After a year in lockdown, even the homebodies among us are raring to get out, see friends and enjoy some freedom. And we’re not the only ones, as an insider tells heat that Cheryl is fed up with hiding out at home and is planning to change her ways.
We’re told that, after growing close to former Girls Aloud band mate Sarah Harding again during her battle with advanced breast cancer, Cheryl has been inspired to live life to the full.
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“The last months have been hard for all the girls,” our source says. “It’s been an emotional roller coaster for them. As Sarah looks back on her life and wants to talk through everything as she tries to find her peace, it’s brought up a lot of issues for them, too.”
After revealing her shock cancer diagnosis last year, Sarah released her autobiography, Hear Me Out, earlier this month, in which she revealed she had been told she probably won’t see another Christmas. Writing in the book, Cheryl opened up about her reaction to Sarah’s news.
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1 of 10Cheryl
During her time in Girls Aloud Cheryl married and divorced footballer ex-husband Ashley Cole after he cheated. Cheryl was also found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm following an altercation with a nightclub toilet attended in 2003. On a slightly lighter note (well, kind of) she threw a lot of shade when she said she "didn't think" Nicole Scherzinger would make it as a solo artist…
2 of 10Cheryl - 2020
Since her time in Girls Aloud, Chez has gone on to launch her solo career, she was a judge on The X Factor, moved onto The X Factor US but was sacked three weeks later and had a falling out with Simon Cowell. Despite texting him "f—k you. F—k the UK X Factor. F—k you all. I hate you," she returned to the show four years later. Cheryl has since become a judge on BBC's The Greatest Dancer. Chez was also an ambassador for L'Oreal and in 2020 she starred in the movie Four Kids and It.And after her divorce from Ashley, Cheryl got married to Jean-Bernard Fernandez but they split in 2016. She then dated Liam Payne and despite splitting in 2018 they're now co-parenting their son Bear Grey Payne.
3 of 10Kimberley Walsh
Kimberley was pretty unproblematic in Girls Aloud, although we can't forget when she completely backed Cheryl throwing shade at Nicole Scherzinger. Kimberley also didn't seem keen on the idea of the Pussycat Dolls star launching a solo career.
4 of 10Kimberley Walsh - 2020
Post-Girls Aloud, Kimberley climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in 2009 to raise money for Comic Relief, she has presented on TV and in 2012 she starred on Strictly Come Dancing and came runner up alongside her professional partner Pasha Kovalev. She's also married her long-term partner Justin Scott and they're parents to Bobby and Cole.
5 of 10Nadine Coyle
After Girls Aloud split in 2013, Nadine made it clear that it was not her idea. "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 & want to keep going," she tweeted at the time.
6 of 10Nadine Coyle - 2020
Nadine has pretty much become a meme after the nation discovered how she says "flour" on Sunday Brunch. She launched her own solo career, took part in I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! 2019 and following a brief split from her fiancé Jason Bell they went on to have a child and tie the knot. Unfortunately they split months before she flew out to the jungle.
7 of 10Sarah Harding
Sarah was definitely the funniest of the group. Remember at the Brit Awards in 2009 when Girls Aloud won Best Single for The Promise and Sarah shouted down the microphone, "Can I just say, it's about timmmeee… I think I just wet myself." Obsessed.
8 of 10Sarah Harding - 2018
Sarah has starred on Coronation Street as Joni Preston, she won Celebrity Big Brother 2017 and in 2017 it came to light that she allegedly had an affair with Danny Dyer back in the day. She also got engaged to DJ Tom Crane but they called off their wedding and in 2011 she entered rehab for alcohol dependence and depression.
9 of 10Nicole Roberts
Remember when Matt Willis called Nicola a "rude ginger b-tch" and she hit back but writing 'I'm a rude ginger b-tch… bothered!' on her shorts? Now that's iconic.
10 of 10Nicola Roberts - 2020
Nicola has also launched her solo career and she won the first series of The Masked Singer UK.
“Mostly, I try to keep my own emotions in check, but on one FaceTime call with her the other day, I couldn’t hold it in,” Cheryl wrote. “She relayed some terrible news, and I lost it and started crying. The mad thing is, it ended up with Sarah comforting me.”
We’re told that Sarah’s situation has put things into perspective for Cheryl, who has kept a very low profile over the past 18 months. Apart from a few posts, she has more or less stayed off social media and she didn’t go to any showbiz events when they were happening. Her last work commitment was The Greatest Dancer, but now we’re told she thinks the time is right to get back out there – especially as her son Bear turned four last week.
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“She’s very content with her life at home right now, but Bear starts school in September, so that will be a huge change for them,” our source says. “He’s no longer her baby, he’s a little boy who just wants to be getting involved – having playdates, playing football, going to music classes, everything.”
Now, it seems Cheryl is hoping to make some positive life changes. “She’s realised that in some ways she has been in her own self-imposed lockdown for years and there’s so much joy to be had out in the world. For Bear’s sake, she’s planning on making a huge effort as soon as they can. She’s ready for lockdown to be over and wants to start living again – holidays with Bear, weekends with family and friends, filling the house full of people and music.”
Read more in the latest issue of heat magazine – OUT NOW.