Yahoo News Girls Aloud Reunite To Host Fundraising Gala In Honour Of Late Bandmate Sarah Harding
Kimberley Walsh, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts and Cheryl attend the Primrose Ball, in honour of Sarah Harding (Photo: David M. Benett via Getty Images)
Girls Aloud reunited on Saturday night to honour their late bandmate Sarah Harding.
Cheryl Tweedy, Nicola Roberts, Kimberley Walsh and Nadine Coyle came together to host The Primrose Ball to help raise money for The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and Cancer Research UK, as part of The Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal.
Sarah died at the age of 39 from breast cancer last year.
The gala evening saw the four former members of the band reunite on the red carpet, before appearing on stage together to make a speech later in the event.
They’d previously ruled out performing together as a four-piece following Sarah’s death.
The event – named after Sarah’s iconic line, ’here I am walking Primrose’ from the band’s number one hit The Promise – was hosted by Fearne Cotton and featured performances from Olly Alexander, Ricky Wilson and Chrissy Hynde, while there was also a live auction.
The band hosted the fundraising gala in Sarah's memory (Photo: David M. Benett via Getty Images)
Sarah went public with her breast cancer diagnosis in 2020, revealing she was undergoing treatment.
Her mother announced news of her death last September, with her former bandmates saying they were all “absolutely devastated” by her loss.
They have vowed to fundraise as much money as possible in Sarah’s memory, and hosted a Race For Life over the summer , and earlier this week unveiled a nightwear collaboration with Primark with proceeds going to charity.
Sarah Harding died last year after she was diagnosed with breast cancer (Photo: Mark Cuthbert via Getty Images)
Girls Aloud rose to fame on the reality show Popstars: The Rivals in 2002.
During their 10 years in the spotlight, the group released five studio albums, scored four UK number one singles and won a Brit Award for their hit The Promise, before calling things a day following their Ten tour in 2013.
In July, Kimberley said: “I think that for us right now, we don’t feel like Girls Aloud. We don’t feel like a band without Sarah. She was such a huge part of our energy that it doesn’t feel like that.”
Girls Aloud, pictured in 2007 (Photo: Simon James via Getty Images)
When asked if a Girls Aloud reunion without Sarah could be a possibility, Cheryl said: “It hasn’t even been a year. It doesn’t feel like she’s gone at all.”
She added: “To be honest, I’ve never experienced or anticipated this grief.
“You know, I’ve lost grandparents when I was younger and I lost a friend when I was younger but nothing like this, the feeling of shock and disbelief and it still lingers now to be honest. I still can’t quite believe it’s real.”
This article originally appeared on HuffPost UK and has been updated.
