After their former bandmate and friend lost her battle with cancer at the age of 39, the 'Girls Aloud' singers pay a heartfelt tribute on their social media platform.
- Sep 6, 2021
AceShowbiz - Girls Aloud stars Nadine Coyle and Nicola Roberts are "devastated" after their former bandmate Sarah Harding lost her cancer battle on Sunday, September 05.
The British pop star and actress' mother Marie shared the tragic news of her daughter's death, aged only 39, on Instagram.
"It's with deep heartbreak that today I'm sharing the news that my beautiful daughter Sarah has sadly passed away...," she wrote, before encouraging friends and fans to remember Sarah as a "shining star".
"I know she won't want to be remembered for her fight against this terrible disease - she was a bright shining star and I hope that's how she can be remembered instead," she added.
Nadine Coyle was the first of Sarah's Girls Aloud bandmates to pay tribute, sharing the smiley, happy photo her pal picked for the cover of her 2021 biography, "Hear Me Out", and writing alongside it, "I am absolutely devastated!! I can't think of words that could possibly express how I feel about this girl & what she means to me!! I know so many of you will be feeling this way. For now I'm sending so much love to you!!!"
Roberts added her own tribute on Instagram, posting three sweet snaps of her and Harding over the years, captioning them, "I'm absolutely devastated and I can't accept that this day has come.
"My heart is aching and all day everything we went through together has raced round my mind. Especially this last year since her diagnosis, as hard as the year has been, our new memories are strong in my heart.
"There are so many things to say and at first it felt to personal to put them here and then I remembered that there are so many other people grieving her too (sic). A part of me or us isn't here anymore and it's unthinkable and painful and utterly cruel. She would have loved your messages today."
Roberts finished her post by addressing Harding directly, who she called "electric girl".
"You gave it everything and still with a smile," she added. "A white butterfly flew past my window this morning before I knew, it must have been you."
Calum Best, son of soccer legend George Best, who dated Sarah for two years in the early 2000s, shared an old photo of the former couple on the social media site, writing, "Jesus this one hits home, this is so sad, so young, so much life, so much talent."
He noted Sarah was a real "shoulder" for him when his father passed away and he was "blessed" the pair maintained a "16 year friendship".
Former Spice Girls star Geri Horner (Geri Halliwell) wrote, "Rest in peace, Sarah Harding. You'll be remembered for the light and joy you brought to the world. X", while Spandau Ballet's Martin Kemp penned, "Sarah Harding So sad, my heart goes out to all your friends and family and all your fans.. Rest in peace!"
British TV presenter Davina McCall posted: "So so sad to hear about Sarah... a star from the get go. Hugely fun and outgoing, yet also somehow fragile. Love to her family and friends."
And pop songwriter/producer Pete Waterman, a former judge on the reality TV show "Popstars: The Rivals", which spawned Girls Aloud in 2002, told the U.K.'s Sky News on Sunday, he recognised Harding was a star right away.
"It was her excitement, her zest for life, excitement about life," he shared, revealing the judges saw "probably three or four thousand" female pop hopefuls on the show and "from the very beginning she stood out... head and shoulders above the others."
Louis Walsh, meanwhile, who managed the chart-topping girl group - which scored 21 U.K. top 10 singles - told The Irish Independent, "[Sarah] was the fun in Girls Aloud. She was a great girl. I remember only laughs with her and she loved life and music. It's just unfair she is gone so young."
