‘A wonderfully full and colourful life’: Sarah Harding was proud of her achievements
Before she died, Sarah Harding wanted to tell her story. Hers was a “wonderfully full and colourful life”, she said, and she was grateful to have achieved “above and beyond anything I dreamed of when I was a little girl”.
So at the same time as going through treatment for breast cancer, which had quickly spread to her lung and other parts of her body, she wrote her memoir – the story of the “other” Sarah Harding she felt had somehow become lost in celebrity.
After publicly revealing her diagnosis in August 2020, and later bravely opening up about her prognosis and mastectomy, the star’s family, friends and fans knew this day would come, but her death still comes as a huge shock. She was just 39.
Sarah Harding reacts to winning during the live final of Celebrity Big Brother, at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire.
As a member of Girls Aloud, one of the most successful pop bands in British music history, Harding certainly did have a full life: chart-topping singles, platinum sales, arena tours, and a Brit Award – something she described as one of the biggest moments of her life in her memoir, Hear Me Out, published in March.
“As usual, I was the first to grab the award,” she wrote. “Holding it aloft and screaming: ‘It’s about time!'”
In 2009, after years of success but not so much critical acclaim, in an industry that wasn’t always as appreciative of pop – female acts especially – as it is today, winning the best single Brit for The Promise was a huge deal. And Harding collected with the confidence of Liam Gallagher. Girls Aloud had earned their place at the table.
During her time in the band, she had become known as the group’s party girl, dubbed “Hardcore Harding” by the tabloids and once famously pictured swigging from a bottle of whisky at the NME Awards in 2007.
But behind the pop hellraiser image, there was always much more to the star.
Born in Ascot in Berkshire, Harding rose to fame in 2002 as a contestant on ITV’s Popstars: The Rivals, the programme that would see her joining Girls Aloud alongside Cheryl, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. Pitted against boy band, One True Voice, Girls Aloud’s debut single – the drum-and-bass inspired curveball Sound Of The Underground – roundly trounced the boys’ forgettable ballad to make Christmas number one that year.
It was the beginning of the group that would go on to be one of the most influential pop acts of the era, paving the way for the likes of The Saturdays and Little Mix. Their innovative approach to mainstream pop meant they became one of the few UK reality television acts to achieve continued success.
Nicola Roberts, Nadine Coyle, Kimberley Walsh, Cheryl Cole and Sarah Harding of girlband Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud released five studio albums, all of which reached platinum sales. They also achieved 20 consecutive top 10 hits, including four number ones – I’ll Stand By You, Walk This Way (with Sugababes) and The Promise, as well as Sound Of The Underground. In 2009, they were picked – alongside Jay-Z – to support Coldplay at Wembley.
In Hear Me Out, Harding said her time in the band had been “amazing” but also opened up about how hard it could sometimes be, saying it “wasn’t always quite as fabulous” as it appeared.
“It’s not like we were hard done by or being mistreated, far from it; it’s just the way things were when there was something big to promote,” she wrote. “We all knew we were leading a charmed life compared with most, and I always tried to appreciate that, but I didn’t feel glamorous a lot of the time, I can tell you.
“Yes, there were moments of glamour, but day to day it was often hard to keep up. Once you had your hair and make-up on, you’d step out on stage looking a million dollars, but sometimes underneath you’d be thinking, ‘Jesus, I’m knackered! How am I going to get through this?’ It was usually the rush of adrenaline that got me through, especially during a live show.”
In 2013, the group embarked on Ten: The Hits Tour, performing their final show in March of that year. A few hours later, they announced their split on Twitter; Harding said they had all agreed it was “time to say goodbye”.
In addition to her pop success, Harding had a varied career in acting and television, with early credits including roles in the St Trinian’s films and BBC drama Freefall, opposite Dominic Cooper. Later on, a guest appearance as Joni in Coronation Street in 2015 led to the star being invited back for further scenes on the famous cobbles.
In 2016, the star made her stage debut in Ghost – The Musical at the New Wimbledon Theatre in southwest London. The following year, she appeared in Celebrity Big Brother – and was later crowned the winner, beating X Factor singer Amelia Lily and Made In Chelsea’s Sam Thompson in the final.
In her personal life, Harding was previously engaged to DJ Tom Crane, but they announced the end of their four-year relationship in 2011. The star entered rehab shortly after their split and candidly detailed her struggles in her book.
Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding leaves the New Wimbledon Theatre in London after making her stage debut in a production of Ghost – The Musical.
