COLEEN Nolan has urged smokers to follow in her footsteps after she kicked the habit after 40 years of smoking.
The singer and presenter, 58, opened up about how she thought she was “going to die” when she was struggling to breathe because of an acute chest infection.
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She gave up cigarettes after the health scare and has not smoked for more than three months.
The Loose Women presenter, who rose to fame as a child singing with her sisters in The Nolans, said she was not aware of the health risks when she first started smoking.
She has joined forces with leading health charities Cancer Research UK, Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) and Asthma and Lung UK and the Government to urge smokers to quit on No Smoking Day.
Coleen said: “I smoked for about 40 years and was heavily influenced by my friends and family around me.
“At such a young age I wasn’t aware of the health risks of smoking and soon found myself becoming addicted.
“Following a recent health scare, I realised how precious life is and became determined to quit, not just for my own health, but so I can be there fully for my children and grandchildren.
“To anyone out there thinking of giving up smoking, my advice is do it.”
Around 6.6million Brits —13.3 per cent — were regular smokers in 2021, according to the most recent figures from the Office for National Statistics.
It was the smallest proportion of smokers since records began in 2011, with rates falling for decades.
Despite the decline of smoking, it is still a major strain on the NHS, contributing to tens of thousands of cancer cases and deaths every year.
Cigarettes kill. They cause at least 15 different types of cancers and increase your risk of developing more than 50 serious health conditions
Professor Sir Chris Whitty
Tobacco costs the UK public purse around £20.6billion per year, according to Action on Smoking and Health.
The Government is aiming to make Britain “smoke-free” by 2030, meaning less than 5 per cent of Brits would be smoking by then.
The new campaign urges England’s 5.3million smokers to make a quit attempt through their local stop smoking services, which can be found through the Better Health NHS tool.
Professor Sir Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, said: “Cigarettes kill. They cause at least 15 different types of cancers and increase your risk of developing more than 50 serious health conditions.
“Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health – no matter your age or how long you have smoked.”
Public health minister Dame Andrea Leadsom said: “Cigarettes are responsible for 64,000 deaths a year in England — no other consumer product kills up to two-thirds of its users.”
For free support to quit search ‘smokefree’ or visit the NHS Better Health Quit Smoking website.
How to contact a stop smoking adviser
Your GP, pharmacist or health visitor can refer you, or you can phone your local stop smoking service to make an appointment with an adviser.