Coleen Nolan emotionally discussed the death of her sister Bernie on Thursday's (24 April) episode of Loose Women. The TV personality shared her experience of parenting after losing her sister to cancer in July 2013, and revealed a regret she harbours from that time.

"So Bernie passed away, and Ciara went on a school trip. I think it was her last year or two in primary," Coleen shared with her fellow panellists.

She continued: "And, it was that moment of 'Do we bring her back for the funeral?' or 'Do we just let her have her moment as a kid and stay away?' She doesn't need to see us all crying and sad."

Coleen disclosed that she decided against bringing Ciara back from her school trip for the funeral, but her daughter later expressed a wish to have attended the service.

"So, we didn't. She knew that Bernie passed. She stayed on her school holiday," Coleen explained. "But, to this day, she's 24 in June now, she always says, 'I wish you had brought me back.'"

She added: "Because she doesn't feel that she got to grieve properly over her auntie Bernie, like she did with Linda recently."

However, Coleen also revealed that her two sons, Jake and Shane Jr., whom she shares with her first husband, Shane Richie, had a different reaction when they experienced the loss of their grandfather, Coleen's father, during their younger years, the Mirror reports.

She recounted how her son Shane Jr. chose not to attend the funeral, whereas Jake firmly decided to go; she respected their individual choices.

Coleen's co-stars agreed with her parenting approach, but she expressed regret that her daughter Ciara missed Bernie’s funeral, confessing, " But I feel bad now with Ciara because at the time, I thought I was doing the right thing."

The Nolan family has endured its share of sorrow, with Bernie passing away in 2013 and more recently, Linda succumbing to cancer earlier this year after a protracted battle that began with a breast cancer diagnosis in 2005.

The spectre of illness continues to loom over the family; both Coleen and her sister Anne have faced cancer diagnoses themselves. Coleen received news of skin cancer in 2023, mirroring Anne's earlier confrontation with breast cancer in 2000.

In the latest unfolding events, their brother Brian has come forward with his prostate cancer diagnosis, currently receiving treatment.

Loose Women airs on ITV1 on weekdays from 12.30pm