But before she died, she wanted people to know that the party-girl image and problems with drinking did not define her.
“When I look back at my time in Girls Aloud, I feel like I became a caricature,” she wrote. “Okay, so maybe I put out a particular image, which the press and media latched on to. It was an easy one to work with: rock chick, blonde bombshell, party girl, the caner of the band…
“Somewhere among the nightclubs, the frocks and the hairdos, the big chart hits and the glamour of being a pop star, the other Sarah Harding got utterly lost.”
Now, as well as her huge success in the limelight, Harding will also be remembered for bravely sharing the story of her cancer. As a celebrity who had remained relatively private (if social media is a measure, her last Instagram post before revealing her diagnosis in had been more than two years earlier, in May 2018), it must have been a huge decision to speak out.
Singer Sarah Harding supporting a charity day at the London offices of Bloomberg Tradebook,
Noticing her lump during the COVID-19 pandemic, Harding put off getting it checked. When she was eventually diagnosed, while reluctant to make the news public she also knew that as a star with a huge following, her story might help others.
“Please girls – please everyone – don’t let anything get in your way – get checked out if you’re worried about something,” she wrote in Hear Me Out. “Of course, I can’t know for sure, but I believe that if I’d got things moving with appointments and check-ups faster than I did, I’d probably be in a better place than I am now.
“I think I would have had more options for treatment, and certainly less spread of disease. It’s a bloody hard pill to swallow, but the best I can hope for is that my experience might encourage other people to get themselves sorted as soon as possible.”
Sarah Harding arrives at a premiere
Harding also said that doctors had told her that Christmas 2020 would probably be her last.
“I don’t want an exact prognosis,” she wrote. “I don’t know why anyone would want that. Comfort and being as pain-free as possible is what’s important to me now…
“I’m trying to live and enjoy every second of my life, however long it might be. I am having a glass of wine or two during all this, because it helps me relax. I’m sure some people might think that’s not a great idea, but I want to try to enjoy myself. I’m at a stage now where I don’t know how many months I have left. Who knows, maybe I’ll surprise everyone, but that’s how I’m looking at things.
“Right now, I’m trying to find joy whenever and however I can. It’s definitely spending quality time with Mum and seeing my friends whenever I can. Life has got so much smaller, and my priorities have changed, but the other Sarah Harding is still in there somewhere too, trust me. Given half a chance, I know she’d be back with a vengeance, dancing on tables and laughing and joking with everyone.”
Sarah Harding
Speaking out publicly will no doubt have led to more women approaching their doctors, similar to Jade Goody’s cervical cancer in 2008.
“As scary as it was to go public about my diagnosis, it was the right thing to do, and the amount of support I’ve received is incredible,” Harding said. “I’ve been inundated with lovely messages from my fans. I’m grateful beyond words for that.”
That gratitude is no doubt being felt right back by women around the world.
Entertainment
BAFTA Games Awards: Astro Bot tops leaderboard – with psychological horror close behind
Astro Bot was the big winner at this year’s BAFTA Games Awards, taking home five prizes, including the coveted best game.
The 3D platformer, which was launched to critical acclaim in September to mark PlayStation’s 30th anniversary, was nominated for eight gongs, while Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, led with 11 nods.
But in the end, the critics – some of whom had dubbed Astro Bot a “perfect game” – were right as it dominated the awards at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, hosted by comedian Phil Wang for the second year running.
Astro Bot. Pic: Team Asobi
Nicolas Doucet with his five awards for Astro Bot. Pic: PA
BAFTAs for audio achievement, game design, animation, and best family game completed the set for developers Team Asobi, who designed multiple galaxies and dozens of levels for the titular Astro to journey through, retrieving spaceship parts and rescuing lost robots.
“We’re a team based in Japan, but we have over 12 nationalities. We really mix it up and get ideas from everyone,” Nicolas Doucet, president of Team Asobi, told Sky News.
“We do a lot of jokes in the game, but the joke has a different meaning depending on where you are in the world. So it’s really, really nice to go around and ask everyone ‘is that joke fine in your country?’ And then together we come to a kind of universal playfulness.”
Among the gongs for Astro Bot was the best game award. Pic: BAFTA
It’s a very different atmosphere than that generated by British psychological horror Still Wakes The Deep, which won three awards for best new intellectual property and best supporting and leading roles.
