Entertainment
Pete Waterman reflects on Sarah Harding’s ‘struggles’ with fame after Popstars: The Rivals: ‘The demons naturally kick in’
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Pete Waterman has said it was ‘natural’ for Sarah Harding to face ‘demons’ with fame after starring on Popstars: The Rivals.
Girls Aloud star Sarah died on Sunday at the age of 39 after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
The Promise singer rose to fame alongside Cheryl, Nicola Roberts, Kimberley Walsh and Nadine Coyle on the ITV reality series, which was judged by Pete, Louis Walsh and Geri Horner in 2002.
Good Morning Britain presenter Susanna Reid questioned Pete on the challenges Sarah faced in the years after rising to fame.
She said: ‘She also struggled a little bit like a lot of people do, that this idea of fame and success is obviously the dream and that’s what this show, Popstars: The Rivals, delivered, but it’s not always easy is it? And perhaps she was winging it with that a little bit as well.’
Pete replied: ‘Course it’s not easy, it’s incredible. The first thing that all people forget about this job is it’s hard work; 20 hours a day, cameras are in your face all the time, journalists are on the phone all the time and it can be not fun.
‘I think if you come out of a show like this and it’s all exciting, it’s fun fun fun, then it starts to become another after interview after another interview… it becomes a little bit tiring and then the shine goes off it a little bit and then you start to get all the demons kicking in and that is absolutely natural.’
Pete Waterman remembered Sarah Harding as a ‘lovely kid’ when they met on Popstars (Picture: ITV)
Girls Aloud were formed after appearing as contestants on Popstars: The Rivals in 2002 (Picture: Rex Features)
He added: ‘It’s very hard to say to young people, calm down because this is not going to last forever because every young person thinks it’ll last forever and, of course, it never does.’
Pete had a close relationship with Sarah and spoke fondly of discovering her on Popstars: The Rivals 19 years ago.
The TV star recalled: ‘She was just a lovely, lovely young kid. She couldn’t believe she was in this competition and she bubbled with enthusiasm. She was just real. She was the girl next door, that’s why she was in the band. The public loved her.’
More: Good Morning Britain
Sarah’s mother, Marie, confirmed the singer died on Sunday morning and ‘slipped away peacefully’.
It came 13 months after Sarah publicly revealed she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, which had advanced to other areas of her body.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV.
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MORE : Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard pay tribute to ‘minx’ Sarah Harding as Girls Aloud star dies aged 39
