Cheryl Cole
At the end of 2004, Cheryl Cole said: "The past year has been the best ever. I feel like I've got a fairy godmother watching over me!". The Girls Aloud star couldn't have imagined her life getting any better - but it was about to.
Born Cheryl Ann Tweedy in Newcastle on June 30, 1983, the pretty brunette seemed destined for fame. She was named bonniest baby by high-street chemist Boots and won a children's modelling competition aged just six. The photogenic youngster then went on to scoop the titles of 'Best Looking Girl Of Newcastle' and 'Most Attractive Girl' at a local shopping centre.
It wasn't just Cheryl's good looks which propelled her forward, though. The talented teen was also a gifted dancer and, at 16, enrolled at the Royal Ballet Summer School in London, beating 9,000 other hopefuls for a place on the coveted course. Despite her range of skills, however, it was in singing that Cheryl saw her career.
After years of doing TV commercials, her big break finally came in 2002, while she was working as a waitress to make ends meet. Keen to establish a name for herself as a singer, Cheryl auditioned for ITV's nationwide talent search Popstars: The Rivals. A pitch-perfect rendition of S Club 7 hit Have You Ever earned her a place in the second round of the competition, and the then 19-year-old made it to the live finals where she competed for a place in all-girl group Girls Aloud. She became the first contestant picked for the five-piece band, which went on to score the Christmas number one that year with smash hit Sound Of The Underground.
Cheryl and her bandmates - Nicola Roberts, Sarah Harding, Nadine Coyle and Kimberley Walsh - became overnight sensations in the UK. And as the hard-working group's professional careers went from strength to strength, so too did Cheryl's personal life.
Romance blossomed between the singer and her future husband, Premiership footballer Ashley Cole, when they found themselves living in the same London apartment block. In 2005, after eight months together, the England star whisked Cheryl to Dubai for a romantic holiday and, after an exotic camel ride through the desert, got down on one knee to propose to his delighted girlfriend.
Dubbed the new Posh and Becks, the engaged couple found themselves the centre of attention at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. With Ashley garnering praise for his performances on the pitch, it was Cheryl's bond with fellow WAG Victoria Beckham that got the nation talking. "She's not a typical footballer's wife," Cheryl said of her new pal. "She's very ambitious, so we have a lot in common."
On July 15, 2006, Cheryl wed her footie-ace beau at a lavish ceremony in Hertfordshire. The star, who had previously expressed a desire for a simple wedding: " just him and me, alone on a beach", revealed the stress of organising the big day was "like another full-time job".
By 2008 Girls Aloud had enjoyed phenomenal success in the UK. The girls saw four of their albums go platinum and broke a music industry record when 17 consecutive singles made the UK top ten.
It wasn't just Cheryl's good looks which propelled her forward, though. The talented teen was also a gifted dancer and, at 16, enrolled at the Royal Ballet Summer School in London, beating 9,000 other hopefuls for a place on the coveted course. Despite her range of skills, however, it was in singing that Cheryl saw her career.
After years of doing TV commercials, her big break finally came in 2002, while she was working as a waitress to make ends meet. Keen to establish a name for herself as a singer, Cheryl auditioned for ITV's nationwide talent search Popstars: The Rivals. A pitch-perfect rendition of S Club 7 hit Have You Ever earned her a place in the second round of the competition, and the then 19-year-old made it to the live finals where she competed for a place in all-girl group Girls Aloud. She became the first contestant picked for the five-piece band, which went on to score the Christmas number one that year with smash hit Sound Of The Underground.
Cheryl and her bandmates - Nicola Roberts, Sarah Harding, Nadine Coyle and Kimberley Walsh - became overnight sensations in the UK. And as the hard-working group's professional careers went from strength to strength, so too did Cheryl's personal life.
Romance blossomed between the singer and her future husband, Premiership footballer Ashley Cole, when they found themselves living in the same London apartment block. In 2005, after eight months together, the England star whisked Cheryl to Dubai for a romantic holiday and, after an exotic camel ride through the desert, got down on one knee to propose to his delighted girlfriend.
Dubbed the new Posh and Becks, the engaged couple found themselves the centre of attention at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. With Ashley garnering praise for his performances on the pitch, it was Cheryl's bond with fellow WAG Victoria Beckham that got the nation talking. "She's not a typical footballer's wife," Cheryl said of her new pal. "She's very ambitious, so we have a lot in common."
On July 15, 2006, Cheryl wed her footie-ace beau at a lavish ceremony in Hertfordshire. The star, who had previously expressed a desire for a simple wedding: " just him and me, alone on a beach", revealed the stress of organising the big day was "like another full-time job".
By 2008 Girls Aloud had enjoyed phenomenal success in the UK. The girls saw four of their albums go platinum and broke a music industry record when 17 consecutive singles made the UK top ten.
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