Coleen Nolan left 'Loose Women' after receiving "death threats".

Coleen Nolan

Coleen Nolan

The 53-year-old star took a three month break from the daytime show last year following a furious on-air row with her former 'Celebrity Big Brother' housemate Kim Woodburn and she's admitted she was devastated by the aftermath, which saw someone tell her they hoped she "died of cancer", just like her actress sister Bernie, who passed away in 2013.

Coleen - who split from husband Ray Fensome last year - told Notebook magazine: "Everything spiralled. I'd ploughed on with work and hadn't faced up to my divorce.

"But when the death threats happened it was a catalyst and it all hit me. I needed to get a grip on my life.

"You have to be made of steel to not be affected by hurtful comments. But when people were saying things like: 'I hope you die of cancer like your sister', it was time to stop."

The former Nolan Sisters singer returned to the show in November and is delighted to be back on the panel.

She said: "It's fabulous to be back. I was rugby tackled by this lot in excitement on my first day. Very touching."

Throughout her break, Coleen received a lot of support from her co-stars.

Fellow panellist Saira Khan said: "We're all best mates, so if anything happens to your mates you miss them. We all sent our well wishes and waited for her return....

"We all checked in and texted every week. It wasn't the same without her, but we supported her every step of the way."

Kim has previously slammed the way she was treated by Coleen and her sister Linda Nolan on the show, accusing them of "ambushing" her.

She said: "I was ambushed, it was disgusting.

"It was like a circus and I was there for some cruel entertainment. I want Coleen and her sister fired."

During her brief appearance on the programme, Kim slammed her fellow former 'CBB' housemate Coleen as "lying trash" and a "piece of filth".

She said: "I will never forget what the likes of her and the seven others put me through. I'll never forget it. Never. It was sad and awful and it was bloody cruel.

"I lose my temper but I've got a good heart and soul. She sits there, she's hard as nails. She's a con artist.

"I wouldn't want to sit and talk to lying trash like you. You think what you like. She is trash. Anyone who can stand in a group of seven people and bully ... you are trash, you're a piece of filth!"