WHEN The Saturdays went solo back in 2014, the girlband was quick to reassure fans it was a break – NOT a break up.
And that's what I believed before witnessing an awkward encounter this week which suggests a mysterious 'feud' has torn apart two of its star members.
Rochelle Humes and Frankie Bridge, both 36, grew up in the spotlight together – from childhood friends who performed in S Club Juniors aged just 12 to fully-grown businesswomen and mums with a combined fortune of £17million.
They spent seven years enjoying success with The Saturdays, alongside fellow bandmates Mollie King, Una Healy and Vanessa White.
And unlike when Jesy Nelson quit Little Mix, the five pop princesses insisted there was no bad blood when they parted ways in 2014 after 13 top ten hits and five million records sold.
But it seems Rochelle and Frankie's 24-year friendship may have now hit the rocks – if what I witnessed at Wimbledon is any indication.
Distance between childhood pals
As guests of sponsor Evian, the pair were invited to watch the tennis in a suite in the sought-after hydrangea building nearCourtOne.
But while they mingled with other celebrities and guests just yards away from one another – they failed to actually interact with each other.
An insider told The Sun: "It was clear the women were keeping their distance. They sat on opposite sides of the suite and kept to themselves.
"While Frankie posed for pictures with S Club's Rachel Stevens, Rochelle took selfies with her husband Marvin and his I'm A Celebrity campmate Sam Thompson.
"It was a shame because having the two girls from The Saturdays together for a mini-reunion was exciting for everyone there.
"Even though they were pleasant to each other when they did brush shoulders, they didn't spend any extra time together than they had to, in between being amicable while passing each other en route to watch the tennis."
The insider also revealed how the two glam stars kept their distance during the lunch – choosing to sit at opposite ends of the room.
"It raised a lot of eyebrows from onlookers," revealed the source.
They added: "Rochelle and Marvin sat eating lunch with Sam at a corner table in the suite while Frankie enjoyed her buffet on a table across the room.
"There was a clear divide between the girls, which makes it impossible to imagine them ever agreeing to a reunion of The Saturdays."
The next day, Rochelle shared a cryptic message on Instagram, which read: "I am a firm believer that if you don't do right by people, life will not go right for you.
"You cannot lie, manipulate and harm others and expect to live in peace.
"Sooner or later, what you put out will come back to you."
There's no reason to suggest the quote was aimed at Frankie.
But it hints at further trouble between the pair – with neither liking or commenting on each other's recent social media pictures.
In a further twist to the tale, there are NO likes or comments on Instagram between the pair since 2013, which could mean they were all wiped when one of them blocked the other. They are following each other as it stands.
Frankie's social media snaps from her day at Wimbledon had Rochelle notably absent – despite the caption: "Always the best day, with the best people".
Frankie and Rochelle also appeared to miss out on catching up with bandmate Mollie, 38, who was rubbing shoulders with David Beckham in the Royal Box at Wimbledon, alongside her cricketer fiancé, Stuart Broad.
Posting about her experience at Wimbledon, BBC Radio One host Mollie said: "Nothing better."
The tense relations throw cold water over any potential reunion plans – after rumours swirled last year the girl group might follow the likes of JLS and Girls Aloud with a money-spinning reunion tour.
Frankie, who is married to ex-football ace Wayne Bridge, has seemingly been the band member most against reuniting The Saturdays.
It's in stark contrast to Irish-born Una, 43, who told The Sun recently: "If anyone's going to make it happen, it's me.
"I'm always poking – it's like poking the group chat. I'm all on it, I'm on the case."
At odds over reunion
But responding to this on Olivia Attwood's podcast So Wrong It's Right, mum-of-two Frankie said: "I don't think there will be [a reunion]. Never say never…but I'd feel a bit old and a bit silly."
Mum-of-three Rochelle was also less than enthusiastic about the prospect, saying: "It's hard to get the five of us in a room for dinner. Our group chat's full of drink invites but nobody can pick a date.
"We were better when one person ran the diary. Everyone's got their own stuff or the kids – never say never, but I highly doubt it anytime soon."
In a separate interview with Fabulous, she added: "We've not had a conversation about [a reunion]. I just can't imagine doing that again.
"My kids are my number one. Everything has to fit around them. Even thinking about the band reunion, it wouldn't work for my life now as my priorities are them."
