Tributes have been pouring in for Sarah Harding following the tragic news of her death.
On Sunday, it was confirmed that the Girls Aloud star – who revealed last year that she had been undergoing treatment for cancer – had died at the age of 39.
Since then, a number of her fellow musicians have been paying their respects on social media, including Spice Girls singer Geri Horner and presenter Davina McCall, both of whom met Sarah when she first auditioned for the reality show Popstars: The Rivals.
Drag Race UK star Cheryl Hole, who forms part of the tribute band Gals Aloud, also remembered Sarah’s “beautiful spirit”, describing her as someone who “really proved you can see the light and fun in life”.
A spokesperson for Cancer Research UK also paid tribute on social media, tweeting: “We’re so sorry to hear that Sarah Harding has died from breast cancer, aged 39. Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and fans today.”
Sarah’s mum Marie Hardman confirmed that the singer had died on Sunday, writing on Instagram that she had “slipped away peacefully this morning”.
“I’d like to thank everyone for their kind support over the past year. It meant the world to Sarah and it gave her great strength and comfort to know she was loved,” she said.
“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.”
Sarah first rose to fame as a contestant on the reality show Popstars: The Rivals, in 2022 when she, Nadine Coyle, Cheryl Tweedy, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh were chosen to form the girl band Girls Aloud.
During their 10 years in the spotlight, Girls Aloud released five studio albums, scored four UK number one singles and won a Brit Award for their hit The Promise.
When the group went their separate ways in 2013, Sarah embarked on a solo career, and also pursued acting, including a short-lived stint in Coronation Street and films like Run For Your Wife and St Trinian’s 2.
She also appeared on several reality shows including The Jump, Tumble and Celebrity Big Brother, which she won back in 2017.
After going public with her cancer diagnosis in 2012, Sarah released her autobiography Hear Me Out – named after a Girls Aloud single which she co-wrote – and released the one-off single Wear It Like A Crown, proceeds from which went to the The Christie NHS Foundation.