Kimberley Walsh has admitted that seeing Sarah Harding go through personal struggles was “tough”.
The Girls Aloud star opened up about her relationship with her bandmate, who is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer, admitting she always “mothered” Sarah.
In 2011, Sarah checked into rehab following her split from DJ Tom Crane, where she received treatment for depression and alcohol addiction.
Speaking on Frankie Bridge’s Open Mind with Frankie Bridge podcast, Kimberley said: “It was tough and I think she kept a lot of it to herself, which, you know, is fine, she was obviously trying to protect herself and protect the group and protect everyone around her.”
“But it’s tough when you hear how much somebody has been struggling and you don’t necessarily know the extent of it because you’re so wrapped up in this world that you’re all in and you’ve got enough going on individually.
“Each person’s sort of dealing with their own stuff,” she added.
“So it was kind of tough to see that that’s where it ended up for her, but yeah, she went into rehab, she got herself back and we did the last tour together and that was lovely.”
“She was always louder but that for me never really tells the truth about what someone’s personality is, so I always saw that kind of bravado a bit with Sarah,” Kimberley continued.
“She does have a really soft side where, like I said, again, you just kind of want to mother her, even though you know probably some of the decisions that she makes are not the best for her.
“You can just see that that’s her journey she has to go on,” she added.
“Sarah and I are the same age but obviously she was a little bit crazier in those days than I was so I mothered her as well.”
Kimberley admitted that she thinks Girls Aloud’s rise to fame affected Sarah’s mental health: “I feel like it depends on your personality as to whether or not you can handle all of that on top and I think maybe for her it was just a lot to deal with on top of everything else, which is totally understandable.
“It’s difficult, if you ask what was the hardest part for me, it was probably just not… the time when you peek and you can’t just live a normal life.
“That annoyed me because I didn’t want to be sheltered and not be able to go and do stuff with my family, but then I realised you just have to front it out and do it.
“Otherwise you become a recluse – you’re not really the person you were before,” she added.
On this week’s episode of #GossChats, Goss.ie Founder Alexandra Ryan chats to Jackie Fox – who lost her daughter Nicole to suicide after being cyber bullied.
Jackie talks about her fight to get Coco’s Law brought into legislation in Ireland – a new law that will make online bullying a criminal offence.
WARNING – episode contains discussion about self-harming and suicide. If this interview affects you in any way please contact Pieta House.
Please free call the Pieta House 24-hour helpline on 1800 247 247. You can also contact the helpline by text – text HELP to 51444.
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