Coleen Nolan told to get gastric band and lose weight 'to stay on primetime TV'

We were all shocked to hear the claims of Coleen Nolan’s treatment at the hands of TV executives - and now her agent Melanie Blake has spoken to Woman’s Own to reveal the extent of the disgraceful comments Coleen has had to deal with.

Agent and author Melanie, who also works with stars including Beverley Callard, has claimed Loose Women host Coleen has been told on multiple occasions she would only get telly work if she ‘stayed thin’. 

 ‘Coleen was told that if she wanted to stay in primetime TV she had to lose weight - and sadly it worked. She lost a lot of weight when she did Dancing on Ice in 2009 and that resulted in her getting a lot of TV work.’ thinks Melanie.

 But shockingly Melanie claims that the people booking Coleen, 55, through her said they would do so on only one condition. Melanie adds, ‘Every TV show asked me, “She is going to stay thin, isn’t she?” During a meeting about one TV show, the executive said to her, “You’re really great for this, but what are we going to do about that?” And he actually prodded her stomach! And then he said, ‘Why don’t you try a gastric band?”’

 Opening up about the sexist remarks she’s received from telly bosses, Coleen recently said, ‘I’ve had: ‘oh, you’re getting on a bit now, so maybe you’re not right for prime time. And yet you see all these guys in prime time, some overweight, some certainly in their 60s and 70s.’

 Thankfully it seems the comments haven’t affected Coleen too much, as she previously admitted that she’s learned to love her body. I think the positive thing about getting in your fifties is that all of a sudden you go, “I really don’t care what you think as long as I’m happy”. We think you look great, Coleen.