Compared to John Carpenter’s 1980 sci-fi horror The Thing but on a Scottish oil rig, the game sees players take on the role of an electrician trapped on a damaged facility while being pursued by monsters.
Still Wakes The Deep. Pic: Sumo Digital Limited
Developer The Chinese Room has been praised for using home-grown talent to voice the characters, including comedian and actress Karen Dunbar, who picked up best performer in a supporting role for voicing Finlay.
“I’ve been nominated for quite a few BAFTAs in my time in Scotland, and I’ve never won one,” said Dunbar.
“It was such a great category, so many great performances. When they shouted my name, I think I started clapping for someone else!”
Read more: See full list of winners
Still Wakes The Deep star Karen Dunbar won best performer in a supporting role. Pic: BAFTA
Meanwhile, best multiplayer game went to Helldivers II – a satirical, sci-fi shooter that sees players fight bugs, aliens and robots with the gumption and gullibility of the characters in Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers.
It has gained a cult following since launching in February 2024 with so much initial interest it created server problems.
“Games for me are about connecting people and forging those bonds of friendship and the multiplayer award is exactly what it stands for,” said Johan Pilestedt, chief executive of Arrowhead Game Studios.
Helldivers II. Pic: Arrowhead/Sony
From outer space to a fictional Yorkshire town called Barnsworth. Thank Goodness You’re Here! – a cartoonish, comedy platformer – won Best British Game. Like Still Wakes The Deep, it has won praise for the authenticity of its actors and setting.
“I think it’s been a real privilege to be able to represent Barnsley on the silver screen,” said Will Todd, who is from the town and one of two game designers behind the project.
Thank Goodness You’re Here! Pic: Coal Supper/Panic Inc
Co-creator James Carbutt added: “Me and Will wrote everything in our tone of voice, quite literally. The further along development we got, the more we lent into it. I think the voices from different parts of the UK and different voices in gaming are super important, and hopefully we’re one of them.”
By the time the BAFTAs wrapped up, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II was only handed one of the 11 BAFTAs it was nominated for, technical achievement.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. Pic: Ninja Theory
But developers Ninja Theory are already adding this year’s win to a tally of five BAFTAs they were awarded for the first game in the series, which created a protagonist with psychosis by drawing on clinical neuroscience and the experiences of people living with the condition.
Blondie drummer Clem Burke has died at the age of 70
The band said Blurke had been diagnosed with cancer, and described his death as a “profound loss”.
He featured on all the Debbie Harry-fronted group’s studio albums since joining a year after their formation in 1975.
Blurke was with the band from their self-titled debut, through their 1978 classic Parallel Lines, to 2017’s Pollinator.
Drummer Burke.
Pic: Reuters
In a statement on Blondie’s Instagram, Harry and the band’s guitarist, Chris Stein, said: “It is with profound sadness that we relay news of the passing of our beloved friend and bandmate Clem Burke following a private battle with cancer.
“Clem was not just a drummer, he was the heartbeat of Blondie.
“His talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable.
“Beyond his musicianship, Clem was a source of inspiration both on and off the stage. His vibrant spirit, infectious enthusiasm and rock solid work ethic touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
“Clem’s influence extended far beyond Blondie, a self-proclaimed ‘rock and roll survivalist’, he played and collaborated with numerous iconic artists.”
Burke in his performance at Festival Estereo Picnic 2023.
Pic: AP
Burke featured on Iggy Pop’s 1982 album Zombie Birdhouse and also performed with Bob Dylan, The Ramones, The Who guitarist Pete Townshend and Joan Jett.
The statement went on to say Burke had left an “indelible mark on every project he was part of”.
It added: “We extend our deepest condolences to Clem’s family, friends, and fans around the world. His legacy will live on through the tremendous amount of music he created and the countless lives he touched.”
Burke, who performed on classic tracks such as Call Me, Heart Of Glass and One Way Or Another, made his final live appearance with Blondie last year.
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Blondie performing during Glastonbury Festival in 2023.
Pic: Invision/AP
Among those paying tribute to him was Kinks guitarist Dave Davies, who said: “I feel saddened that Clem Burke was taken from us so soon.
“May he rest in peace, spectacular drumming, we were friends.”
Nancy Sinatra said: “My heart is shattered. Clem became an icon as a member of Blondie, but he was also an important part of my band, the K.A.B. I was blessed to call him my friend.
“If I ever needed him, he was there. Always. Sending healing prayers and comfort to his widow, Ellen, his family, and all who loved him.”
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