Tributes have been pouring in after it was announced yesterday that Sarah Harding had passed away at the age of 39.
The former Girls Aloud singer and actress had been battling breast cancer, having disclosed her diagnosis back in August 2020, and had revealed that the cancer had spread to other parts of her body.
Her family shared the news of her passing in a statement on social media.
On Instagram, her mother Marie wrote: “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. I’d like to thank everyone for their kind support over the past year. It meant the world to Sarah and it gave her great strength and comfort to know she was loved.
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“I know she won’t want to be remembered for her fight against this terrible disease – she was a bright shining star and I hope that’s how she can be remembered instead.”
Earlier this year, Harding said doctors had told her she would not see another Christmas.
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In an extract from her memoir published in The Times, Harding wrote: “In December my doctor told me that the upcoming Christmas would probably be my last.”
She said she didn’t want an exact prognosis, just “comfort” and to be “pain-free”.
Harding also said in her autobiography, Hear Me Out, about how she initially put off getting medical advice when she first found lumps under her arm in December 2019. She eventually saw a doctor who advised her to schedule an MRI scan – but then “coronavirus hit and everything either went into slow motion or stopped altogether”, she wrote.
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“I was aware that I needed to get this health issue sorted, but with everything that was going on, it was tough.”
She added: “One day I woke up realising that I’d been in denial about the whole thing. Yes, there was a lockdown, yes, there was a pandemic, but it was almost as if I’d been using that as an excuse not to face up to the fact that something was very wrong.”
Harding said she had decided to go public about her illness to potentially help others who might be worried about seeing a doctor, explaining that: “Maybe if I spoke out, as a public figure, a celebrity, it could help get the message across how important it is to get checked out if you have concerns.”
Social media has been flooded with worthy tributes since the news of Harding’s passing was announced yesterday.
Her Girls Aloud bandmates Nicola Roberts and Nadine Coyle led the tributes on social media.
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Roberts, who shared photos of them together, posted: “I can’t accept that this day has come. My heart is aching and all day everything we went through together has raced round my mind… a part of me or us isn’t here anymore and it’s unthinkable and painful and utterly cruel.”
She added: “Electric girl, you made us. You gave it everything and still with a smile.”
Coyle also wrote on Instagram: “I am absolutely devastated. I can’t think of words that could possibly express how I feel about this girl and what she means to me.”
Geri Horner, Calum Best, Davina McCall, Martin Kemp, Fearne Cotton, Katie Price, Louis Walsh, Ian “H” Watkins, and a whole host of other North West stars have publicly expressed their condolences – including Vernon Kay, Kym Marsh, and Keith Duffy.
I’m so very sorry to hear of the passing of Sarah Harding. What a beautiful girl and person she really was. I don’t claim to have known her very well but what I did know was how fun and kind she really was. My thoughts are with her family and friends at this time. Sleep tight x
So so sad to hear about Sarah … a star from the get go , hugely fun and outgoing yet also somehow fragile , … love to her family and friends ❤️ #SarahHarding
Sarah Harding had a successful career – and she also had a special relationship with Greater Manchester.
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She may have been born in Ascot, but she was raised in Greater Manchester after her family moved to Stockport when she was 14-years-old.
Before finding fame on talent show Popstars: The Rivals in 2002, the former Hazel Grove High School pupil studied hair and beauty at Stockport College and she worked on the promotions team for two nightclubs in The Grand Central Leisure Park in Stockport, as well as waitressing at Pizza Hut.
She shot to fame when she won a place in Girls Aloud with bandmates Cheryl Tweedy, Kimberley Walsh, Nadine Coyle and Nicola Roberts on the ITV singing contest to create a boy band and a girl group.
The bands then competed against each other for the 2002 Christmas number one and Girls Aloud’s debut Sound Of The Underground won.
Guinness World Records listed Girls Aloud as Most Successful Reality TV Group, Most Consecutive Top Ten Entries in the UK by a female group, and they were also named the UK’s biggest selling girl group of the 21st century – with over 4.3 million singles sales and four million albums sold in the UK alone.
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The band split in 2013, following a string of hits including Love Machine, Biology, The Promise and more.
Following the band’s split, Harding ventured into acting and television, with credits including roles in the St Trinian’s films, and BBC drama Freefall opposite Dominic Cooper – but her relationship with Greater Manchester continued as she returned to her roots in 2015 by joining the iconic cobbles of Coronation Street, where she made a guest appearance in four episodes as the wife of Tracy Barlow’s ex husband Robert Preston.
Strutting onto the cobbles, her feisty character Joni Preston announced herself by slapped Tracy in the face for sleeping with her man.
Sarah Harding returned to her Northern roots in 2015 by joining the iconic cobbles of Coronation Street / Credit: ITV
In 2016, she swapped the cobbles for the ski slopes on the winter sports show The Jump, and the following year won the hearts of viewers on the popular reality competition show Celebrity Big Brother, where her highly entertaining antics saw her crowned the winner.
Sarah Harding’s glittering career ensures she will be remembered as “a bright shining star.”
