Popular British pop singer and television personality Sarah Harding died on Sunday. She was 39 and was suffering from breast cancer. Harding’s death was announced by her mother, Marie, in a social media post

“It’s with deep heartbreak that today I’m sharing the news that my beautiful daughter Sarah has sadly passed away,” she wrote. 

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“Many of you will know of Sarah’s battle with cancer and that she fought 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. 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,” Marie added.

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Geri Horner, former Spice Girl, tweeted: “Rest in peace, Sarah Harding. You’ll be remembered for the light and joy you bring to the world.”

Who was Sarah Harding?

Hailing from Berkshire, Sarah Harding rose to fame after she  auditioned for the ITV reality series ‘Popstars: The Rivals’. Harding then won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls Aloud alongside Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts, Cheryl Tweedy and Kimberley Walsh. The group gave UK 21 Top 10 hits in a decade-long career.  In 2009, Girls Aloud won “Best Single” with their song “The Promise”.

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Sarah Harding was a school drop-out. In her teenage she 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. 

Earlier this year, in an extract from her memoir “Hear Me Out” published in the Times, Sarah Harding wrote, “In December my doctor told me that the upcoming Christmas would probably be my last”. She had said that she did not want an exact prognosis, just “comfort” and to be “pain-free”.

In August 2020, Sarah Harding announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and was receiving chemotherapy. “My amazing mum, family and close friends are helping me through this, and I want to say a thank you to the wonderful NHS doctors and nurses who have been and continue to be heroes,” Harding had said at the time.