Harding was born in [[Ascot, Berkshire|Ascot]], Berkshire.<ref name="Father"/> She grewwas up,raised together with her two half brothers, in [[Staines]], Surrey, then [[Stockport]], Greater Manchester.<ref name="Forgive">{{cite news| url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ushome/article-1376825/Girls-Alouds-Sarah-Harding-My-father-dead--I-forgive-him.html | location=London | work=Daily Mail | first=Piers | last=Hernu | date=21 April 2011}}</ref> She grew up in a musical household and has attributed her "musical genes" to her musician father, John Adam Hardman, who introduced her to the studio at a very young age.<ref name="Father">{{cite news| url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1158000/Sarah-Hardings-fathers-interview-I-dont-want-money-All-I-want-connection-daughter.html | location=London | work=Daily Mail | title=Sarah Harding's father's first interview: 'I don't want her money. All I want is some connection with my daughter' | first=Angella | last=Johnson | date=1 March 2009}}</ref> She attended [[Hazel Grove High School]] from 1993 to 1998, and later attended [[Stockport College]] where she studied hair and beauty.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2009/04/22/life-and-soul-of-the-party-115875-21297975/ |title=Girls Aloud's Sarah Harding: She dreamed of making it as a singer and now she's making the most of life at the top |work=Daily Mirror |location=UK |accessdate=5 August 2011}}</ref> When she was 15, her father left her mother.<ref name="Forgive"/> Harding's parents subsequently divorced; she has no contact with her father.<ref name="Forgive"/>
She then worked as part of the promotions team for 2 nightclubs in [[The Grand Central Leisure Park]] in Stockport as well as waitressing at [[Pizza Hut]], driving a van, debt collecting and as a BT telephone operator. She also toured North West England performing at pubs, social clubs, and caravan parks to support herself. In 2002, she was recording dance tracks when she decided to audition for ''[[Popstars|Popstars: The Rivals]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/04/25/life-and-soul-of-the-party-115875-21306942/ |title=Life And Soul Of The Party |work=Daily Mirror |location=UK |date=25 April 2009 |accessdate=5 August 2011}}</ref> She auditioned both for being a contestant on UK talent-search shows [[Fame Academy]] and ''[[Popstars|Popstars: The Rivals]]'' and it was in the latter where she found fame, pulling out of Fame Academy after being accepted in the Popstars 1st round.
