Spice Girls plan massive reunion concert at London’s Hyde Park for July 2017
Mel B, Geri and Emma book date for huge show but will Mel C and Victoria be joining them?
POSH, SCARY, SPORTY, GINGER and BABY – five stars who changed pop for ever.
Now, as the music world prepares to mark the 20th anniversary of the SPICE GIRLS’ debut single
Wannabe tomorrow, I have exciting news about their long-planned reunion.
Last week, MEL B, GERI HORNER and EMMA BUNTON met at Ginger’s London home, where they booked in a date at Hyde Park for a massive reunion concert next July.
The gig, which is sure to attract global attention, will be timed to coincide with Wannabe turning 21.
The committed trio hope that by then MEL C and possibly even VICTORIA BECKHAM could come on board.
I can also reveal Joyce Smyth — the lawyer who helped the ROLLING STONES play their historic gig in Cuba this year — will be the group’s music manager.
And legendary PR Alan Edwards, who masterminded the band’s image first time around, is likely to return for a Spice 21 dream team.
My insider revealed: “Mel B, Emma and Geri agreed Hyde Park would be the ultimate way to launch a reunion next July for their 21st anniversary.
“It gives them a year to plan everything and make sure their comeback is spectacular. It would be the most-talked about gig of the year.”
I caught up with Mel C at Hyde Park on Sunday night, where we saw CAROLE KING perform as part of the Barclay BST festival.
And she didn’t rule out a return to the biggest girl group of all time.
Mel told me: “I am keeping tight-lipped. There are lots of discussions going on. Right now I am in the studio working on my own album and that is my focus. I’m taking it slowly.”
Victoria remains firmly out for now, just as she was when I revealed details of the reunion in The Sun last year.
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But my sources say there is a small glimmer of hope she might be willing to commit to a London date.
The insider said: “Victoria likes the idea of (her daughter) Harper seeing her just once as a Spice Girl because she wasn’t born for the reunion in 2008.
“It’s a long shot but there’s a chance she would join in at the London date.”
Geri is the driving force behind the UK dates, while Mel B concentrates on US venues amid talk of a series of gigs in Las Vegas.
I recently revealed SIMON COWELL is keen to get involved after missing out on signing the band first time round.
The Spice Girls were a phenomenon who changed pop — and Bizarre has charted their every twist and turn for 20 years.
Their millions of fans deserve a final chance to see them together again and prove that Girl Power is still very much alive.
Mel, be a sport and join girls says Gaz
IF there’s a man who knows a thing or two about getting one of Britain’s biggest bands back together, it is GARY BARLOW.
He reunited TAKE THAT in 2006, a decade after they split –?and he has now warned Mel C she would be mad to miss a reunion.
In an exclusive interview, Gary, right, told me: “I saw Mel C recently and said to her, ‘Don’t miss the chance to celebrate what you did all those years ago’ – because they changed everything.”
In April I revealed the former Sporty Spice had left anniversary plans hanging by a thread by becoming the second member to pull out after Victoria.
At the time there were whispers of a reality show to recruit two new members.
But fellow Take That singers HOWARD DONALD and MARK OWEN aren’t convinced about the talent show concept.
Howard told me: “I heard that they’re going to try and get two replacements, which is a bit weird.”
Mark added: “I think if the other two who aren’t doing it are saying go ahead, then I think it’s fine. It’s a good thing.”
Fingers crossed Sporty takes Gary’s advice. It just wouldn’t be the same. Old Spice only, please.
20 WAYS LIFE IS SPICIER
① THERE would be no ADELE. She has made no secret of her love and admiration for the band – even offering to join the girls on their epic reunion.
② Or LADY GAGA. The Spice Girls paved the way for her outrageous outfits and whopping platform shoes.
③ In fact, platforms would never have been a trend without Wannabe.
④ They took feminism into popular culture long before BEYONCE flew the flag.
⑤ Geri put Union Jack dresses on the map. And she looked just as incredible in a version of the sexy outfit at the London Olympics in 2012.
⑥ Joggers were made stylish by Sporty – and were ideal for all those high kicks.
⑦ Scary was clearly KATE MOSS’ favourite. Her wardrobe is full of leopard print.
⑧ They are the only UK girl band to conquer the US, laying the foundations for ONE DIRECTION.
⑨ They gave us deserving Christmas No1s – with 2 Become 1, Too Much and Goodbye – before The X Factor and Bob The Builder.
⑩ There’d be no Golden Balls if Victoria hadn’t famously revealed to MICHAEL PARKINSON her nickname for hubby DAVID BECKHAM.
⑪ Without the Spice World film there would be no Ab Fab: The Movie. It featured cameos from RICHARD E. GRANT and MEAT LOAF as their tour bus driver.
⑫ Without their video to Stop Right Now, we’d not have those classic dance moves.
⑬ TAYLOR SWIFT’s famous “squad” wouldn’t exist without Girl Power. The Spices were the original all-female power group.
⑭ I’m still thankful for their amazing show at the 2012 Olympics’ closing ceremony. Without them there would have been even more EMELI SANDE.
⑮ There’s no more getting nervous before meeting a royal after Geri pinched PRINCE CHARLES’ bum.
⑯ They spearheaded Cool Britannia along with BLUR and OASIS.
⑰ They made it OK to not have a stylist, often wearing their own clothes – unthinkable for many stars these days.
⑱ Victoria kicked up a fuss to keep the Pound in 1996. She said: “We must keep our national individuality.”
⑲ They made the “peace” gesture cool . . . just about.
⑳ Finally, they created a whole generation of girls (and boys) who were proud of just being themselves. Long live Girl Power!
Thank you so much, Dan, for always supporting us
Emma Bunton, Baby Spice
— HER nickname was Scary Spice but Mel B reckons her tough attitude paved the way for independent women.
She said: “I’m still Scary Spice. It was because I was very opinionated and people perceive that as being a bit scary. But these days women who have opinions speak up – they know what they want.”
Now she is instilling the same spirit in daughters Phoenix, Angel and Madison. Mel said: “You don’t want a wallflower that bends in the wind and follows everyone else.”
I can’t imagine the girls would ever be shrinking violets with Mel as their mum.
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