ON THE COVER Geri Horner
There’s nothing like a singalong to brighten up our weekends and the former Spice Girl is just the person to lead it!
For some she will forever be Ginger Spice, but these days Geri is all grown-up. Now married to Formula One boss Christian Horner, Geri (45) has a new glossy, sophisticated image. A million miles away from her Union Jack-clad “girl power” days, Geri has reinvented herself for a new generation by appearing on shows like The Great British Bake Off, This Morning and The One Show.
Now, Geri is delighted to be heading up “the 100” on the new big-budget BBC Saturday night talent show, All Together Now, made by the producers of the ever popular Pointless.
“I’m so excited to be part of this show. It’s about celebrating talent, uniting people from all walks of life, feeling good AND singing! It’s a whole lot of joy, standing up together on a Saturday night.”
Each brave singer or group has to face the 100 and hope they will be inspired to join in.
“It’s a show about uniting people. On the one hand, you can say that it’s the easiest thing in the world: pick a good song and give a good performance. But actually everyone in The 100 has their own checklist so it’s finding that one thing that will appeal to all of us.
“I felt compelled to be part of the show. I was at The Last Night of the Proms and I was singing with everyone and thought, who knew this would feel so good?
“This country needs this show more than ever – with a bit of music we can all come together. I think music
crosses boundaries, no matter where you are from, young, old, it just brings people together. It is the most amazing feeling when people join in, you feel like one heartbeat. And I just love singing with other people.”
Having been one-fifth of the most successful girl band of all time, music is in Geri’s blood and working on All Together Now, seeing a host of young hopefuls eager to embark on a career in music, takes Geri back to her heady Spice Girl days in the 90s.
“My role as Head of The 100 is really unifying everybody. This whole experience has reminded me of being on tour with The Spice Girls, being part of something, giving someone an opportunity. It’s not forever, but it’s this moment to bring some lightness or joy. What’s not to love?”
Geri admits that despite having appeared in front of thousands of fans in her singing days, she’d still be daunted by the prospect of facing The 100.
“To stand in front of The 100 and get instant feedback, there is no hiding if someone doesn’t like it. It takes a lot of courage. It would be an absolute triumph if someone can get all 100 up.
“I’m not saying it’s easy –and I’m not sure that I’d want to do it!”
These days Geri is enjoying launching a new stage in her career as well as being mum to her two children, Bluebell, aged 11 and baby Monty, who has just celebrated his first birthday.
“I guess the word I’d use to describe where I am in my life is ‘content’,” she says.
“We’ve gone from it being just Bluebell and me for so long, to this blended, modern family.
“I want to do the school run. I want to be up with Monty. I do have a nanny and I have my mum, but I want to have a balance. I didn’t have that for so many years. It would be madness not to cling on to it now.”