Sarah Harding, from the UK pop group Girls Aloud, has died at the age of 39. The singer revealed in August 2020 that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Harding’s mother Marie announced Sarah’s death in an Instagram post earlier today (September 5).
“It’s with deep heartbreak that today I’m sharing the news that my beautiful daughter Sarah has sadly passed away,” she wrote in her post. “Many of you will know of Sarah’s battle with cancer and that she fought so strongly from her diagnosis until her last day. She slipped away peacefully this morning. I’d like to thank everyone for their kind support over the past year.”
Born in 1981 in Berkshire and raised in Stockport, Harding rose to promise through the British reality show Popstars: The Rivals, which led to the formation of Girls Aloud. The girl group’s first single ‘Sound of the Underground’ became the first of four UK chart-toppers. Girls Aloud were together for six years in total and released five full-length albums. Their last record, Out of Control, came out in 2008.
After Girls Aloud went on hiatus, Harding went on to focus on her acting and solo music career. She became a Celebrity Big Brother winner in 2017 and released some solo material, including her 2015 debut Threads EP. Girls Aloud would reunite in 2012 for their 10th anniversary before officially disbanding the following year.
“It meant the world to Sarah and it gave her great strength and comfort to know she was loved,” Harding’s mother wrote in her message. “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.”
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