Kimberley Walsh has said Girls Aloud are more united than ever, 23 years after the band first formed. "It's a really nice place to be," she said. "I'd say we're the closest we've been since the early days."
The band's 2024 reunion tour rekindled her bond with Cheryl Tweedy, 43, Nadine Coyle, 41, and Nicola Roberts, 40. "You might not speak for months, but it wouldn't make any difference when you see them," she said. "It's that kind of friendship, like you have with your best friends from school or your sisters."
Tour marked first without Sarah Harding
The tour was bittersweet, marking their first show without bandmate Sarah Harding, who died from breast cancer in 2021, aged 39. They paid tribute to her throughout, but months later found themselves supporting Cheryl through another devastating loss. Her former partner, One Direction star Liam Payne, with whom she shared son Bear, died in October 2024 after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina.
Deeply protective of her friends, the mum-of-three is reluctant to discuss Cheryl's heartbreak, but speaking of how they rallied around her, she said: "You're just there for each other, whatever you need. When you've had that much time with somebody, you know that person better than anyone, because you've seen them in such intense situations. It's that sisterly thing. There's no boundary really, and if they need something, you're going to be there."
That support extends to their individual careers, with the girls turning out to see Nicola in West End show Hadestown last year. "Me and Cheryl were both like, 'This is so weird,'" Kimberley, 44, said. "It was really surreal watching her up there. We were like proud mothers."
Life on tour with five children
Life during the reunion tour was very different for the bandmates, with five young children along for the ride. Kimberley and husband Justin Scott have three boys – Bobby, 11, Cole, nine, and Nate, five – while Cheryl's son Bear is nine and Nadine's daughter Anaíya, who she shares with her ex Jason Bell, is 12.
"We had them all on the bus with us," Kimberley laughed. "They all hung out together, which was cute. Our dressing rooms were like crèches, which wasn't the same as the old days, but it was fun." She added: "They're all similar ages, which is fortunate. There's literally six months between Anaíya and Bobby, and three months between Cole and Bear, and they loved being together."
Nicola has since welcomed a baby girl with her fiancé Mitch Hahn in May. "She's doing amazingly," said Kimberley, who is more than ready to help out. "She hasn't needed me yet, but she knows where I am. I've had three, so I've probably experienced most things. But right now, all I want is to go and have cuddles. I'm like, 'Just leave me here.' It's the best feeling."
It is only recently that Kimberley's three sons have grasped how huge Girls Aloud once were. After winning Popstars: The Rivals in 2002, they sold millions of albums and had a string of number one singles, including Sound Of The Underground and The Promise. Seeing arenas packed with fans came as a shock to her boys.
"They were a bit like, 'What on earth is going on?'" she said. "They were like, 'OK, this is actually pretty cool.' Even my youngest knew all the words, but then they like to put me back down to earth quite quickly."
Life now and future plans
The girls performed the same show they did in their twenties. "I was proud of us for that," Kimberley said. "My hip took a battering, though." The BBC Morning Live presenter said they worked "insane" hours in their heyday, but added: "We didn't know any different. We'd work through from an early morning TV show to a midnight gig and sleep in the car. I even fell asleep on our make-up artist a few times. But we were just grateful to be doing what we loved."
These days, Kimberley's life is centred around her sons and former Triple 8 singer Justin, who she married in Barbados in 2016. Together for over two decades, she has called him her "best friend" and is also close to his 27-year-old daughter Chloe. It was her stepdaughter who got Kimberley into watching Love Island, one of her guilty pleasures. "By the time I get the kids to bed, I just want to watch absolute garbage," she said.
Kimberley would love to take part in The Traitors, which her youngest son is addicted to. "Nate wants to play it every day," she said. "He likes to be Claudia." She also believes a Girls Aloud edition of Gogglebox would be TV gold. "You couldn't have all four of us if you wanted to hear anything, but it'd be very amusing. We all have different personalities and the dynamic when we're together is hilarious."
Now in her mid-forties, Kimberley is relaxed about growing older. Her latest collaboration with Pure Tone Aesthetics came about because she wanted a skincare regime that would fit around busy family life.
"We're not trying to turn back the clock," she said. "I'm not having invasive treatments to try and make myself look 25 again. I'm OK with ageing, but I do want to look the best I can and for my skin to look fresher. I'm starting to see the sagging." Like most mums, she added: "My brain doesn't have the time to read the small print on the back, so a three-step routine, which I can fit in morning and night, is perfect for me."
So are the foursome tempted to go back on the road again? "You can never say never," Kimberley said coyly. "It does seem people would love to see more, but I don't know. You might have to ask in a year or so."
