Andrea McLean Shuts Down All Businesses After Losing 'Everything' in Her 50s

Andrea McLean has closed all of her businesses after experiencing significant financial and health setbacks in her 50s. The former Loose Women presenter left the ITV show in 2020 to launch a lifestyle brand, but the venture collapsed during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in the loss of hundreds of thousands of pounds.

McLean revealed in an upcoming appearance on the podcast Bedside Manners that she "literally lost everything" in her fifties, including her home and savings. She was forced to sell her engagement ring and even attempted to find employment at Starbucks, an experience she described as "humiliating."

Her agent had advised against public discussions about menopause, warning it would harm her career prospects. "If you go public talking about the menopause, you'll be seen as old and no one will hire you," McLean recalled the advice. "And to be fair he was right. That was the attitude at the time. But I thought 'it's the wrong attitude. Women need to know. They're asking for help.'"

Further complicating matters, McLean suffered a series of serious health issues, including severe pneumonia, acute kidney injury, and sepsis, which left her unable to work. She described hitting a point where she "crashed and burned" after living life at "100 miles per hour."

Companies House is set to dissolve her TV firm, 1234, next week, marking the end of her entrepreneurial endeavors. Her autobiography, "Shameless: Finding Freedom and Resilience Through Failure," released in May, also struggled to generate significant financial returns.

McLean reflected on the period as a loss of identity, stating, "I lost everything, literally everything in my fifties, my home, health, finances, I lost my identity in terms of I'm not 'that lady' anymore." She spoke of feeling shame and embarrassment, particularly after trying to re-enter the job market. Her agent had warned that being seen in an everyday job could jeopardize future television work, despite her urgent need for income.

Despite the hardships, McLean stated she is "still in the trenches" but feels she is in a better place mentally and emotionally. She credited her husband, Nick Feeney, for his support throughout the ordeal, noting that their relationship survived the immense challenges.