Featured Image – ITV
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Stockport band Blossoms set for BIG return to Leeds Festival this year
Thomas Melia
Blossoms have just announced their big return to Leeds Festival, as the four-day music event continues to impress with its stacked lineup.
They might have a ‘Joke About Divorce’ from time to time, but when it comes to entertaining a Leeds Festival crowd, Blossoms take it very seriously, having played at Bramham Park three times in the past decade already.
The Stockport band have captivated audiences since the rise of standout track ‘Charlemagne’ and more recently with the addition of their fifth studio album, Gary, named after an eight-foot fiberglass gorilla.
Known for always putting on a stellar performance, Tom, Joe, Charlie, Myles, and Josh are bringing a brand-new set to Leeds when they visit this August bank holiday weekend.
As well as releasing new music, Blossoms are making a big return to Leeds Festival 2026 / Credit: Publicity Picture (Supplied)
Currently, Leeds Festival 2026 has seven headline acts spanning all genres from Dance and EDM to Pop and Rap with the likes of Charli XCX, Raye, Dave and more topping the bill.
The Stockport five-piece are featured alongside three other insane artists as ‘Special Guests’, appearing next to Skepta, Sombr and Role Model.
Also listed on the lineup are rising stars like R&B vocal powerhouse Skye Newman, pop princess Jade, Merseyside indie rockers The K’s and Wigan-formed The Lilacs with more to be announced.
Although nothing is confirmed yet, this upcoming Leeds Festival set from Blossoms will contain high energy and obviously all their biggest and best bangers from across their four chart topping albums as well as new music.
Whether you’re there for ‘Your Girlfriend’ or ‘What Can I Say After I’m Sorry’, one thing’s for sure, you’re guaranteed to have an absolutely spectacular night.
Blossoms are making their big return to Leeds Festival 2026 which is taking place from 27 to 30 August at Bramham Park with tickets live HERE.
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Stage and Radio issue defiant statement in response to concerning development plans
Danny Jones
Manchester centre bar, music venue, and nightlife institution, Stage and Radio, has shared an impassioned and defiant statement in the face of proposed plans to be built next to the venue.
And when we say next to, we mean next door – and by that we mean practically on their doorstep, not to mention that of other local businesses.
Situated within one of the city’s most important creative and cultural hubs, in the form of the Northern Quarter, the gig space, club and popular meeting place finds itself under serious threat.
Speaking in the accompanying caption, they said: “Comment below and we’ll DM you a link to take action (It’s also in our bio!).”
They go on to say, “We’re urgently asking for the public to support Stage & Radio by voicing concerns by 10th June 2026 about a future development going up within a few meters of the venue.”
Unsurprisingly, the post has been met with an outpouring of not only shared rage, frustration and confusion, but more importantly, they’ve received a huge amount of support in the comments, too.
Fellow Manc favourite nighttime venue, Hidden, added, “Sit tight @stageandradiomcr you’re not going anywhere; meanwhile, several people across multiple sites have simply written, ‘Stage and Radio 4 Life.”
New developments and residential ventures continue to pop up all over the city and surrounding regions, as they always will, and Manchester City Council has stressed that this latest development – an eight-storey residential block by This City – will not be under threat.
Leader of the Council Bev Craig said: “Music and arts venues like Stage and Radio are the soul of our Northern Quarter. Music is woven into the very fabric of Manchester, it’s part of what makes our city so great. It is not under threat on my watch.
“Across the country we are seeing too many venues close down, in Manchester we want to protect and nurture them. That’s why we have worked in partnership with the Music Venues Trust in recent months to provide almost £250,000 in grant funding to support small venues and operators in an increasingly difficult economic climate.
“This is a vital lifeline for many smaller grassroots businesses, and we know that without them there won’t be the next big star.
“Cities are always changing, especially when new affordable homes are being built, but let me be unequivocal – Stage and Radio is not under threat. They were here first, and our Agent of Change principle defends that.
“Any new development nearby will have the top level of sound proofing and the onus is on the council as the builder not the music venue. We are also working with the venue to consider what investment our This City housing company can make to the venue building to limit sound escaping.
“I’ve offered to meet with the venue operators personally to give my commitment that venues like theirs help create the artists of the future and make our music scene what it is today.”
As for Stage and Radio, we’ve had the pleasure of spending a fair few late nights there (not to mention well into the early hours of the next morning) over the years.
Releasing a direct statement to The Manc and Audio North, they told us: “We are deeply concerned about whether residential flats positioned directly beside an established grassroots music venue can realistically provide appropriate residential amenity and conditions suitable for long-term human habitation, while also protecting an existing venue from future conflict.”
S&R also noted these circumstances are not entirely unlike those that have jeopardised the future of fellow NQ neighbours and live music venue, Night and Day Cafe, in recent times.
The countdown is now ticking away for Stage and Radio – quite literally, as you can see by the banner now showing on the homepage of their website.
If you want to help save not just this venue but the culture, community and artistic scene it stands for, you can sign the protest petition and get involved in the fight right HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
6th September 2021 
