Andrea McLean returned to the Loose Women panel as a guest to open up on her near-death experience which saw her leave the UK for a new life in Spain with her family
A Loose Women legend returned to the ITV daytime show to open up about her “second chance at life” after her near-death experience.
Andrea McLean announced her decision to leave Loose Women five years ago and returned on Thursday (December 4) to chat to her former colleagues about her life now.
The former GMTV weather presenter, 56, has decided to quit the UK and relocate to Spain for a fresh start with her husband Nick Feene after an incredibly difficult time.
Mother-of-two Andrea came close to death when she collapsed at home and was later diagnosed with severe pneumonia, acute kidney injury and sepsis.
Speaking to panelists Charlene White, Coleen Nolan, Katie Piper and Jane Moore via video link from Spain, Andrea explained: “It’s been all the feels to be honest.
“Like anything, I’ve been wanting to move back to sunshine because I grew up in Trinidad in the Caribbean.
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“Nick and I talk about moving abroad and the timing was never right and then, as you know, I has such a horrible end to last year and start to this year where I was seriously ill, I nearly didn’t have any time left and everything seemed to align.
She continued: “We didn’t pack everything, we sold everything. We travelled really light. Everything we owned was in the back seat of the car, apart from a few Christmas decorations which we left in storage, and we headed off not knowing if it was going to work or not and here we are.”
Andrea went on to share that her hair started falling out due to her ill health which forced her to ditch her trademark brunette hair extensions and she now rocks a stylish bob.
She previously took to Instagram to tell her followers: “I’ve had a bit of a shocker over the past few years – not only health-wise but obviously my business failing, and then it culminated at the start of the year being very unwell.
“What it made me realise… oh gosh… you only get one shot and you have to seize the day. I don’t know why I crying, it’s so silly, I didn’t mean to do this.
“Those of you who know me, I’ve always wanted to live by the sea and in the sun. So that’s what we’re doing. The timing of course is not perfect, timing isn’t always perfect, there’s never a perfect moment.
“But what I realised at the start of this year is you don’t know how many moments you might have left. You have to seize them.”
The telly presenter’s voice cracked and she began to sob as she explained her near-fatal emergency had given her clarity on the future.
Andrea continued: “We have this little picture that we’ve always hung above our door and we always try to live by – and so that’s what we’re doing.
“I did not mean to cry. It’s actually good, it’s a good thing. It’s scary, I have no idea how things are going to pan out but I’ve always been brave. And this is what brave looks like.
“So there we are. We’re moving to sunny climes, and I will keep you posted and my big dream for all of this… I want to get a paddleboard, I really want to learn how to paddleboard and do it everyday. And live well.”
Loose Women airs weekdays on ITV1 and ITVX at 12.30pm
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