Busy Bernie Nolan arrives in Durham next week with sister, Maureen, and comedy Mum's The Word but tells Viv Hardwick that the book is closed on her famous family life

MUM'S definitely the word if you dare to ask Bernie Nolan about her oldest sister Anne's autobiography , Anne's Song, which lifts the lid on the famous singing Nolans' career and makes serious allegations concerning their dead father.

"I'm not discussing that," she says about the book due out today, "if you want to know anything you'll have to speak to Anne."

Saddest part of all for 47-year-old Bernie, who once took lead vocals as she and her five sisters conquered the pop world and sold more than nine million albums from 1979, is that her own autobiography is now dead and buried.

Having announced last year that she had a book under way, Bernie says she has changed her mind. "I'd started to write a book but, after a while, I decided I couldn't be bothered, so I stopped. But I don't want to say anything about Anne's book. You can ask me, but I don't have to answer," she says in the middle of our interview concerning her latest stage tour of Mum's The Word to Durham's Gala Theatre next week.

Asked if she had been consulted about her sister's book, she's on the verge of calling a halt to our chat, but the singer who became a successful actress in TV's Brookside and The Bill agrees she will discuss the play itself and future projects. The number one requirement of joining the cast of Mum's The Word is that you have to be a mum. Bernie is, to nine-year-old Erin Kate, but points out a strange flaw concerning the 14-year-old awardwinning show about motherhood created by six actors struggling with childcare in Canada.

"In one way that is kind of funny because we're supposed to be actors and should be able to portray any part.

People who play murderers manage to do their role and don't have to go out and murder someone," she jokes.

"It does, when you get into the part, actually help because you so empathise with what the characters are talking about."

The comedy is full of brilliant moments, she says, as well as the line "every morning I start out as Mary Poppins and I end up Cruella DeVil"

which highlights the dilemma of every mother.

"It's so true because you try all day not to shout at your children and be a good mum, but often, at the end of the day, it's all gone," she says and feels that she flexes her acting muscles as the character Robyn because their beliefs are so different.

"She's got eight brothers and was a tomboy and never wanted kids. She's a great mum, but constantly trying to remind her husband how her life has changed and he doesn't understand. I do like her, but I have the husband from heaven (Steve Doneathy). He gave up his career to look after our daughter and is a fantastic cook and does everything in the house as well as being a great musician, piano player and songwriter. I've got everything so although Robyn is moany about men I think men are great," she says.

So was it easier or more difficult when the show's producers asked her if she minded sister Maureen joining the cast?

"Actually I got a phone call about two weeks before we were due to start rehearsals and there were still only myself, Sarah (White) and Pauline (Fleming) and I knew that Maureen had done the play four years ago. I'd done it last year for six months so I thought it was kind of nice from their point of view (for asking her) because not all sisters get on. Even if they do get on do they want to travel around for four months together? It's been really great. I've been solo for 12 years now and she's gone solo in the last three, but I did lay down the law a bit and said it's not like the old days, I'll have my own dressing room and so will you'. You need your space where you can rant and rave or pick your nose or whatever. It's been brilliant having her on board," she says.

At least two more dressing rooms are required after Mum's The Word because Bernie has agreed to tour with the new musical Flashdance, which can be seen at Sunderland's Empire Theatre during the week of October 20- 25. She's also due to take part in another musical, Our Benny, in Liverpool in November.

"We start rehearsing for Flashdance just two weeks after Mum's The Word ends so that's brilliant. The tour lasts for a year, which is really great news,"

she says and laughs about her reputation as one of the industry's hardest-working performers joking "well we've all got a mortgage to pay".

The show is based on the 1983 film (screenplay by Tom Hedley and Joe Eszterhas, story by Tom Hedley) and features the hit songs Maniac, Gloria, I Love Rock & Roll and title track Flashdance - What a Feeling.

Bernie will play Hannah, the mother of the welder-turned-dancer, Alex, and is looking forward to becoming part of a musical which is aiming for a West End run.

"But if I could win the Lottery tomorrow I wouldn't do it at all because I don't like being away from my daughter or my husband," she says.

■ Mum's The Word runs at Durham's Gala Theatre from Monday until Saturday. Box Office: 0191-332-4041 www.galadurham.co.uk