‘It’s the right time to celebrate Sarah’
Girls Aloud have announced that they are reuniting for a massive UK and Ireland tour next year to celebrate their late bandmate, Sarah Harding.
The band, who first formed after its members appeared individually on ITV talent show, Popstars: The Rivals, split up in 2013 after eleven years together.
Along with Harding, who tragically died of breast cancer in 2021 aged 39, the band consisted of Cheryl Tweedy, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts, and Kimberley Walsh.
In a statement, Cheryl said that a reunion tour was on their minds until Harding’s death.
She explained: “We all started talking about the possibility of doing something to celebrate Girls Aloud’s 20-year anniversary a few years ago. The anniversary seemed like an obvious thing that we would celebrate. But when Sarah fell ill all priorities changed.
“She passed away a year before the anniversary and it just didn’t feel right, it felt too soon. But now, I think there is an energy that does makes it feel right. It’s the right time to celebrate Sarah, it’s the right time to celebrate the band and the right time to celebrate the fact we can still do this 21 years later. That’s a big honour in lots of ways.”
Kimberley Walsh added that the band received an “outpouring” of love following Harding’s death which she felt “ignited” the band again. She said: “Over the last year, we’ve felt this outpouring of love – obviously towards Sarah, but actually towards all of us as a group. And I guess it’s ignited something in all of us again.
“It feels like something has changed and it does feel like the right time to celebrate Sarah and the 20-year anniversary that we didn’t celebrate at the time.”
Confirming their tour, the official Girls Aloud Instagram shared dates of the tour along with another quote from the band, reading: “We’re so excited to announce that we will be touring the UK & Ireland in May and June 2024. A celebration of Sarah, our music and our incredible fans. We can’t wait to sing and dance with you all once again. -Cheryl, Kimberley, Nadine & Nicola.”
Tour dates include:
- Sat 18 May – 3Arena Dublin
- Mon 20 May – SSE Arena Belfast
- Thurs 23 May & Fri 24 May – Manchester AO Arena
- Mon 27 May – Cardiff Utilita Arena
- Fri 31 May & Sat 1 Jun – Newcastle Utilita Arena
- Tues 4 Jun – Aberdeen P&J Live
- Sat 8 Jun – Glasgow OVO Hydro
- Weds 12 Jun – Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
- Sat 15 Jun – Leeds First Direct Arena
- Tues 18 Jun – Birmingham Resorts World Arena
- Sat 22 & Sun 23 Jun – London The O2
- Sat 29 Jun – Liverpool M&S Bank Arena
Tickets for The Girls Aloud Show go on sale next Fri 1 Dec.
