It’s a strange thing that day you’re summoned into the office of the school careers advisor and told you should be an air traffic controller or radiographer and that you’ll never, ever work for the BBC. Quite how the furrow-browed know-it-all arrives at his verdict is baffling: a tick in the “Do you like outdoor pursuits?” box steers you inexorably towards a career in a bank – while a booming “Yes!” to the question “Would you work abroad?” means a life mapped out in taxidermy. Baffling – but it might just be that it’s all deliberately meant to haul you away from the single best job in the world: that of the bloke who gets to squeeze Girls Aloud into the tiniest and sexiest of outfits for their all-new, world-exclusive FHM photo shoot. To their credit, Girls Aloud make it easy. Lithe bodies in tip-top condition; two whole days of their lives committed to our carnival-tinged mega-production (fun-houses, test-your-strength thingies, candyfloss machines and mechanical bulls don’t come cheap!) and none of the “can’t be arsed being here” sulkiness that tends to blight their American compadres. Good for them: in the three years since the still-startlingly-young fivesome (Nadine and Nicola are barely 20) first rocketed to fame after winning Popstars: The Rivals, they’ve sold more than a million albums, scored nine Top 10 hits and, this year, completed their first ever UK tour. There’s a new single, Long Hot Summer, that’s still playing on MTV, an album on the way and a billion FHM questions to answer. Ladies – let’s get this show on the road…
Sarah:
This time last year you were single…
I’d still like to find Mr Right – but I do have a crush on someone. It’d be nice to say I was with someone, but I like to date as well – I want the best of both worlds!
Ever think you’d have had more sex if you’d not joined the band?
Probably, yeah! It’s the job, you see – you’re busy all the time and you’re more or less celibate the second you start.
And you can’t really be out shagging someone different every night of the week…
But a lot of people in this business do, because they don’t have time to settle down. I don’t mind dating and having fun, but when sex comes into it, it’s a different ball game.
What does “having fun” mean?
Going out, enjoying each other’s company… maybe first, second and third base – but nothing full-on.
Have you been snared by the poker bug?
No – the roulette bug. Me and Nadine went to Las Vegas earlier in the year and if I’d stayed a bit longer I’d have probably come back bankrupt.
How much did you blow? Five hundred?
Oh, easy. People probably look at me and go, “Blonde bimbo,” but I’m not the kind of girl who’ll just totter around in heels; I love cars, I’ve got a good business head, I love quadbiking…
What would be in your car pool?
Hmmm. My RAV4, a Range Rover, a Maserati, a Boxter, a Mustang and something imported like a Hummer.
Any funny memories of fairgrounds?
My dad used to take me on the helter skelter.
That’s rubbish…
Well, when I was about 14 I used to go to this fairground in Windsor and I remember drinking cider and flashing my boobs off one of the rides at the passing boats. Oh God – my mum will kill me!
You famously entered our High Street Honeys competition way back in 2002 – were there any ruder shots that you didn’t send in?
No. And no sexy tapes or anything. Fair enough, I’m a kinky bitch when I’m in a relationship, but I wouldn’t want to do anything that might get out into the public eye.