s name. But the surprises didn’t stop there. Ciara went on to reveal that her mother hadn’t stopped at just one tattoo. She had a second piece of ink done on her hand, reading the profound and permanent phrase, “Until the end.”
The revelation of these tattoos sent shockwaves through the Nolan family group chat. Ciara humorously recounted the panic that ensued among the siblings. “She sent it in the group chat, and we all wanted to kill ourselves,” Ciara shared candidly. “We were all texting each other privately going, ‘Mum’s lost the plot, she’s lost her head’.”
It’s a reaction many children might have when their parent makes such a swift and permanent declaration of love, especially considering that Coleen’s Loose Women co-star, Jane Moore, noted the pair have only been dating for a few months. But Coleen, ever the witty and self-assured personality, took the dramatic family reaction in stride.
Laughing off the concern, Coleen fired back with a line straight out of a romantic movie: “I haven’t though, I’ve just lost my heart.” This poetic defense prompted Ciara to playfully pretend to vomit, a classic mother-daughter interaction that highlights their close, bantering relationship.
Despite the initial shock and the lighthearted teasing, Ciara made sure to emphasize her genuine happiness for her mother. “I love Ry Ry,” she stated, though she admitted that it was still “weird” to see her mum so publicly loved-up with somebody new. It’s a transition for any family, but one that seems rooted in joy for Coleen’s newfound happiness.
This new chapter comes on the heels of Coleen’s recent appearance on the reality show Celebs Go Dating. While her time on the show didn’t result in a romantic match, she previously stated that the experience taught her “a lot” about herself. It appears that self-discovery paved the way for her current relationship with Ryan, marking her first publicly known partner since her split from Michael Jones last year.
Before Michael, Coleen was married to Ciara’s father, Ray Fensome, from 2007 until their divorce in 2018. Her first marriage was to actor Shane Richie, with whom she shares two sons, Shane Nolan and Jack Roche. That marriage ended in 1999. After navigating the ups and downs of public relationships and heartbreaks, it’s heartening to see Coleen finding love again.
The response from the public has been overwhelmingly positive, a fact that hasn’t gone unnoticed by Coleen. Taking a moment to address the reaction, she expressed her gratitude for the support she received, which included touching messages from her Loose Women colleagues, Ruth Langsford and Katie Piper.
“I’m always on here moaning about trolls and social media being toxic and everything,” Coleen reflected, “but honestly, people’s messages were fabulous, so thank you to everyone who messaged, I really appreciate it.”
In an era where social media can often be a harsh environment, the outpouring of love for Coleen’s new relationship is a refreshing change of pace. Whether her family thinks she’s “lost her head” or not, Coleen Nolan is clearly following her heart. And with matching tattoos to prove it, it seems she and Ryan are in it “until the end.”
