Girls Aloud have added 14 more dates to their 2024 UK and Ireland arena tour after selling 200,000 tickets.
The girl group – which is made up of Cheryl, 40, Nicola Roberts, 38, Kimberley Walsh, 42, and Nadine Coyle, 38 – have tried to keep with the phenomenal demand for their reunion tour ‘The Girls Aloud Show’, after 10 years apart and the tragic death of their fifth member Sarah Harding aged 39 in 2021 after being diagnosed with breast cancer by tacking on some more stops.
Girls Aloud – who were put together on 2002 talent show ‘Popstars: The Rivals’ and got their first number one with debut single ‘Sound of the Underground’ – will now open the tour a day earlier on 17 May at Dublin’s 3Arena.
They have added extra nights at the SSE Arena Belfast, the Manchester AO Arena, the Newcastle Utilita Arena, the Glasgow OVO Hydro and the Birmingham Resorts World Arena.
‘The Loving Kind’ hitmakers have also added Sheffield’s Utila Arena to their itinerary and London will see Cheryl, Nicola, Kimberly and Nadine four times in total as they’ve added two more dates at The O2 arena and the closing night will take place at Liverpool’s M+S Bank Arena on June 30.
In the wake of their reunion announcement, the foursome declared themselves to be “women” with “wisdom” after their time apart to explore other avenues such as television, musicals, motherhood and solo careers.
Cheryl – who has six-year-old son Bear with ex-boyfriend Liam Payne, 30 – told Gay Times: “We’ve had a decade distance, which is healthy for everyone, and it’s 21 years now of Girls Aloud. It feels like the stars have aligned, and we’re women now. We’ve got wisdom. We’ve got perspective. There’s something really cathartic and healing about this whole process.”
Kimberley – who has sons Bobby, eight, Cole, six, and Nate, two, with husband Justin Scott – added: “It’ll be nice to revisit it after 10 years off. When you’re doing the songs day-in, day-out, you get complacent. You almost don’t see the beauty in them as much. When I’m listening again now I’m like, ‘These are great!’”
The shows will act as a tribute to Sarah, but the band members accept it won’t be the same without their late friend.
Speaking to Sky News, Cheryl said: “It will never be the same again, we accept that, but we’re going to make a new type of sparkle with her in it.”
Nadine added: “You’re reminded so constantly that she isn’t here. She is very much a part of who we are still, a huge part.”
Go to Girlsaloud.com for tickets and more information.
The Girls Aloud Show 2024 tour dates:
Fri 17 May – 3Arena Dublin
Sat 18 May – 3Arena Dublin
Mon 20 May – SSE Arena Belfast
Tues 21 May – SSE Arena Belfast
Thurs 23 May – Manchester AO Arena
Fri 24 May – Manchester AO Arena
Sat 25 May – Manchester AO Arena
Mon 27 May – Cardiff Utilita Arena
Tues 28 May – Sheffield Utilia Arena
Fri 31 May – Newcastle Utilita Arena
Sat 1 Jun – Newcastle Utilita Arena
Sun 2 Jun – Newcastle Utilita Arena
Tues 4 Jun – Aberdeen P J Live
Sat 8 Jun – Glasgow OVO Hydro
Sun 9 Jun – Glasgow OVO Hydro
Mon 10 Jun – Glasgow OVO Hydro
Weds 12 Jun – Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
Thurs 13 Jun – Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
Sat 15 Jun – Leeds First Direct Arena
Sun 16 Jun – Leeds First Direct Arena
Tues 18 Jun – Birmingham Resorts World Arena
Weds 19 Jun – Birmingham Resorts World Arena
Thurs 20 Jun – Birmingham Resorts World Arena
Sat 22 Jun – London The O2
Sun 23 Jun – London The O2
Tues 25 Jun – London The O2
Weds 26 Jun – London The O2
Sat 29 Jun – Liverpool M+S Bank Arena
Sun 30 Jun – Liverpool M+S Bank Arena