Girls Aloud have confessed that even their family and friends were unaware of their reunion plans – and have been avoiding people for the past week.
Cheryl Tweedy, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh plan to hit the road in May and June 2024 to mark 21 years this month since they and the late Sarah Harding won Popstars: The Rivals.
During their appearance on Zoe Ball’s Radio Two show on Thursday morning, the foursome discussed their reunion and confessed that the loyalty of their fans is what drew them back to the stage 22 years after they formed.
When asked by Zoe how long they kept the news a secret, Nicola said: ‘For months and months we didn’t tell our family and friends, our families didn’t know.’
Nadine then admitted: ‘When we released the teaser we were ignoring people all week,’ while birthday boy Kimberley admitted: ‘We were ignoring people on the school run,’ as the rest of the girls giggled.
Eek! Girls Aloud have confessed that even their family and friends were unaware of their reunion plans – and that they have been avoiding people for the past week
Cheryl Tweedy, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh – plan to hit the road in May and June 2024 to mark 21 years this month since they and the late Sarah Harding won Popstars: The Rivals
The girls admitted that listening to a montage of their music made them “emotional” and “excited” while speaking to the radio veteran.
Zoë asked the ladies how the decision to reunite came about, to which they said: ‘It’s a crazy experience, we’ve had so many great songs and times together, then the conversation started and we’re so passionate about it. ..
“A few weeks ago we were shooting the tour commercial and it felt very 2002 Sound Of The Underground era.”
Kimberley interjected: ‘Over the last few years we have experienced a huge outpouring of love and it has been tough but something pulled us in,’ while Cheryl added: ‘Between us we felt something – a shift – it feels magical, let’s go! ..
‘We are so happy with our fans and loyalty. It’s 21 years later. It’s crazy’.
At the start of rehearsals Kimberley said, ‘We’ll start rehearsals in April, which is a month’, but Nicola said, ‘I think we need more than a month!’ Cheryl countered, “It’s muscle memory… we’ve done it a thousand times.”
Zoe asked what they had planned for the tour – which the girls admitted was starting to get ‘out of hand’. Nadine said: ‘We’re known for going over the top – flying under the stage, running around the arena…
“We’re gluttons for punishment, but it’s all about entertainment.”
Cheryl revealed they had been discussing the plans for some time, but shelved the idea when Sarah – who died in September 2021 – was diagnosed with cancer.
She said in a statement: “We all started talking a few years ago about the possibility of doing something to celebrate Girls Aloud’s 20th anniversary. The anniversary seemed like an obvious thing to celebrate.
‘But when Sarah got sick, all priorities changed. She passed away a year before the anniversary and it just didn’t feel right, it felt too soon.”
Then: The girls are pictured in 2002
The group plans to use the tour to “celebrate” their late friend.
Cheryl added, “But now I think there’s an energy there that makes it feel good. It’s the right time to celebrate Sarah, it’s the right time to celebrate the bond and the right time to celebrate that we can still do this 21 years later. That is a great honor in many ways.’
Kimberley said: “Over the past year we have felt this outpouring of love – obviously towards Sarah, but really towards all of us as a group.
“And I think it rekindled something in all of us.” It feels like something has changed and it feels like the right time to celebrate Sarah and the 20th anniversary that we didn’t celebrate at the time.”
The group hopes fans will enjoy the tour as much as they do.
Nadine said: ‘Girls Aloud is a band that has had such a huge impact on people’s lives. We grew up with the band, but so did so many other people.
‘So it feels like a shame and a shame for us not to do something again. We want to have that moment with the fans that we can all enjoy together.”