Coleen Nolan was ready to ditch dating apps altogether, but gave Tinder one last shot before meeting her current partner Michael Jones.
The mother-of-three, 56, who split from her guitarist husband Ray Fensome in 2018 after 11 years of marriage, told the Daily Mirror she was ready to give up on love just before she met Michael, 57 years old, online.
She said: “I was literally about to quit the app when I spotted Michael and swiped right.”
Lucky in love: Coleen Nolan, 65, was ready to give up dating apps altogether, but gave Tinder one last shot before meeting her current partner Michael Jones, 57
The Loose Woman explained how she went on several dates with different men but couldn’t find anyone she felt she had a spark with.
She added that one could not handle the fact that she had a high-profile career in the public eye.
However, just when she was about to give up, she swiped straight to Tinder and hooked up with Michael.
Looking back: The mother-of-three, 56, split from her guitarist husband Ray Fensome in 2018 after 11 years of marriage
Coleen explained: “I was fed up, but Michael showed up. I thought “Oh he’s nice” and something stopped me from deleting my account.
“Looking back it wasn’t even a nice picture of him, it looked like he had just rolled out of bed, but something caught my eye and that was it.”
“I slid right, we had a game, and I’m so glad I did.”
Honest: The Loose Woman explained how she went on several dates with different men, but couldn’t find anyone she felt she had a spark with and almost gave up dating apps
After exchanging texts, the pair met at a pub near Coleen’s home in Cheshire and where Michael lives in Warrington.
The singer was due to perform on a cruise with her band The Nolans and she tried to reschedule the date until she returned to the UK, but Michael insisted they meet beforehand.
Coleen says she’s never felt so confident in a relationship, which means seven months after their first date, they’re doing great.
The media personality kept her relationship private at this time, but also opened up about it on Loose Women on Tuesday.
While she says she fell head over heels in love with Michael, who brings “calm to my life”, she admits it has been more difficult for her children, especially daughter Ciara, 21.
Speaking to Michael’s panel, Coleen said: ‘He’s the most laid back, calm, takes everything in his stride I’ve ever met.
Family dynamic: Coleen added that while she fell head over heels in love with Michael, it was more difficult for her children, especially her daughter Ciara, 21 (pictured)
“It’s a weird world to walk into and he’s had a nice normal life and then I’m throwing him out with y’all.”
Coleen went on to explain how her relationship with Michael was different from her previous relationships.
She said: “Seven months next week we are together, this is the first time I’ve talked about him as usual when I meet someone they moved into within the week.”
Second marriage: Coleen has been married twice before, to Ray Fensome from 2007 to 2018. She shares daughter Ciara with him (pictured 2013)
“This time, I wanted to keep it as private as possible.”
Coleen said taking their relationship slowly has really helped them get to know each other, adding: “he brings such calm to my life”.
When asked how her three children have reacted to her new relationship, Coleen said: “I think it’s been an adjustment for them, certainly for Ciara who’s had me all to herself for years, it’s was difficult for her at first.
“It was hard to see a man come in and do everything with me. His dad wasn’t really like that.
Coleen went on to explain that Michael was “the opposite of anyone I’ve been with before.”
“At first it put me off,” he said. ‘He’s not too nice as in boring, there’s a line and he won’t let me go with anything. He’s just caring and laid back.
“It was just something I wasn’t used to.”
Coleen and Michael went public with their romance in a joint interview with OK! Magazine. this week.
The couple say marriage is “inevitable” and reveal they both said the L-word.
The past: She married Shane Richie in 1990 and shares sons Shane and Jake with him (pictured 1997)
After the first date at a local pub that lasted six hours, Coleen and Michael fell head over heels and bragged about their instant chemistry during the joint interview.
“It’s just nice to know that I’m not dead from the waist down!” Coleen admitted: “It’s better than ever and everything is in working order. It’s a fantastic feeling.
“I’ll be sitting there in my pajamas with no makeup on, puffy eyes and a cold sore and he’s still looking at me like I’m the best thing since sliced bread,” the ITV star confessed.
“Normally I would think, ‘I have to put on makeup, otherwise he won’t like me or like me! And Michael came over and he’s looking at me like I’ve never been looked at before.
It’s Coleen’s first relationship since her 11-year marriage to ex Ray broke up in 2018. The former couple share daughter Ciara.
Coleen was also married to actor Shane Ritchie between 1990 and 1997 and shares sons Shane Nolan, 30, and Jake Roche, 29, with the TV personality. Michael shares a son Nico, 20, with his ex.
Breaking her silence: The media personality kept her relationship private for seven months, but also spoke about it on Loose Women on Tuesday