Nadine Coyle has made a rare and heartbreaking admission about the death of her Girls Aloud bandmate Sarah Harding, who tragically died in September 2021 at age 39 after a battle with breast cancer.
Nadine Refused to Believe the Prognosis
In a new interview, Nadine revealed she 'refused' to accept Sarah's tragic prognosis. 'I was like, Surely somebody has gotten it wrong? Maybe this is all just a dream? It wasn't,' she said.
Nadine described the news as 'unfathomable' and thought her friend would recover until being told it would be her last Christmas.
Final Christmas Together
In the final months of her life, Sarah moved to Manchester to be near her mother. Nadine and a group of friends traveled there to spend quality time with her. Speaking on the podcast Olivia's House in partnership with tombla x Breast Cancer Now, Nadine recalled: 'We were cooking and we had other friends around. And I just remember she was told this was going to be her last Christmas. So we went and got a Christmas tree. We got everything to decorate it, we got all the food. They had a lovely night to decorate it. And I was like, but that can't be real.'
Sarah's Bravery and Soft Side
Despite her pain, Sarah continued to laugh throughout her ordeal. 'She was so brave, she was so poised with it all, almost like it didn't bother her,' Nadine said, adding that Sarah tried to remain strong for those around her. 'She was so stoic through it all.' While fans saw the 'Hardcore Harding,' Nadine explained that Sarah was the 'softest' person, always looking out for others.
Girls Aloud Tour Honours Sarah
Girls Aloud reformed in 2023 for a mammoth anniversary tour celebrating two decades in music. Throughout the shows, they honoured Sarah by playing her iconic 'Take a walk on the wild side of life' from Something New across arenas. As the band wrapped up their performance of The Promise, a huge screen showed Sarah belting out lyrics, and a photograph of her appeared with the text: 'In loving memory of Sarah Nicole Harding. 17.11.81 05.09.2021.'
Nadine felt Sarah's presence during the tour, though she joked Sarah would have said they were 'dancing far too much.' 'She would have thought it was amazing. She would have said that we were dancing far too much. She would have loved it, she would have had loads of fun, she would have said we were being far too sensible,' Nadine laughed, noting that all four members felt the tour was 'different' without Sarah's infectious personality.
Reflecting on Their First Meeting
Recalling their first meeting during Popstars: The Rivals, Nadine said of the Mancunian: 'She was mad, she was screaming, she had tiny wee bunches, and was like 'oh woaaah', and I was like 'oh God no', then I saw a completely different side, very sensitive.'
Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal
Since Sarah's death, Girls Aloud joined forces with The Christie to launch The Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal, introducing mammograms to younger women to detect the disease earlier.
If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at Breast Cancer Support. The Macmillan Support Line offers confidential support to people living with cancer and their loved ones. Call 0808 808 0000.
