Sarah Nicole Harding ( Hardman; 17 November 1981 – 5 September 2021) was an English singer, model and actress. Her professional career began in 2002 when she successfully auditioned for the ITV reality series Popstars: The Rivals, during which Harding won a place in the girl group Girls Aloud. The group achieved twenty consecutive top ten singles (including four number ones) in the UK, six albums that were certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), two of which went to number one in the UK, and accumulated a total of five BRIT Award nominations. In 2009, Girls Aloud won "Best Single" with their song "The Promise". During the group's break, Harding began acting, appearing in Bad Day, the BBC television film Freefall, Run for Your Wife and St. Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold. Harding contributed three solo songs to the soundtrack of St. Trinian's 2. She also modelled for Ultimo lingerie. In late 2012, she reunited with Girls Aloud to celebrate their tenth anniversary. In early 2013, they announced that they had split up. In 2015, Harding briefly appeared in the soap opera Coronation Street and released her first extended play record Threads. She then won Celebrity Big Brother 20 in 2017. In August 2020, Harding announced that she had been diagnosed with advanced breast cancer; she revealed in March 2021 that her condition was terminal. She died on 5 September 2021, at the age of 39. Early life Harding was born Sarah Nicole Hardman on 17 November 1981 in Ascot, Berkshire. She attended St Cuthbert's Primary School in Egham until 1993. She was raised with two half brothers and moved to Stockport when she was 14 after her parents' separation. Harding's father had begun dating a younger woman, she therefore disowned her father and changed her surname to Harding. She attended Hazel Grove High School from 1993 to 1998 and later attended Stockport College where she studied hair and beauty. She then worked as part of the promotions team for two nightclubs in The Grand Central Leisure Park in Stockport, as a waitress at Pizza Hut, a van driver, debt collector and as a BT telephone operator. She also toured North West England performing at pubs, social clubs and caravan parks to support herself. In 2002, she was recording dance tracks when she decided to audition for UK talent-search shows. She auditioned for Fame Academy and