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The Manc -
15th March 2020
The Manc -
15th March 2020 Trending
Girls Aloud to release ‘Sarah’s Version’ of ‘I’ll Stand By You’ for BBC Children In Need 2024
Danny Jones
Pop royalty Girls Aloud are set to release a special edition of their 2004 song ‘I’ll Stand By You’, simply dubbed ‘Sarah’s Version’, for this year’s Children In Need broadcast.
The iconic British girl group returned earlier this year with a huge comeback nationwide tour which obviously sold out and they also won over crowds with their touching on-stage tributes to late singer Sarah Harding during their live performances.
Harding, 39, sadly passed away back in 2021 following a battle with breast cancer and was mourned across the country, especially here in the North, with a commemorative plaque and large mural of the Stockport-born songstress thrown up in her hometown back in May.
And now, as a way to help raise money for the annual BBC telethon and honour her once again, Girls Aloud will be re-releasing the well-known ballad.
‘I’ll Stand By You (Sarah’s Version)’ features Sarah on lead vocal throughout using vocals we discovered in the vault from the original recording sessions. The track played a key part in our ‘The Girls Aloud Show’ arena tour this summer & was an emotional moment for us all 🎙
— Girls Aloud (@GirlsAloud) November 6, 2024
Originally a cover of the 1997 track by The Pretenders and given that they were still so early into their career, the Noughties hitmakers naturally did multiple takes before landing on their final edit.
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That being said, a version that has been rediscovered in digging through the archived recording sessions features Sarah Harding on lead vocals and now the band are set to let her voice shine through.
Airing for the first time on Zoe Ball’s BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show on Wednesday, 6 November, ‘Sarah’s Version’ has already gone down an instant hit 20 years from its release, with the emotional punch of hearing Harding’s clearly hitting listeners hard.
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‘I’ll Stand By You’ went straight to the top of the UK Singles Chart when it was first released and was their second-ever number one. We have a very strong feeling that the importance of this re-release will see it do exactly the same – just in time for Christmas, no less.
Fans were left spellbound during what was casually referred to as ‘Sarah’s moment’ on the Girls Aloud reunion tour, where they truly did allow her singing to become the star of the show:
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As if the charity single wasn’t a tear-jerking enough prospect already, ‘I’ll Stand By You – Sarah’s Version’ is also set to be released on 15 November, just two days before what would have been Harding’s 43rd birthday. We’re not crying, you are.
In aid of The Christie and the Sarah Harding Legacy Project, more than £1 million has been raised in the Stopfordian’s memory and for breast cancer awareness through initiatives like the creation of the mural and members of the hospital doing charity runs, bike rides, swims and more.
Speaking on social media, the band added: “The track played a key part in our ‘The Girls Aloud Show’ arena tour this summer & was an emotional moment for us all.”
BBC Children in Need 2024 takes place next Friday (15 November) and highlights from their reunion tour, where ‘Sarah’s Version’ was first heard by the masses, will be shown on ITV at 8pm the following Sunday.
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Featured Images — BBC Children In Need/The Christie
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Married at First Sight UK is looking for single Mancs to take part in the next series
Emily Sergeant
Would you like to marry a complete stranger?
If you (somehow) answered yes to that question, then you’ll probably be keen to hear that hit Channel 4 reality show, Married at First Sight UK, is currently on the lookout for brave contestants to take part in the next series.
And you’ll probably be even keener to hear that casting directors are urging single Mancs to stick an application in… if they fancy it.
If you haven’t seen Married at First Sight yet, well then firstly, where have you been? And secondly, it’s a dating show like no other that sees singletons marry complete strangers in a social experiment – and it’s undoubtedly binge-worthy and extremely entertaining.
Contestants – who will not have met or had contact with each other until the wedding day – are matched up with their supposed ‘perfect match’, determined by a group of experts who use “scientific matchmaking methods”.
Once the contestants are married off, the camera follows them for five weeks to see whether the new relationship is a success or not.
Calling on singletons to put their faith in the matchmaking service, Channel 4 wrote in the casting announcement on the ‘Take Part’ section of its website: “If you are ready to swipe left to the dating apps and say ‘I do’ at the altar, then our experts are here to help you find the one.”
Casting directors say singles of all ages, backgrounds, gender identities, and sexualities are “welcome to apply” for the new series.
Fancy it then?
Applications are currently open for the next series, and to apply to the show, you just need to be over 18 years of age, live in the UK, and feel ready for marriage.
Read more:
- You can apply to be paired up with two potential partners for a ‘unique’ Channel 4 dating show
- Channel 4 is looking for adult virgins to take part in a new reality TV dating series
- Manc fiancés brave enough to have their wedding planned by amateurs wanted for new series
Find out more and apply here.
Featured Image – Channel 4
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