Girls Aloud have “pulled together” to support Sarah Harding in her cancer battle.

Girls Aloud in 2013

Girls Aloud in 2013

The blonde beauty was diagnosed with advanced-stage breast cancer last year and her former bandmates – Nadine Coyle, Cheryl, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh – have been rallying around to do what they can, and any plans for the group’s 20th anniversary have taken a back seat while they focus on their pal’s health.

Nadine said: “I speak to Sarah a lot. There’s a nice harmony going on now with the girls.”

Asked if they’d rallied round for Sarah, she added to Britain's OK! magazine: “Yes, we really have. When we see each other, it’s like we’ve stepped back in time. As if we’ve only seen each other yesterday. It’s such a tough time, but all of us have pulled together.”

And of the band’s milestone anniversary next year, she added: “We’re just trying to support Sarah. That’s the main focus of everything – to be there for her. There’s nothing we can do other than that. We’re just hoping for the best for her. Hopefully things start to look better.”

The ‘Insatiable’ singer admitted her friend’s shock diagnosis had been a wake-up call for her.

She said: “It definitely does make you think. You start thinking about everyone in your life. We all go along thinking it won’t happen to us, but it’s just a ticking time bomb. You just have to enjoy life as best as you can.”

And Nadine understands why Sarah has taken a bigger step back from social media while she battles cancer.

She said: “Sarah has never been big into social media. She’s even worse than I am! She likes to be with who she’s with, so phones or social media aren’t her focus. She’s just trying to get through it and see what she can do each day to get better.”