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Bernadette Therese Doneathy (; 17 October 1960 – 4 July 2013) was an Irish actress, singer and television personality, formerly lead vocalist of the girl group the Nolans. She was the second youngest of sisters Anne Nolan, Denise Nolan, Maureen Nolan, Linda Nolan and Coleen Nolan. From the age of two, Bernie was brought up in Blackpool, Lancashire, England.
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). They won the 1981 Tokyo Music Festival with "Sexy Music". Bernie left the group in 1995 to become an actress. On television, she had roles in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside from 2000 to 2002 and the ITV police drama The Bill from 2002 to 2005, while her numerous roles in stage musicals included Mrs. Johnstone in Blood Brothers (1998–2000), Hannah Owens in (2008–2009) and Mama Morton in Chicago (2012). She was also a member of the Nolans line-up that reformed for a successful tour of the UK and Ireland in 2009. She died from breast cancer in July 2013.
In 1974, the sisters formed the Nolan Sisters, later shortened to the Nolans and made their TV debut that year on Cliff Richard's show, It's Cliff Richard. In 1975, they supported Frank Sinatra on his European tour. In 1979, they released their biggest hit "I'm in the Mood for Dancing", which reached number three in the UK and was the first of seven top twenty hits. The others, with Bernie Nolan usually singing lead vocals, were "Don't Make Waves", (1980) "Gotta Pull Myself Together" (1980), "Who's Gonna Rock You" (1980), "Attention to Me" (1981), "Chemistry" (1981) and "Don't Love Me Too Hard" (1982). The Nolans sold millions of recordings worldwide, particularly in Japan where they sold over nine million albums and won the 1981 Tokyo Music Festival with the song "Sexy Music". Bernie also composed songs during this time, when she wrote two tracks for their 1982 album Portrait. In 1991, the group won Kikaku-shō of the 33rd Japan Record Awards for Cover version of Japanese pops. Japan Composer's Association 33rd Japan Record Awards
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. She left Brookside in 2002 when her character was killed off. She then went on to play Sheelagh Murphy in ITV's police drama series The Bill, in which she starred until 2005.
In 2006, Nolan took part in Channel 4's series The Games. Her stint on the game was to raise money for charity, including Alzheimer's and children's charities. In 2007, she starred in the play Mum's the Word, playing the character 'Robin' which she reprised in the 2008 tour (alongside her sister, Maureen who played Jill) and once again in 2010. During the summer season of 2007, Bernie appeared at the Blackpool North Pier Theatre in her own production, Soap Queens (And Kings!) .[2]
In 2008, Nolan appeared in the UK touring production of Flashdance the Musical for over a year, playing Hannah Owens. 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. In 2012, she appeared as Mama Morton, in the UK tour of the musical Chicago.
At the end of October 2012, Nolan announced that the cancer had returned and had to her brain, lungs, liver and bones. This Morning, 7 May 2013
Nolan died in her sleep, at her home in Surrey, on 4 July 2013, aged 52.
Nolan's funeral service was held on 17 July 2013 at the Grand Theatre, Blackpool and she was later cremated at Carleton Crematorium. Her ashes were then buried alongside those of her stillborn daughter.
| The Singing Nolans |
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| The Nolan Sisters |
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| 20 Giant Hits |
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| Nolan Sisters |
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| Making Waves |
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| Portrait |
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| Girls Just Wanna Have Fun! |
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| Tenderly |
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| Playback Part 2 |
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| Rock and Rolling Idol |
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| Tidal Wave |
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| The Hottest Place on Earth |
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| Please Don't |
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| The Nolans Sing Momoe 2005 |
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| I'm in the Mood Again |
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| The Singing Nolans ( Silent Night) |
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| Dancing Sisters |
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| Greatest Original Hits – 4 Track E.P. |
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| The Nolans |
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| "Blackpool" (as the Singing Nolans) | 1972 |
| "But I Do" (as the Nolan Sisters) | 1974 |
| "(Won't You) Make a Little Sunshine Shine" (as Nolan Sisters) | 1975 |
| "Rain" (as the Nolan Sisters) | 1976 |
| "Thanks for Calling" (as Nolan Sisters) | |
| "When You Are a King" (as the Nolan Sisters) | |
| "Love Transformation" (as Nolan Sisters) | 1977 |
| "Love Bandit" (as Nolan Sisters) | |
| "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" (as the Nolan Sisters) | 1978 |
| "Harry My Honolulu Lover" (as Nolan Sisters) | 1979 |
| "Spirit, Body and Soul" (as Nolan Sisters) | |
| "I'm in the Mood for Dancing" | |
| "Don't Make Waves" | 1980 |
| "Gotta Pull Myself Together" | |
| "Who's Gonna Rock You" | |
| "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" (Japan-only release) | 1981 |
| "Attention to Me" | |
| "Sexy Music" (Japan-only release) | |
| "Chemistry" | |
| "Don't Love Me Too Hard" | |
| "Crashing Down" | 1982 |
| "Dragonfly" | |
| "Dressed to Kill" | 1983 |
| "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" (Japan-only release) | 1985 |
| "Goodbye Nothin' to Say" | |
| "Let's Spend the Night Together" | 1986 |
| "I'm in the Mood for Dancin '89" (re-recording) | 1989 |
| "Take Me All" (Japan-only release) | 1991 |
| "Rock and Rolling Idol" (Japan-only release) | |
| "Tidal Wave" (Japan-only release) | |
| "Sexy Music" (re-recording; Japan-only release) | |
| "Colourful Nolans" (Japan-only release) | 1992 |
| "Mother Earth" (Japan-only release) | |
| "I'm in the Mood for Dancing" (re-recording) | 1995 |
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