The Nolans began in 1974 and went on to have seven UK Top 20 hits, including "I'm in the Mood for Dancing" (1979), "Gotta Pull Myself Together" (1980) and "Attention to Me" (1981).

Bernie left the group in 1995 to concentrate on her own acting career, which began with her 1993 performance in the stage play, The Devil Rides Out.

For this, the sisters earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the most siblings to play the same role at different times in a professional production.

In 2000, Nolan joined the cast of Channel 4's soap opera Brookside as Diane Murray after being noticed by Paul Marquess whilst starring in Blood Brothers.

During the summer season of 2007, Bernie appeared at the Blackpool North Pier Theatre in her own production, Soap Queens (And Kings!).

[5] In 2008, Nolan appeared in the UK touring production of Flashdance the Musical for over a year, playing Hannah Owens.

[6] In January and February 2010, she participated in the ITV celebrity reality television programme Popstar to Operastar, reaching the final, where she lost to Darius Campbell.

The album consists mainly of power ballads, including the song "Better Place", written by Nolan's husband in memory of their daughter, Kate, who was stillborn in 1998.

In 2009, four of the Nolan sisters, Bernie, Coleen, Linda and Maureen, reformed for a successful 23-date tour of the UK and Ireland.

[14] At the end of October 2012, Nolan announced that the cancer had returned and had metastasised to her brain, lungs, liver and bones.

[10][16] Nolan's funeral service was held on 17 July 2013 at the Grand Theatre, Blackpool and she was later cremated at Carleton Crematorium.