Victoria Beckham has become notorious for her reluctance to commit to a Spice Girls reunion over the years. Now, some recent toe-curling revelations may have put the final nail in the comeback coffin – and soured her friendship with the rest of the band.
After it was reported that Stephen Belafonte is suing his ex-wife Mel B for defamation following the March release of her extended 2018 memoir Brutally Honest, the Spice Girls have been thrust into the limelight after a series of messages from the 2010s emerged in court papers. Obtained by The Sun, the leaked interactions – which formed part of the defamation lawsuit in the US – pointed towards rifts among the group, with the messages featuring bitching about Posh for her actions at the premiere of the Viva Forever! West End musical in 2012.
Now, we’re told that while Victoria will never waver in her support for Mel B – who has claimed Stephen, the father of her 12-year-old daughter Madison, was abusive during their ten-year marriage – she isn’t happy about the unfavourable disclosures.
A source close to the fashion designer – who formed the Spice Girls with Mel B, Mel C, Geri Horner and Emma Bunton – says, “Victoria always knew that the rest of the girls used to gossip about her – especially Mel B and Geri – and these leaked messages have proven that.”
And though our source says she’ll always love the girls, it seems for Vic, the trust between them may be gone. We’re told, “The messages were so long ago, she’s not hugely angry about them – it’s all in her past – but having this all raked up again does tarnish things and brings up trust issues.”
And there are other unflattering messages, too. Among exchanges that cropped up in the court documents, Mel B allegedly told Emma and Geri that “charity doesn’t pay the bills” seemingly when discussing a reunion gig. Ironically, Geri allegedly replied she hoped nobody later hacked her bandmate’s phone. Elsewhere, it was reported the girl band discreetly enlisted lawyers over a prospective tour that failed to include Victoria, in case she tried to put a stop to it, before Mel B, Geri and Emma allegedly plotted another tour without Posh and Mel C years later.
There were also some personal swipes at Vic for her behaviour at the Viva Forever! premiere 12 years ago, which were thought to be in reference to her late arrival after getting stuck in traffic, and then sitting separately from her bandmates during the show. According to a source, this didn’t go down well with Mel B in particular.
The last time the five-piece were onstage together was in 2012 for the Olympics closing ceremony - just months after the Viva Forever! drama. And we have some bad news for Spice Girls fans: our source says that recent events have ruled out a reunion in Vic’s mind.
“She still feels under a lot of pressure to rejoin them, even though she has made it perfectly clear that she doesn’t want to,” we’re told.
“Now, all of this has made her even more determined to stick to her guns. Obviously, this is a difficult time for Mel B and Vic will always have her back, as she will with the rest of the girls – she is incredibly proud of what they achieved. But she just doesn’t want to go back there, however much they beg her.”
At Vic’s 50th birthday bash last month, her husband David – father to their kids, Brooklyn, 25, Romeo, 21, Cruz, 19 and 12-year-old Harper – delighted fans with a clip of the girls singing their hit Stop. And there is some good news – VB is still game for informal reunions, but that’s where she’ll draw the line.
“They’re five very strong and opinionated women, and Vic just doesn’t have time for all that drama and politics,” our insider says.
“She’s concentrating on her own business and family and, while she loves to meet up with the girls, she’s just not up for performing onstage more.”