Coleen Nolan has quit ‘Loose Women’ and cancelled her recently announced solo tour after receiving a “horrifying torrent of online abuse” following her row with Kim Woodburn on the ITV daytime show.
Last week, Coleen appeared in a segment with her former ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ co-star Kim Woodburn, in a feature which was billed as the two of them attempting to bury the hatchet.
But that’s not quite how things played out, with Kim eventually storming off the set and claiming she’d been treated unfairly.
Since then, Coleen has revealed that she’s faced frequent abuse on social media, branding the past seven days the “worst week of her life”.
In a statement issued on Thursday afternoon, the presenter and singer said: “Following the constant online bullying, trolling and misrepresentation of her words actions and reactions, it is with sad regret that Coleen is taking an immediate hiatus from all her current commitments including Loose Women and postponing her Never Too Late solo concert tour.
“Coleen has spent 50 years in showbusiness and 18 years as one of the most loved members of the Loose Women panel, and has never been subjected to such a horrifying torrent of online abuse of such a heart-breaking attack on her reputation.”
The statement added: “Coleen is devastated to let her supporters and fans down, but is currently not strong enough to withstand this constant and unfounded online abuse, so she will be taking time out and spending it with her children and family where she feels loved and respected.
“She sends her love to everyone who has supported her and knows who she really is and plans to return when she feels stronger.”
Since the interview aired, Kim has called for Coleen and her sister Linda Nolan to be sacked from ‘Loose Women’, claiming they “mocked” her when she began recalling the abuse she’d suffered as a child.
Coleen, meanwhile, has expressed regret over taking part in the segment at all, insisting: “I wish I could go back in time and not do it. It was ugly, upsetting and unpleasant for everyone.”
