Nicola Roberts has paid tribute to her “vivacious” and “authentic” Girls Aloud bandmate Sarah Harding while recalling one of the singer’s iconic moments.
Sarah, who was one fifth of the chart-topping group, died aged 39 in 2021, following a breast cancer diagnosis.
Appearing on Jordan Stephens’ The Red Carpet Treatment podcast, Nicola this week paid tribute to her friend as she remembered their night at the 2009 Brit Awards.
Girls Aloud were formed on Popstars: The Rivals in 2002 and landed their first number one single with Sound Of The Underground within weeks.
They didn’t land a Brit Award nomination until 2005, though – and it took until 2009 for them to get their hands on a statuette, when The Promise won Best British Single.
As Nicola, Sarah and their bandmates Cheryl, Nadine Coyle and Kimberley Walsh took to the stage to receive the accolade, Sarah leaned towards the microphone and told the crowd: “Can I just say… it’s about time!”
Recalling the now-iconic moment, Nicola told Jordan: “Even going back to that Brits moment… How vivacious and full of life she was. Sarah very much was authentic in who she was.
″[She] didn’t try to be anyone else, never tried to turn herself down, and wasn’t even aware of the fact that she should maybe do that in certain settings.
“She was fully who she was all the time and that, in itself, is an achievement because so often, we’re shaped in a certain way or, if you’re a sensitive person, you pick up on little social nuances that you probably shouldn’t say this, probably shouldn’t do that.”
Nicola concluded: “She was fully who she was all the time and for that, I always admired her.”
Since Sarah’s death, the remaining members of Girls Aloud have banded together for fundraising events in her memory.
In October last year, they hosted the inaugural Promise Ball gala to raise cash for The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and Cancer Research UK, as part of The Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal.
Sarah shared her breast cancer diagnosis in October 2020 as she moved back in with her mum in Manchester to undergo treatment.
The singer kept fans up to date as her health deteriorated and doctors heartbreakingly told her Christmas 2020 would be her last.
Sarah’s death was announced by her mother in September 2021.
Jordan Stephen’s The Red Carpet Treatment is available on all major podcast platforms.