Nicola Roberts is shades ahead

Nicola Roberts, who turns 24 next month, arrived at a studio yesterday looking slightly glum in a wooly, grey jacket and skin-tight black vest top.

Last week the redhead showed her good-humoured side when she turned up to pick up an ‘award’ from website Popjustice.

The site runs its own alternative to the Mercury Music Prize, for which Girls Aloud were given a £20 prize for Single Of The Year.

She told the BBC: ‘It was so interesting to hear people thrash out opinions on all the other bands and other songs – as daunting as it was.

‘But the best song won in the end.’

All of the girls are currently rehearsing ahead of their appearance at Wembley this weekend, where they are supporting Coldplay.