Sarah Nicole Harding (born Sarah Nicole Hardman^[2] on 17 November 1981 in Ascot) is an English singer and model, best known for her work with the pop group Girls Aloud.

Early life and career

Harding attended Hazel Grove High School from 1993 to 1998, and later attended Stockport College. She then worked as part of the promotions team for 2 nightclubs in The Grand Central Leisure Park in Stockport. Harding was also a regular singer at karaoke nights in the Whistling Jig, Puss and Boots pub as well as many others and did some vocals for Project G on some unreleased tracks. Project G was a band for which Harding provided lead vocals, long before Girls Aloud came along. She did some photoshoots for promotion but no album, nor known singles exist. Some tracks that have leaked onto the internet include "Searching" and "Don't Wanna Be Alone". In 2002, she auditioned both for being a contestant on UK talent-search shows Fame Academy and Popstars: The Rivals and it was in the latter where she found fame, pulling out of Fame Academy after being accepted in the Popstars 1st round.

Harding also has an entry in FHM's High Street Honeys 2002, the magazine's national beauty contest, and her pictures appeared in the first Top 100, but she later withdrew, upon achieving success on Popstars. A year later, she was voted one of the Top 30 sexiest women in the world, by readers of the same magazine. In 2005, she entered the same Top 10 at Number 8, slipping to Number 15 in 2006, and to Number 17 in 2007. She however, is also the twice running Miss England.

Girls Aloud

In the finale of the "Popstars" show, she was picked as the final member of the five-piece group, Girls Aloud, that formed the female half of the eponymous 'rivals'. She defeated Javine Hylton for the final place, in a result that provoked a measure of surprise.

As a member of Girls Aloud, Harding has taken part in many events and TV shows, such as the 25 August 2006 episode of The Friday Night Project. Harding co-hosted the show with Cheryl Cole, and Kimberley Walsh and then a Christmas special with Nicola Roberts and Nadine Coyle joining them. She is also the oldest member of the group.

She co-wrote two songs since in the group:

• Hear Me Out [What Will The Neighbours Say?]
• Why Do It? [b-side to I Think We're Alone Now]

Discography

Other work

Outside of Girls Aloud, Harding signed a £100,000 deal to model Ultimo lingerie, following the likes of Penny Lancaster, Rachel Hunter and Helena Christensen. Reports claim that Harding was chosen to model the underwear range after she was seen wearing a bikini on holiday in the papers.^[3]

Harding has filmed a cameo appearance in a British independent film Bad Day, which was released in 2008. She plays a brunette girl called Jade Jennings who sits in the back of a cab and swears down the phone. The film also stars Donna Air and Claire Goose.^[4]

Harding has recently been seen as the face of Coca-Cola Zero, upon its launch in Ireland. She will also advertise and promote Sunsilk with the rest of Girls Aloud.

It was reported that Harding would appear in a new Carry On film.^[5]

Harding collaborated with London synthpop band Filthy Dukes on the track "Real Wild Child" for the Wild Child soundtrack. It was released in August 2008. Harding sparked rumours with the move that she would be leaving Girls Aloud to pursue a solo career, a rumour she later denied.^[6]

Sarah was also complimented on her driving skills during a test drive for Fifth Gear, and also crashed a Ferrari into a parked minivan while exiting the car park.

Filmography

• Freefall (2009)
• Bad Day (2008) as Jade Jennings
• St. Trinian's (2007) as School Band Member

References

External links

• Official Girls Aloud Website
• Sarah
• Sarah Harding at IMDb