Girls Aloud won't officially end

Girls Aloud will never "officially break up".

Kimberley Walsh - who is joined in the band by Nicola Roberts, Sarah Harding, Cheryl Cole and Nadine Coyle - insists the group will tour again, despite them being on hiatus since September 2009, but admits she doubts they will ever officially announce the demise of the 'Love Machine' hitmakers.

She said: "I don't think we'll ever officially break up, to be honest.

"It'll be more a case of having breaks to go out and do little things we want to do, then coming back again. We'll definitely tour again. We're a live act; that's where we come into our own."

Kimberley admits the attention she receives for being in the spotlight can be tough but she feels more protective of bandmate Cheryl - who is also a judge on UK TV talent show 'The X Factor' - because the interest in the 'Promise This' singer is so much more.

She added in an interview with Cosmopolitan magazine: "It's much worse for Cheryl because of the height of publicity around her, and I do feel a little protective.

"I don't like the fact she's so trapped sometimes, trying to go out and about.

"There's not a great deal you can do about it but it frustrates me. Everyone deserves a little bit of freedom and she doesn't even have that."