Girls Aloud or Girls Alone?

Despite having fame, wealth, beauty and a hugely successful pop career, the members of Girls Aloud seem to be lacking in one department - a happy and healthy love life.

Arguably the band's most famous member, Cheryl Cole has been left devastated following sordid revelations about her soccer star husband Ashley cheating on her with a string of women.

When the feisty Geordie tied the knot with her Prince Charming in a £1 million fairytale ceremony in July 2006, Cheryl seemed to have it all and the couple were excitedly planning their future together, including becoming parents at some stage. However, last Friday (25.01.08) Cheryl's perfect world was shattered when hairdresser Aimee Walton revealed she had slept with Ashley after a drunken night out in London last December. As the single mother-of-one gave explicit details of their all-night sex session, which included Ashley being sick during one romp, Cheryl was left seething.

However, going against everything she had previously said about infidelity, the 24-year-old singer decided to stand by her man and insisted she didn't believe Aimee's claims.

She said: "When I married Ashley I made my vows and promised we'd be together for better or worse. This has to be the worst it gets."

It was a far cry from the statements she had boldly made in the past about Ashley cheating on her.

Unlike many footballers' wives before her, Cheryl insisted she would never stay with anyone who strayed just because of the luxury lifestyle they gave her.

She exclaimed: "Being a footballer's wife is not the be all or end all. What if you get cheated on or beaten up? What are you going to do then? Stay there for the designer handbag? I don't think so."

It was comments like that which set Cheryl apart from her fellow WAGs (footballers' wives and girlfriends) and won her fans who admired her independence and refusal to turn a blind eye to affairs for the sake of a nice life.

But Cheryl's refusal to condemn her husband's actions have let a lot of people down who thought she was better than letting a man treat her so appallingly.

After her vow to stand by her man, Cheryl's marriage was dealt yet more blows when it was revealed Ashley, 27, had offered money to Aimee to have an abortion after a pregnancy scare. That was followed by claims he had paid two other women money to keep quiet after having sex with them behind Cheryl's back.

Cheryl has now left the marital home for a few days to clear her head, but her agent insists the couple are still very much together.

Only time will tell whether Cheryl will walk away from the marriage with her head held high after carrying out the promises she had previously made or stick by her cheating footballer and follow in the footsteps of many other WAGs who have put money and an enviable lifestyle ahead of the self-respect they once had.

Cheryl is not the only Girls Aloud star to have had her heart broken in the past few weeks.

Nadine Coyle, who sings lead vocals on most of the group's songs, recently split from her on/off boyfriend Jesse Metcalfe and this time friends say it's for good.

Nadine met the 'Desperate Housewives' hunk two years ago and the couple were rumoured to have got engaged last year.

However, the pair split soon after the engagement rumours began circulating when Jesse entered rehab for alcohol addiction in May.

The couple quickly rekindled their romance after realising they couldn't live without each other, but just weeks later Nadine and Jesse broke-up again, before getting back together, again! Now it seems the couple have decided to go their separate ways one final time after coming to the conclusion they're better off without each other and Nadine has started preparing herself for single life.

A source said: "She flew to Los Angeles recently and spent the entire trip with her family and girl pals. She even discussed a big girly trip to Las Vegas - without Jesse. She's never really done that before, he used to always be part of her plans. She's well and truly getting on with her life as a single girl."

But Nadine is not one to pine for men and recently said she'd rather have money than be in love.

She revealed: "Money is more important to me than sex. Money definitely attracts people who want to have sex with you, but ultimately, money lasts longer than love."

The 22-year-old beauty from Northern Ireland also said she won't consider settling down before she's 30 as she wants to live first.

She said: "I won't think about settling down and having children until I'm 30. I want to be at an age where I have done everything I want to do, so I can dedicate all my time to my family."

Until a few months ago, Girls Aloud's resident party girl Sarah Harding looked a far cry from settling down.

The blonde bombshell was famed for her heavy drinking, wild partying and dating a succession of unsuitable men, including Calum Best, 'T4' presenter Steven Jones and Hollywood actor Stephen Dorff, but she seemed to tire of that image.

She said: "I don't want to be known as a slapper or a p***head. I have calmed down. I'm not always drunk like people think. I want people to see that there's more to me than just going out and getting drunk."

In late 2006, she seemed to have found love with gossip journalist Joe Mott and the pair even talked about getting married.

But in typical Sarah style, things soon turned sour between the couple so she was yet again on the singles market and was embracing her new-found freedom.

During one of her many nights out, the 26-year-old beauty met DJ Tom Crane at London's Mahiki nightclub and the couple were smitten with each other from the very beginning.

Sarah recently revealed she thinks Tom is the one for her and even wants to have his babies.

She said: "I do get a little broody and we have talked about children. Tommy wants loads. More than I think I can pop out."

But the couple have only been dating for seven months and while many hope Sarah has finally met her match, her track record with men may go against her once more and it may be only a matter of time before she is on the lookout for love again.

Another Girls Aloud star to have a turbulent love life is their youngest member, Nicola Roberts.

When she first joined the band in 2002 at the tender age of 16, the feisty redhead was dating Carl Egerton, her childhood sweetheart from Runcorn, Cheshire.

Carl was Nicola's backbone as she coped with the change from schoolgirl to pop star and was by her side up until they split in December 2006.

Friends claim Nicola had outgrown Carl and wanted to enjoy life as a single girl.

One said: "It's almost as if a huge weight has been lifted from her shoulders. She now has more confidence and is looking forward to leading the single life for a bit."

But she wasn't single for long and soon got together with businessman Carl Davies.

She was soon speaking about marrying the new man in her life, but it wasn't long before the Girls Aloud curse struck again when she and Carl had a huge row after on of the girls' shows.

A source said: "She needs a bit of space to sort out what she wants. Their relationship is very much on the rocks at the moment."

Although they are still together, friends are concerned the relationship isn't healthy and Carl is too controlling of Nicola.

One said: "He's not good for her. He's always trying to control what she does and he hates her getting attention from other men."

Despite the mixed-up love lives of her bandmates, Kimberley Walsh seems to be the only Girls Aloud member to maintain a healthy and loving relationship.

When she joined the band she was dating footballer Martin Pemberton but the pair soon split on amicable terms.

The Bradford-born beauty then found love with Triple 8 singer Justin Scott and while the relationship doesn't command the same press attention as her bandmates, Kimberley is blissfully happy with her man.

She said: "Justin and I are really happy. We're definitely moving in the right direction. He gets on well with all my family so if we do marry, it would be a lovely set-up."

However, one problem Kimberley and Justin may encounter in their lives is how many children to have.

Kimberley, who has two brothers and a sister, is keen to have a large family but Justin - who already has a daughter from a previously relationship - isn't so sure.

The 26-year-old singer said: "I'd like to be married a few years and have a honeymoon period before kids take over. We keep having debates because I'm one of four kids so I want four, but he is like, 'No way!' I will have to work on that one!"

But Kimberley's 'problem' is something her bandmates can only dream of having at the moment.

For now, the rest of them will be dwelling on cheating husbands, broken relationships and controlling boyfriends and wondering what's next in their eventful love lives.

From the outside Girls Aloud seem to have it all but after the week Cheryl Cole's had, if she was asked whether she'd give it all up for a faithful husband and peace of mind, there's no doubting what her answer would be.