Girls Aloud Singer Sarah Harding Dead at 39 from Breast Cancer: 'A Bright Shining Star'

JD Knapp
·2 min read
Sarah Harding attends Chelsea Flower Show press day at Royal Hospital Chelsea on May 23, 2016 in London, England. The prestigious gardening show features hundreds of stands and exhibition gardens.
Sarah Harding attends Chelsea Flower Show press day at Royal Hospital Chelsea on May 23, 2016 in London, England. The prestigious gardening show features hundreds of stands and exhibition gardens.
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Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty

Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding has died due to breast cancer. She was 39.

Harding's mother Marie confirmed the tragic news in an Instagram post on her daughter's account Sunday morning.

"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," her mom confirmed.

"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. 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," her mother's statement continued.

RELATED: Girls Aloud Singer Sarah Harding Shares Breast Cancer Battle: 'I Won't See Another Christmas'

Harding joined Girls Aloud and won Popstars: The Rivals alongside Cheryl, Nicola Roberts, Nadine Coyle, and Kimberley Walsh in 2002. She also won the UK's Celebrity Big Brother 20 in 2017 and appeared on Coronation Street.

Harding first revealed her cancer diagnosis in August 2020 before further detailing her experience in her memoir, Hear Me Out.

RELATED: Girls Aloud Singer Sarah Harding Reveals She's Battling 'Advanced' Breast Cancer: 'I Am Fighting'

"I'd been playing my guitar a lot, and I thought the strap had probably irritated an area around my breast," she explained in the book.

Cheryl Cole, Nicola Roberts, Nadine Coyle, Kimberley Walsh and Sarah Harding of Girls Aloud pose at a press conference to announce 'Girls Aloud Ten, The Hits Tour 2013' at The Corinthia Hotel on October 19, 2012 in London, England.
Cheryl Cole, Nicola Roberts, Nadine Coyle, Kimberley Walsh and Sarah Harding of Girls Aloud pose at a press conference to announce 'Girls Aloud Ten, The Hits Tour 2013' at The Corinthia Hotel on October 19, 2012 in London, England.

Dave J Hogan/Getty

In addition to her work with the Out of Control girl group, Harding also released music as a solo artist. Her single, "Wear It Like a Crown," topped the iTunes charts in 2021 with proceeds being donated to the Christie NHS Foundation where she received her treatment, the English singer wrote on Instagram.

"What I'd really like to do is to see everyone — all my friends, all together. One last time. Then I'd throw a great big f— off party as a way to say thank you and goodbye," Harding noted in her memoir. "Wouldn't that be amazing?"