Brian Nolan has been diagnosed with cancer just three days after planning a memorial for his sister Linda, who died in January following her 20-year cancer battle.
The 69-year-old is the fifth of eight Nolan siblings to face the disease.
"I just want cancer to leave us alone," Brian told the Mirror. "You're never ready for somebody to say: 'Yes, you've got cancer'. It's like being hit by a train. You start plunging into the abyss of: 'I'm going to die'."
Loose Women presenter Coleen "couldn't speak" when he broke the news, with Brian saying he went numb before wanting to punch walls and scream.
The family lost Bernie to breast cancer in 2013 aged 52, and Linda earlier this year at 65. Anne, 74, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000, while Coleen, 60, learned she had skin cancer in 2023.
Brian has level two prostate cancer which has not spread. His urologist has assured him they will cure the cancer, and he hopes to show the same courage his sisters displayed.
He will soon undergo surgery to remove his prostate gland.
Linda entered end-of-life care in January and passed away on January 15. Reflecting on his silence, Brian believes: "I thought I was doing the right thing and I still do. It would have meant more tears and we were already knee-deep in tears and knee-deep in grief."
The streets of Blackpool were lined with fans on the day of Linda's funeral, as the town bid farewell to the beloved singer. A sparkling pink coffin marked her final journey into St Paul's church in Blackpool, where a constellation of stars gathered to pay their respects, including ex-EastEnders star Shane Ritchie, 61, comedy legend Paul Chuckle, 77, and Corrie and West End talent Jodie Prenger, 45.
In her final moments, Linda was surrounded by love, with Brian dedicating 28 hours by her bedside, even as exhaustion led him to hallucinate. "There were about 20 of us in there. We broke all the rules as we always do and the staff were just extraordinary. She went with everyone she loved around her, just peaceful," he shared.
St Paul's holds sentimental value as it was the very place Linda had married her late husband Brian Hudson, the band's tour manager, back in 1981. Brian Hudson passed away in 2007 after battling skin cancer.
After the emotional ordeal of the funeral, Brian faced the tough task of informing his siblings that he, too, has been diagnosed with cancer. "They were devastated but they were great. We're all in it together," he revealed.
