The Girls Aloud reunion tour paid tribute to the late Sarah Harding (centre). (Getty/Pictured in 2013)
Girls Aloud’s tour delivered a “poignant” tribute to the late Sarah Harding, with Cheryl Tweedy telling fans that her death is “hard to believe”.
“The Promise” hitmakers kicked off their reunion tour, The Girls Aloud Show, on 17 May in Dublin.
Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts, Kimberly Walsh and Tweedy took to the stage for their first performance in over 10 years and celebrated the life of their late band member who died at just age 39 from breast cancer in 2021.
The group performed for the first time as a quartet, and opened with 2008’s “Untouchable”, while footage of Harding appeared behind the band as they sang for the first time without her.
But it wasn’t until the group played 2005’s “Whole Lotta History” that they addressed the crowd about their friend and band member’s tragic death.
“When we recorded this next song 19 years ago, we had no idea 19 years later it would become so poignant on our journey,” Roberts said, before black and white footage of Harding singing the track appeared on screen, along with a montage of her.
“The darkest nights produce the brightest stars,” the words read on-screen.
Tweedy told the audience: “Thank you for your support through everything we went through with Sarah. It’s hard to believe but it’s such a beautiful thing to be on stage with these ladies again.”
Walsh also noted: “Standing feeling all the emotions you’re feeling. I hope you know it means as much [to us] as it means to you.”
The group performed their cover of The Pretenders’ “I’ll Stand By You” as a post-humous duet with Harding.
Coyle told the audience: “We’re going to do a duet with Sarah tonight. It’s going to be us, Sarah, you. Let’s do this together.”