Coleen Nolan has revealed the unexpected way her romance with boyfriend Ryan Brockbank began, admitting that the 41-year-old fashion lecturer was the one who made the first move. The 61-year-old Loose Women presenter shared that Ryan sent her a message on Instagram in May, shortly after her unsuccessful experience on the dating show Celebs Go Dating. Despite their 20-year age gap and the speed at which their relationship has developed, Coleen says she believes she has finally found the person she has been searching for all her life.
Ryan recently shared a glimpse of their first conversation online, showing how he initially reached out with a simple message asking Coleen if she wanted to meet for a drink. His first message read, “Hey. Hope you are having a great weekend. Drink?” Coleen responded with only a red heart emoji at first, but Ryan continued the conversation by asking whether she was watching Eurovision. The exchange soon became playful and flirtatious, with the pair joking and teasing each other before their connection grew into something much more serious.
After posting the screenshot of their first messages, Ryan uploaded a photo of himself and Coleen together, captioning it with “How it started” and “How it’s going.” The couple’s relationship has moved quickly, with Coleen openly admitting that she feels happier than she has in years. She has even revealed that she is ready to walk down the aisle again, despite previously saying she would never get married for a third time.
During an episode of her podcast Nolans Uncensored, Coleen discussed marriage while talking about her daughter Ciara’s upcoming wedding plans. The conversation took an unexpected turn when Coleen admitted that meeting Ryan had changed her mind about marriage. She explained that she had always believed she would not marry again, but Ryan was different. According to Coleen, he is the person she has been waiting for and someone who matches everything she has wanted for decades.
Her daughter Ciara, 25, had a surprising and slightly uncomfortable reaction when she discovered that her mother was considering another wedding. While discussing Ciara’s own plans, Coleen joked that her daughter was getting married while she was preparing for her third marriage. Ciara immediately expressed her shock, admitting that she did not want to hear too many details because the idea made her feel uncomfortable. Coleen laughed and reassured her that she would not interfere with her daughter’s big day.
The couple’s whirlwind romance has also included matching tattoos, something that left Ciara and the rest of the family stunned. Coleen revealed that she and Ryan had matching designs, including an “R,” a heart, and the words “Until the end” on her forearm. Ciara jokingly told listeners that her mother had “lost the plot” after seeing the tattoos, saying the family privately reacted with disbelief. Coleen, however, defended her decision, laughing that she had not lost her mind but had simply “lost her heart.”
Before finding happiness with Ryan, Coleen had been open about her struggles with dating. She previously described her appearance on Celebs Go Dating as a difficult experience, admitting that being rejected by potential matches affected her confidence. She said the process was embarrassing at times, especially when dates did not show interest, but she believed the experience helped her grow and understand herself better. Although the show did not lead to romance, Coleen now believes it helped her become ready for the relationship she has today.
Coleen was previously married twice. Her first marriage was to actor Shane Richie from 1990 until 1999, with whom she shares two sons, Shane, 37, and Jake, 33. She later married Ray Fensome in 2007, and they welcomed their daughter Ciara before separating in 2018. Now, after years of searching for love, Coleen says Ryan has brought something different into her life. The couple are believed to have already enjoyed romantic trips together, and their relationship continues to attract attention as Coleen embraces a new chapter and considers saying “I do” for the third time.
