r.i.p.

Girls Aloud Singer Sarah Harding Dead at 39

Photo: Mike Marsland/WireImage

British pop singer and media personality Sarah Harding, a founding member of popular U.K. girl group Girls Aloud, has died of breast cancer. She was 39. Harding’s mother, Marie, posted to the singer’s Instagram on Saturday, writing, “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.” In August 2020, Harding announced via an Instagram post that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer earlier that year and was “undergoing weekly chemotherapy sessions.”

Harding’s public music career began as a finalist on the 2002 singing competition series Popstars: The Rivals, which led to her forming girl group Girls Aloud with fellow contestants Nadine Coyle, Cheryl Tweedy, Nicola Roberts, and Kimberly Walsh. As part of Girls Aloud, Harding had 21 top-ten singles on the U.K. charts, including “Jump,” “Love Machine,” and their breakout, “Sound of the Underground.” After the group separated in 2009, Harding pursued an acting career, appearing in films like the BBC’s Freefall and a five-episode arc on Coronation Street. In 2017, Harding won season 20 of Celebrity Big Brother. Geri Halliwell, who was one of the judges that helped form Girls Aloud on Popstars, tweeted today, “Rest in peace, Sarah Harding. You’ll be remembered for the light and joy you brought to the world.”

Girls Aloud Singer Sarah Harding Dead at 39