Girls Aloud's bitter feud that left band divided and star 'screaming and crying'

12 November 2023 , 11:00

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Girls Aloud are back - 10 years on from a bitter feud

More than 10 years on from their acrimonious split, Girls Aloud are reuniting for the release of a brand new album and what will no doubt be a sell-out tour.

After forming on ITV's Popstars: The Rivals in 2002, Cheryl Tweedy, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts, Kimberley Walsh and the late Sarah Harding went on to release numerous hits over the course of a decade before going their separate ways. In the meantime, the girls tragically lost bandmate, Sarah, to cancer in 2021, aged just 39.

Now, however, the group are back as a four-piece and have already recorded their comeback single in North London. The track will pay a loving tribute to Sarah, whilst its accompany video is said to see the girls don Wonder Woman style superhero outfits.

Cheryl, Nicola, Nadine and Kimberley put their differences aside after their late bandmate Sarah was diagnosed with cancer (PA)

A source spoke of their reformation to the Sun: "This has been one of the best-kept secrets in pop, but it’s actually happening now. The girls really came back together as friends to rally around when Sarah died, and it repaired some of the old rifts and put things into perspective. Suddenly the reunion which had seemed totally impossible for so long just felt a totally natural thing to do - in Sarah's honour."

Speaking in the wake of Sarah's passing, Cheryl revealed the tragic loss in her life brought her much closer to her bandmates after they had drifted apart. She explained to Mail Online at the time: "A lot of conversations we had before she left really sparked a different perspective for me, and I'll carry that. She wasn't ready to leave and I think, 'well I'm still here'. I've got the gift of life to still live, and I'll do it with her in mind. It does shift a lot of things in your own heart."

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Previously the girls announced a break in 2009 in order to pursue their own projects, but despite repeated rumours of rift within the camp, they released new material in November 2012 to mark their tenth anniversary. Following a tour, however, the five announced they were splitting - this time for good - in March 2013.

News of the girls' split in March 2013 proved surprising for Nadine Coyle (Redferns)

The news appeared to come as a surprise to a beleaguered Nadine though, who claimed she been blindsided by her bandmates and not involved in the decision to end things. The 38-year old added that she only learned of their demise moments before their final show.

"I didn’t want the band to end, it was as simple as that," she said. "I didn’t think we were going to end – and then on the very last night of the tour our management and publicist came up to me and said the girls wanted to split up the band. I was thinking, 'What?' I screamed and cried on stage and off."

A statement soon followed confirming the girls' break-up, which read: "Dear Alouders, we just want to say from the bottom of our hearts, 'Thank you!' This tour has been an amazing experience and the perfect chance to say thank you for being on this journey with us through a decade.

"It has far exceeded any of our dreams and we hope we are forever your inspiration and reminder that dreams really do glitter! Your love and support will stay with us forever but we have now come to the end of our incredible time together. Love you lots."

The following morning saw a furious Nadine give fans a personal account of how she was feeling. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), she wrote: "You should know by now I had no part in any of this split business. I couldn't stop them. I had the best time and want to keep going." Cheryl hit back, however, telling Attitude magazine that Nadine was "full of s***" and accusing her of holding the band to "ransom".

"She was the one who wanted to make a solo record. Which is why we took the hiatus. She wants to come out and say we broke the band up? No! She shouldn't tell porkie pies," the Geordie star raged. "Okay, so do you want us to tell the truth? She wasn't going to make another Girls Aloud record until she got a solo deal. I feel she held us to ransom and then made her solo record deal. It's the truth. She's saying that we broke the band up. So there you go."

Alan Johnson