Coleen Nolan has said she was “really hurt” by “upsetting” reports about supposed backstage drama at Loose Women, as she issued another denial about the claims.
Earlier this month, ITV bosses shot down a story in the Mail On Sunday claiming that some panellists on the lunchtime show had requested not to share the panel with Coleen.
At the time, the Nolans singer also said that “nothing printed in The Mail... is true” and that she was “taking legal advice about the slurs on me personally”.
She has now addressed the matter in an interview with OK! magazine, insisting she gets on with “all” panellists on the ITV daytime show and they had supported her following the tabloid claims.
“It really hurt,” she said. “The girls have been so supportive – besides, none of us on Loose Women have ever said we wouldn’t work with anyone else. It was just so upsetting.
“Brenda [Edwards], Ruth [Langsford] and Janet [Street Porter] are the ones I’m always talking to. But I love Christine [Lampard]. I left her out last time and she said, ‘I thought I was your friend!’
“I get on with all of them. I would never refuse to work with anybody.”
Refuting claims in the original story about her attitude backstage, Coleen continued: “I could never be ‘high and mighty’ because my mother would jump up from her grave and batter me.
“I can’t stand divas of any kind. I’ve had enough drama in my life, I don’t need any more.
“This is my time to enjoy myself, and I’m not going to let anyone spoil it. I just want a quiet life, feeding my goats and doing Loose Women.”
A spokesperson for Loose Women previously told HuffPost UK that the Mail On Sunday report was “untrue”, adding: “Panellists are chosen for each show by the Loose Women Editor and senior production team, not the panellists themselves.”
Coleen had previously promised to speak about the issue live on Loose Women, but ultimately did not address it when she appeared on the panel last Monday.
She later explained to her followers: “I’m so sorry we couldn’t say what we planned to today but my lawyer advised me to go through the legal process, but rest assured you will hear the outcome of this and I will share it when I can.
“Thank you all for your support as ever.”
In her interview with OK! Coleen again confirmed she was taking legal action, adding: “Sadly my solicitors have told me not to talk about it.”
After the article was published, the former Celebrity Big Brother winner received support from a number of her fellow panellists, including Stacey Solomon, Charlene White and Janet Street-Porter:
Loose Women airs weekdays at 12.30pm on ITV.