Kimberley Walsh reveals Sarah Harding's death left her battling 'major health anxieties' and changed her attitude to ageing

Kimberley Walsh has revealed that her Girls Aloud bandmate Sarah Harding's death left her battling 'major health anxieties' and changed her attitude to ageing.

Sarah tragically died in 2021 at the age of 39, just a year after she publicly shared her breast cancer diagnosis, leaving fans, family and friends devastated.

Speaking in a new interview, Kimberley, 44, said that nothing could have prepared her for how to deal with the unexpected loss.

The November-born singers were due to celebrate their 40th birthdays just days apart from each other - but sadly Sarah was gone before she could reach the milestone.

'Losing Sarah was horrendous. It massively changed me,' mother-of-three Kimberley told Ateh Jewel in this week's Second Act podcast.

'Initially it gave me some major health anxieties, which my doctor friends said was totally normal. I've got kids, oh God, I have to live. I have to try to look after myself as best I can.

'The other side of it is just like, wow. Make the most of every day. It is the biggest privilege to grow old. The age that I'm at has so many people talking about aging and being quite sort of down and negative about it, and I just don't see it that way.'

She added: 'It has changed how I feel about growing old. You have to make the most of every day. I see every single birthday as a massive privilege that I still get to be here. 

'Me and Sarah were the same age. Literally three days apart. And she didn't make it, obviously, to her 40th. Every birthday hits hard for me.'

The one silver lining from losing Sarah, was reuniting with her bandmates, Cheryl, Nicola Roberts and Nadine Coyle.

'We're the closest we've been since we were in the throes of living and breathing every second of each other's life. 

'They are the few people in my life that have seen all my changes other than my siblings and husband Justin. It's lovely.'

In September, the band paid tribute to Sarah on the fifth anniversary of her death. 

Nicola, 40, shared an image of the band from back in 2005 on Instagram, and said she was thinking of the singer's mother, Marie.

She wrote: 'It's hard to believe it's been five years already since Sarah's passing. 

'So much has happened that she should have been a part of. My love is particularly with Marie today. 

'Sitting with myself, hormones and sleep deprivation are probably not helping but as I type, I'm feeling very sad and transported to this day 5 years ago. Such a milestone would have most likely had this impact anyway.

'Most definitely for all her friends and family. I'm also feeling proud that Sarah left such a legacy with her charity and that everyone that vowed to help her on that quest is still powering through for that silver lining she was so passionate about. 

'She's saving lives. Wish to everything she didn't have to lose her own xx'.

Katie Piper commented: 'Beautiful words. Thinking of you all', while Sugababes' Keisha Buchanan said: 'Sarah always missed.' 

Kimberley meanwhile reposted the band's tribute on their Instagram page alongside the caption: 'Five years' with a heartbroken emoji.