Linda Nolan has revealed that Bernie Nolan's death brought an end to the rift that divided the famous sisters. "We're all fine now," the singer said. "We're back going to Bingo together. We've got our Sunday nights sorted.""But when Bernie was taken ill everything fell into perspective. We were saying 'I've missed you and now we need you'."
The six sister act fell out after the four youngest members, Bernie, Coleen, Linda and Maureen, reunited for a comeback tour without Anne and Denise.Although the four youngest sisters claimed it was the decision of the record label, Anne blamed it on a row she'd had with her brother-in-law Ray Fensome, the husband of former Loose Women presenter Coleen. "We fell out initially, one of my sisters and husband of another sister. I won't name names. That escalated," Linda told The Mirror.
"Then with the reunion 2009 tour, the record company wanted the four of us, the original line up. It was hard for Anne. I understood how she felt. It got out what happened and we didn't speak to her for three years. "Denise lives three doors away from me but I hardly saw her. How mad it was the way it happened. "Linda explained that the sisters put the past behind them when Bernie was diagnosed with cancer. "I was with Bernie both times when it was back and then when it had spread. We needed our big sister there. "Anne said 'I've missed four years of Bernie's life. I don't want to miss anyone else's life'."You know things are said in arguments that you may never forget. Both sides. I don't just mean them. You think: 'It all falls into place'."You think 'life is too short' and you think 'you're lucky we have a family you can call on for support'."
The band, who first formed in 1974, are hoping to tour again when the time is right.They will pay tribute to their sister Bernie, who lost her three-year battle with cancer in July, in the performance by projecting her image on stage. "We were going to tour this year and then Bernie was taken seriously ill," 54-year-old Linda said. "We will when we feel it is right. "At the moment it would just feel weird without her as she was such a big part of our lives and a part of our act. She was the lead singer on a lot of our songs. "It would be nice to do something. To have her with us. To have her on video on stage. To not have her there just wouldn't feel right."