Coleen Nolan has been very open about life as a mum and has now shared the feeling that has hit her over the years as her children have grown up and moved away Loose Women's Coleen Nolan shares her heartache in a candid chat about the challenge that many parents face but few speak about - the dreaded empty nest. Life presents a range of events including births, deaths, and weddings, yet there are certain pivotal changes that seldom grace our conversations. Coleen opened up on how she grapples with this change, revealing to podcaster GK Barry the sense of loss she felt when her youngest child flew the nest.
The broadcaster, aged 59, described feeling "bereft" as the last of her brood left home, sharing that she has since filled the void with a host of animals. In an intimate revelation, she told of her large and diverse animal family: "I've got four dogs, six cats, some ducks, some chickens and some goat." She spoke of initially having two goats before acquiring another three with two being "tiny babies," reports the Mirror .
She reflected on the evolution of her household, tracing back to when her children started their own independent journeys: "I think I've ended up getting more and more animals because my kids have all moved away." Coleen spoke candidly about her kids leaving home. She said: "I never thought that empty nest syndrome was a thing, because when they were little, I was counting the days .
..I thought 'They're five, now not long!" She confessed that she looked forward to reclaiming her life, only to be met with an unexpected emotional reality: "I was thinking that it would be great you get your own life back but honest to God it's the worst feeling I've ever had bereft.
" Even though some of her children didn't stray far, Coleen admits to battling loneliness: "Shane's only just moved out, he's 35, and Kira lives in an annexe within the house and Jake lives in London. "But at one point they were all away. Kira went travelling this year for about six months, and then Shane wasn't there and Jake lives in London .
..and remember you're at that age when you're going through the menopause it's literally like nature and life are saying 'You're done now, you can die.
There's no need for you any more'." Coleen Nolan has opened up about her struggle with empty nest syndrome after her children left home. The Loose Women star shares two sons, Shane Nolan, 35, and Jake Roche, 31, with her first husband Shane Richie, and a daughter, Ciara Fensome, 23, with her second husband Ray Fensome.
She also revealed that one of her children pointed out she's filled her home with "surrogate children" - her vast collection of animals. She said: "I'm just animal crazy, I always was. All I wanted to do I was to be a vet when I was growing up and then I realised that actually animals don't like vets and I thought 'No, I want them to love me'.
" However, Coleen admitted there is some truth to the suggestion that she has filled her life with pets as her children have gone on to make lives of their own..
