Girls Aloud delivered an emotional tribute to their late bandmate Sarah Harding as they launched their much-anticipated reunion tour tonight in Dublin, Ireland.
The pop group, comprising Cheryl, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts, and Kimberley Walsh, had pledged that their first performances since 2013 would be a heartfelt celebration of Sarah, who tragically passed away at the age of 39 from breast cancer in 2021.
Despite a brief delay to the concert, with the quartet stepping onto the stage 30 minutes past the expected time due to bad traffic on the Dublin motorways, they emerged to perform their hit Untouchable.
As they sang, touching footage of Sarah was displayed on pink drapes behind them, marking their first performance without her presence.
Greeting the crowd with a warm "hello Dublin", the girls then dived into a spirited rendition of Love Machine, while images of Sarah continued to grace the screens. Expressing gratitude, Nicola told the fans: "What an incredible audience for our first show, thanks so much for being so supportive. We're so happy to be back."
Introducing the next song History, Nicola remarked: "When we recorded this next song 19 years ago, we had no idea 19 years later it would become so poignant on our journey", reports the Mirror.
A black and white video of Sarah performing History played, leading into a touching tribute montage of the late singer. The tribute reached its emotional peak with the phrase: "The darkest nights produce the brightest stars."
In the emotional build-up to their six-week tour, Kimberley, 42, said "Our main aim is to do Sarah justice."
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The group was visibly moved as they paid tribute to Sarah on stage, performing the touching ballad I'll Stand By You, with a backdrop of Sarah's images.
Before hitting the stage at Dublin's 3Arena, Kimberley took to social media to post behind-the-scenes snaps with her bandmates, expressing: "We've had the best time creating this show for you and being back with my girls has been incredibly emotional but so special."
Nicola, 38, hyped up fans with promises of an unforgettable show, while Nadine, also 38, expressed her deep gratitude, saying: "I am full of gratitude and admiration for our entire team. Thank you to everyone up to this point. Now the real fun begins."
Cheryl, 40, captured the excitement with a photo of the group aboard a plane, captioning it: "Ready for take-off."
Girls Aloud, who shot to fame on ITV's Popstars: The Rivals in November 2002 and celebrated their first Christmas No1 that year, parted ways in 2013. However, last November, they announced a reunion – much to the delight of fans
The ladies, who hosted a charity ball in 2022 in memory of Sarah, have since contributed to raising over £1million for cancer-related causes, including The Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal.