Former Loose Women panellist Andrea McLean made an emotional return to the ITV daytime show on Thursday, 4th December 2025, revealing how a life-threatening illness prompted a dramatic move to Spain for a 'second chance at life'.
A Harrowing Health Ordeal
McLean, 56, joined her former co-stars Charlene White, Coleen Nolan, Katie Piper, and Jane Moore via video link from her new Spanish home. The ex-GMTV weather presenter detailed a terrifying health crisis at the end of last year which saw her collapse at home. She was subsequently diagnosed with severe pneumonia, an acute kidney injury, and sepsis.
The mother-of-two described the period as "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." The severity of her condition led to significant hair loss, forcing her to abandon her signature brunette extensions in favour of a chic bob.
Seizing the Day: A Radical New Start
The brush with mortality became a powerful catalyst for change. McLean explained that she and her husband, Nick Feeney, had long discussed moving abroad, but the timing never seemed right. Her illness changed that perspective entirely. "What it made me realise... you only get one shot and you have to seize the day," she said, becoming tearful during the interview.
They decided on a radical, clean break from their life in the UK. "We didn't pack everything, we sold everything," McLean revealed. "Everything we owned was in the back seat of the car... and we headed off not knowing if it was going to work or not."
Embracing the Unknown in Sunny Climes
Now settled in Spain, McLean is embracing her new outlook. "The timing of course is not perfect, timing isn't always perfect, there's never a perfect moment," she acknowledged. "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."
She described the move as an act of bravery, stating, "I have no idea how things are going to pan out but I've always been brave. And this is what brave looks like." Her immediate dream is to learn to paddleboard and do it daily, symbolising her commitment to living well. The couple have kept a picture above their door as a motto to live by, a principle they are now actively following in their new sunny home.
