Emma warns Mel not to let her loose lips ruin their reunion
As Mel B takes a swipe at Geri Horner and risks derailing the Spice Girls’ tour plans, Emma Bunton is forced to step-in
Their 2019 reunion was left hanging in the balance when Mel B sensationally revealed during a TV interview with Piers Morgan that she’d had a secret lesbian fling with Geri Horner at the height of the band’s fame – a claim Geri denied as being “simply not true” – and now the star is once again putting their tour plans in jeopardy.
Last week, Mel, 46, appeared to reignite their 20-year feud by publicly mocking Geri on TV. When asked who she thought was hiding in the Big Breakfast loo during an appearance on the Channel 4 show, the mum-ofthree quipped, “Ginger Spice, because she’s full of p***!”
HURT AND HUMILIATED
And after praising Emma Bunton and Victoria Beckham later on Steph’s Packed Lunch, Mel then said, “And Geri, where do I start? Stop-Wearing-WhiteAnd-Wear-The-Union-Jack Spice,” in reference to the mum-of-two’s transformation from Spandex-loving pop star to cashmere-wearing country girl.
Perhaps trying to save face, Mel then added that she’d be “Fabulous Spice”.
Her digs came after the twice-divorced star spilled the beans on the band’s hopes for another reunion, revealing, “I think we’re hopefully on the same page together – they are going to kill me for saying this – but we’re hoping to tour in 2023.”
But as Mel continues to ruffle Geri’s feathers amid an already turbulent relationship, insiders fear this could be the final nail in the coffin.
“Geri was really upset by Mel’s latest comments,” says a source. “While she knows they were tongue-in-cheek, she also thought they were tainted with a nasty undertone and it was humiliating and hurtful. It’s left her feeling uneasy about working with Mel again.
“Mel’s been the ring-leader for the tour, so to then risk blowing it all for a silly quip – especially when she needs the money more than any of them – wasn’t the smartest move.”
Last year, Mel claimed she was on “the brink of bankruptcy” when pleading with a judge to lower the “exorbitant sum” in legal fees she was ordered to pay her ex-husband Stephen Belafonte, 46, following their divorce battle in 2018.
The singer – who reportedly earned £3 million from the last Spice Girls reunion tour in 2019 – claimed she was unable to work due to the pandemic, which in addition to her debts and monthly outgoings, had left her virtually broke. The star was even forced to abandon efforts to move her and Stephen’s tenyear-old daughter, Madison, from LA to the UK.
MONEY MATTERS
Geri, meanwhile, shares two lavish estates with her husband, Formula One champion Christian Horner, 47, their son, Monty, four, and her daughter, Bluebell, 15, from a previous relationship, and the couple are reportedly worth £28 million.
With Mel’s loose-lipped antics once again putting their reunion hopes on the line, friends say Emma, 45, has stepped in to mediate.
“Emma’s close to both girls, and this isn’t the first time she’s had to act as referee,” says the source. “Emma assured Geri that while Mel’s jibes may have been upsetting, she meant no harm, and insisted she shouldn’t let this little slip-up destroy everything – especially after all they’ve been through.
“She also had a quiet word in Mel’s ear and urged her to reach out and apologise. Mel agreed that she doesn’t want to fall out again, and has promised to call Geri to smooth things over.”
❛ GERI’S UPSET. SHE THOUGHT MEL’S COMMENTS WERE TAINTED
WITH A NASTY UNDERTONE ❜