TV

Andrea McLean reveals unusual plans for her 50th birthday party

This sounds quite fun!

There are still two more years until Andrea McLean turns the big 5-0, but already she’s planning her big day.

The super-organised Loose Women star revealed on Thursday’s show that she’d quite like to celebrate the milestone birthday by throwing back the years.

And when we say throwing back the years, we mean way, way back!

The Scottish panellist, 48, shared her plans after the day’s guest, I’m A Celebrity star Iain Lee, joked about not being able to fit down the Loose Women slide.

In case you don’t watch the show, for Christmas they’ve got a faux chimney in the studio for guests to slide down to make their grand entrance.

Iain had joked about hurting his back on the slide, saying: “I have young kids and I’m constantly stuck on slides. They aren’t made for grown-ups, unfortunately.

“They should do playgrounds for grown-ups. I’d be up for that!”

Read more: Iain Lee reveals ‘disappointment’ after I’m A Celeb star ‘lied’ about him 

Well, it’s funny Iain should mention it….

Andrea said: “It’s my 50th in two years, and what I want to do is get an adult playground, with bouncy castles and things, just for adults. No kids allowed!”

Agreed Iain: “Those kids ruin bouncy castles!”

However, it wasn’t all happiness and light on today’s show, as the newlywed star recalled how she sobbed the first Christmas she had to spend apart from her eldest son.

She shares Finlay, now 16, with her ex-husband, Nick Green.

“I remember years ago, when Finlay was really small, just lying on the floor and crying. And just to me, Christmas was done,” she said.

“I would never have another happy Christmas again if he wasn’t with me.”

Her recollection came during a conversation about how Christmas isn’t a joyful time for everyone, even if the barrage of ‘happy families’ images on TV and in magazines would have us believe otherwise.

“What’s so lovely is if you can find that mental strength to keep going, put a smile on, get the tree up,” Andrea said.

“I look back now at that old me, and life is really good now and really happy.

“If you can find the strength, even the baby steps, every step is taking you further away from that darkness, so one day you’ll look back and see how far you’ve come.”

Andrea also has a daughter, Amy.

Read more: Viewers praise “brave” Iain Lee’s candid Loose Women interview

She married third husband, Nick Feeney, in November.

Loose Women airs weekdays at 12.30pm on ITV.


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor