SingerSarah Harding has sadly passed away at the age of 39 after battling breast cancer.
Her mother Marie shared the news this morning on Instagram, saying: “It meant the world to Sarah and it gave her great strength and comfort to know she was loved. 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.”
The immensely talented singer rose to fame on Popstars: The Rivals at the age of 21 in 2002.
She performed in Girls Aloud alongside Cheryl Cole, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh for 11 years releasing chart-toppers such as Sound of the Underground and The Promise.
In 2015 she released a solo EP, Threads.
Alongside being a stellar singer Harding also had a career in acting and had roles in Bad Day, Freefall, Run for Your Wife, St Trinian’s 2, and Coronation Street.
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She also modelled for Ultimo and Agent Provocateur.
In March 2021, she released a memoir titled Hear Me Out and a song called Wear it Like a Crown which reached the top spot on iTunes.
Here are some of the star’s career highlights:
Popstars: The Rivals audition
Popstars: The Rivals is where it all started. Aged just 21, she blew the judges away with her rendition of Last Thing on My Mind by Steps.
Joining Girls Aloud
The group was formed on Popstars: The Rivals, launching Harding and her four bandmates into the charts. Together, they released 20 consecutive top 10 singles, with four of them claiming the top spot on the charts.
‘The Promise’ winning BRIT award
The group’s single The Promise won the Best British Single award at the BRIT Awards in 2009.
St Trinian’s
Harding played rebellious teenager Roxy in St Trinian’s 2: The Legend Of Fritton’s Gold in 2009. She also recorded three songs for the film’s soundtrack.
Meeting the Queen
Pop royalty Girls Aloud met the true monarch Queen Elizabeth II at the 2012 Royal Variety Show.
Agent Provocateur
As a model, Harding stunned the crowds as she stormed the catwalk for Agent Provocateur in 2012 to Edwin Starr’s War. Harding reshared a throwback to this incredible look on Instagram in 2017.
Appearing on Coronation Street
Harding took to the Corrie cobbles as Joni Preston for a brief stint in 2015.
Winning Celebrity Big Brother
Harding won Celebrity Big Brother in 2017 after a close race to the final with X Factor’s Amelia Lily.
Sarah Harding 1981-2021