Exclusive:
Cheryl, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh were back on stage in Manchester tonight and there was a very special guest watching Girls Aloud in action
Emotional Cheryl said Sarah Harding “would be proud” as the tragic star’s mum took in the latest Girls Aloud show tonight.
The singer says her friend would be overcome by the reception in the room as the next stop on their roadshow lit up Manchester’s AO Arena. Cheryl, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh have reunited after a decade and Sarah has never been far from their minds as hey hit the stage once again.
Her mum Marie was watching on as as the girl band paid tribute to their fifth member, who died in September 2021 at the age of 39 following a breast cancer diagnosis. The singers revealed that they felt compelled to get back together and do another tour in honour of their late band-mate, and they did her proud again.
Once more, concert-goers were forced to fight back tears and Cheryl almost broke down on stage over 22 years after the band were formed for ITV talent show. With a very special guest in attendance, they didn’t let her down as the crowd were floored by the pop stars, who rolled back the years with another dazzling display.
On the first night in Dublin, Cheryl had shared her thanks with the fans watching for their support after Sarah’s passing. She told them: “Thank you for your support through everything we went through with Sarah. It’s hard to believe but it’s such a beautiful thing to be on stage with these ladies again.”
There were further poignant moments when a black and white video of Sarah performing ‘History’ played, which was followed by a touching tribute montage which finished with the words: “The darkest nights produce the brightest stars.” It left those in the crowd welling up – and during their weekend gig, one fan explained how they could feel Sarah’s presence inside the arena.
Marie spoke after Sarah’s death in 2021. She wrote: “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.”
Revealing her tragic death three years ago, Sarah’s mum said: “It’s with deep heartbreak that today I’m sharing the news that my beautiful daughter Sarah has sadly passed away. 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.”
Speaking about the reunion, Cheryl previously shared the reasons for them getting back together for a tour. She said: “I think one of our driving forces is that our kids are going to see us on stage and think we’re actually cool. They’re going to see Mammy on stage! I want us to bring back happy memories for people. I love listening to music that transports me to the way I felt at a different time, and I think Girls Aloud are that band for a lot of people.”
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