HEARTBREAKINGColeen Nolan Finally Opens Up About Her Son’s Secret Struggle and the Private Family Battle She Fought in Silence, as Her Raw Good Morning Britain Confession Touches Millions

Coleen Nolan has spoken with rare honesty about one of the most painful chapters of her life, revealing the emotional toll of watching her son struggle with addiction — and the impossible choices she faced as a mother.

Appearing on Good Morning Britain, the 60-year-old television star reflected on what she described as “years of crying” as her son Shane Nolan Jr, 36, battled substance abuse behind closed doors.

“It’s devastating to watch someone you love go through that,” Coleen said. “As a parent, every instinct tells you to fix it — but you can’t.”

‘People Told Me to Turn Him Away’

Coleen admitted there were moments when even those close to her urged a harsher approach.

“I was told more than once that I should make him leave the house,” she explained. “But he’s my child. That wasn’t something I could do.”

She described how easy it was to excuse worrying behaviour in the hope that things would improve.

“I kept telling myself he was just tired, just going through a phase,” she said. “You don’t want to believe the truth.”

That denial ended when a serious incident left Shane needing medical treatment — a moment Coleen now calls her breaking point.

“I remember thinking, ‘If this doesn’t change something, I might lose him,’” she said.

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Coleen Nolan opened up about her son Shane’s addiction after ‘years of crying’ – and admitted that she was urged to ‘kick him out of the family home’ when he hit rock bottom on Friday on Good Morning Britain

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Speaking about the decision to talk about his addiction, Coleen (pictured with Shane), said: ‘When he did it, we were both nervous. I was quite emotional, because it’s really hard as a parent or relative to watch an addict’

The Weight of Guilt

Coleen confessed that guilt haunted her throughout the ordeal.

“I truly believed I’d failed as a mother,” she said. “I replayed everything in my head, wondering what I’d done wrong.”

Over time, she came to understand a painful truth.

“Addiction isn’t something love alone can cure,” she said. “The only person who could make that change was Shane himself.”

Speaking Out Brought Relief

Shane’s decision to talk publicly about his addiction earlier this year was entirely his own, Coleen stressed.

“When he told his story, we were both nervous,” she said. “But afterwards, he said something that stayed with me.”

“He told me it felt like a weight had been lifted,” she added.

Shane later explained that constant touring, late nights, emotional strain and personal upheaval gradually pushed him toward drugs as a way to cope.

A New Chapter

After entering rehab, Shane turned his life around. He has since welcomed a baby son with his partner and is now focused on family and recovery.

For Coleen, seeing her son rebuild his life has brought both relief and perspective.

“I’m incredibly proud of him,” she said. “Not because he fell — but because he got back up.”

A Message for Other Families

Now, Coleen hopes sharing her story might help others facing similar struggles.

“There’s still so much misunderstanding around addiction,” she said. “Families carry a lot of silent pain.”

“It’s not about blame,” she added. “It’s about compassion — for them, and for yourself.”