They rose to superstardom in the noughties as the biggest-selling girl group since the Spice Girls. But alongside chart-topping success, the Brit-winning band – comprised of Cheryl Cole, Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh – were also plagued by bitter feuds and toxic fallouts.
Now, as they prepare to reunite as a foursome for their Show Tour – following the tragic death of Sarah Harding from breast cancer in 2021, aged just 39 – a source tells heat that “head girl” Cheryl is anxious that arguments could erupt, but is determined for their reunion to be drama- free.
The insider says, “Cheryl is so excited about starting rehearsals for the tour, but she’s very aware how hard it’s going to be. She has been preparing herself for the moment on stage when it will hit home that Sarah is not there. The dynamics of everything has changed.”
The band will kick off their UK tour in Dublin in May, over two decades since they first formed in 2002, and 11 years since they announced their final split in 2013, following their Ten tour. And while the girls have presented a united front since announcing their comeback, as they continue to pull together after the devastating emotional blow that Sarah’s loss brought, tensions within the group had remained rife up until as late as 2018.
Cheryl, 40, had previously blasted Nadine, 38, as “full of shit” following her accusation that she was left out of the decision for the group to disband, while Nadine said in 2018 that there had been “no friendship to begin with” with Cheryl. In 2017, Nadine also spoke candidly about the dynamics within the band, saying, “You want everybody to think we’re best friends and we have pillow fights and, you know, drink milkshakes. I really, really wanted that to be, but it just wasn’t how it was. So, yeah, there was a divide. We’re very, very different characters.”
During Sarah’s illness, the girls reconnected during a secret reunion at Soho Farmhouse – the first time they’d all been together in eight years – and Cheryl later described the trip as filled with lovely moments and laughter. And while Cheryl, Kimberley, 42, and Nicola, 38, have always had a close friendship, the source says Cheryl – who was seen holding Nadine’s hand while she tearfully spoke about Sarah during an interview on The One Show in November – is going all out to smooth over any cracks with Nadine.
The insider says, “Cheryl and Kimberley are always seeing each other as their sons are the same age and best friends. And with Nicola an honorary auntie to their kids, she knows that Nadine might find it difficult at times and feel like an outsider.
“Whenever the girls got together, it would kind of be Nadine and Sarah, and then the other three, so it’s all changed now. Cheryl is very conscious of making sure Nadine feels included and they have bonded over being single parents and co-parenting with an ex. The last thing she wants is to risk going back to all of that drama.”
And while the tour is a celebration of Sarah’s vibrancy and the light they have lost from the band, the insider says they haven’t ruled out a more permanent reunion, either. They add, “Who knows what will happen after this tour? If there is demand for a new album, they will seriously consider it, so it’s in everyone’s best interests to just to get on.
“Yes, they haven’t always seen eye to eye, but with everything that’s happened with Sarah, they’ve put all the pettiness behind them and just want to get through the tour without any silly arguments. Cheryl is leading the way to make the tour as stress-free as possible.”