It was certainly a lot less hopeful than when she spoke about her bandmates previously, insisting: "There was no drama with us. We didn't have a fall-out, we didn't leave because somebody hates the other and, you know, we've got a great relationship still."
My shock at seeing a friendship on the rocks
AN invite to the WImbledon Championships is always one of the hottest tickets of the year, writes Amanda Devlin.
Dapper and glamorous stars descend on SW19 to watch the world's best tennis players kick off the two-week tournament.
Having secured my golden ticket, I knew I was in for a belter of a day rubbing shoulders with Hollywood stars like Jessica Alba and Isla Fisher.
But what I didn't expect was to stumble across the discovery of a 24-year friendship on the rocks.
Inside evian's VIP box were some top celebrity names – including ITV stars Frankie Bridge and Rochelle Humes.
As a fan of The Saturdays growing up, it was exciting to see two members of the band in the same room.
But sadly, it was clear as an onlooker that not all is well between the once-firm friends.
Despite being just yards apart, Rochelle and Frankie kept their backs to one another as they chatted with other guests in the box.
They then sat at opposite ends of the room to eat lunch.
Despite offering pleasantries if they happened to come into close contact in the corridor en route to the loo or heading back on court, the distance between them was palpable.
Hoping it was just a misunderstanding, I eagerly checked their social media pages hoping for a picture of the pair to have been posted. It was not to be.
Although they both gushed about their experience with evian at Wimbledon, Frankie and Rochelle shared snaps of themselves with their other pals.
Frankie even posed with S Club 7 member Rachel Stevens while Rochelle sat across from them.
They know better than most how much fans would have adored seeing them together again – 11 years after the group's hiatus.
Sadly I fear there's more to it than simply growing apart if they weren't able to muster the strength to snap a quick selfie to please their followings.
Childhood pals Rochelle and Frankie have had mirrored lives since they first met at a performing arts school in East London in 1989.
The pair found fame aged 12 when they joined S Club Juniors as a support act for pop band S Club 7.
After S Club Juniors ended in 2005, they went on to join The Saturdays and enjoyed success from 2007 until 2014.
They went on to marry rich and famous husbands and now have five kids between them. Frankie and Wayne are parents to sons Parker, 11, and Carter, nine. Meanwhile Rochelle and Marvin share three children – Alaia-Mai, 11, Valentina, seven, and four-year-old boy Blake.
Frankie later followed in Rochelle's footsteps to become a star on ITV.
While Rochelle occasionally guest presents This Morning, Frankie has become a regular Loose Women panellist in the past four years.
However, the close-knit relationship they enjoyed as they soared to superstardom in The Saturdays, now seems to have fizzled out.
The distance between them on Day One of Wimbledon was palpable.
And it felt worlds away from how Frankie, who was a bridesmaid at Rochelle's wedding to JLS star Marvin Humes in 2012, previously described their relationship.
"It's a special bond," she said.
"We're the only ones who really understand and I think that's a really strong thing."
Frankie has always spoken candidly about her struggles in the band, from suffering severe depression at the height of her fame, to recently taking swipes at The Saturdays' music.
Frankie said: "There's a few singles that don't exist in my head because I didn't like them.
"You have to still go on TV and say, 'Buy this single, it's the greatest song ever', and perform it, whether you like it or not."
She also admitted: "I'd find myself comparing myself to the other girls when I was in the group. As sad as it was, if someone lost a bit of weight, you'd be aware of it, the same happened if you put on weight.
"This comparison thing is just so unhealthy, but I do find I do it less now, but sometimes I do fall into it and I still struggle comparing myself to others."
Last year, Una and Vanessa were pictured reuniting ten years after The Saturdays went on hiatus.
It sparked a barrage of comments from fans keen to find out whether there are plans for the band to get back together.
Our insider added: "Nostalgia is incredibly popular right now. Girls Aloud reuniting last year proved to be a massive success and there is huge anticipation about the Spice Girls doing something to mark their 30th anniversary.
"It may be more than ten years since The Saturdays took a break, but the demand for revisiting the past is still there. The girls look better than ever and fans would be thrilled to see them perform once again."
Fans will be desperate for Frankie and Rochelle to move past this bump in their friendship.
If there's even the slightest chance of The Saturdays reuniting, the women – who were once the closest of friends in the band – must be back on good terms.
The Sun has reached out to reps for both Rochelle and Frankie.
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