Sarah Harding has claimed her ex-Girl Aloud band mate Cheryl Tweedy "meticulously" managed her recent pregnancy in order to get the maximum publicity.

Sarah Harding

Sarah Harding

The 34-year-old singer was the hot topic of conversation for the majority of last year and then again at the beginning of this year after she proudly flaunted her blossoming baby bump at various events but never once confirmed she was carrying a child.

She then vanished from the spotlight for three months before she and her boyfriend Liam Payne, 24, announced in March that they'd welcomed a little boy called Bear into the world three days prior, but the 35-year-old blonde bombshell is convinced the secrecy was all part of "savvy" Cheryl's cunning plan to get people talking.

Speaking in Wednesday's (23.08.17) episode of 'Celebrity Big Brother', Sarah's housemate Amelia Lily mentioned that she thought Cheryl was a "private" person.

To which Sarah replied: "She tries to be. She just knows how to work it when she wants to, when she wants to be seen she is, and when she doesn't, she makes sure she isn't.

"Like with the whole baby thing. She just plans things meticulously. She's savvy."

Although she vowed not to talk about her former band members - also including Kimberley Walsh, Nicola Roberts and Nadine Coyle - while in the house out of respect for the girls, this isn't the first time Sarah has brought up Cheryl in conversation.

She recently hinted she'd had a falling out with Cheryl and, although she refused to divulge why their friendship had fizzled out - despite once being like "sisters" - she's confident things will be fine between them eventually.

She explained: "I'm only 5'5'. When I wear heels I'm a lot taller and I always looked the tallest in the group. I looked like a giant next to Cheryl. She's like a Polly Pocket. She's very petite. I haven't spoken to her in a while."

Asked whether they'd had a falling out, Sarah - who recently admitted to having a "mini-meltdown" every four weeks - said: "Everyone asks that but we're so busy with our own stuff. It's not for me to say.

"Honestly, it's not for me to say. I don't like talking about the other girls if it's a personal thing. I mean, we were like sisters, so of course it would never be plain sailing the whole time. Being around girls all the time is difficult, you know?

"Nothing lasts forever. We went through so much, even if had fallen out, I'm sure it wouldn't be a major deal in the future."