The Spice Girls have denied reports they're set to 'abandon' their 2019 world tour plans; branding the claims 'inaccurate.'
It had been rumoured Geri Horner, Melanie C, Emma Bunton and Mel B had ditched the idea of a tour beyond their scheduled UK and Ireland dates this summer due to Mel B's claims she'd slept with Geri; though a rep for the group has now revealed the reports were 'factually untrue.'
READ MORE: Spice Girls reveal their Spice World 2019 tour dancers
In an upcoming episode of Piers Morgan's Life Stories set to air later this year, Mel B claimed she'd had sex with Geri during the Spice Girls' heyday. Asked if she'd slept with her bandmate, Mel nodded and confessed: "She's going to hate me for this because she's all posh in her country house with her husband."
Mel's bombshell is said to have sent shockwaves through Spice World, with Ginger Spice Geri Horner recently denying Mel's comments as her rep explained: "It has been very disappointing to read about all these rumours again...Geri is really grateful for your support and loyalty for so many years. She loves the Spice Girls: Emma, Melanie, Melanie and Victoria.
"She would like you to know that what has been reported recently is simply not true and has been very hurtful to her family.
"Moving forward, Geri can’t wait to see the girls and all the fans on the tour, have an amazing time with everyone, and make some new memories."
With the girls rumoured to be feuding over Mel's claims, a spokesperson for the Spice Girls has been forced to deny the group have 'abandoned' any world tour plans. They said: "This story is inaccurate and factually untrue."
BELOW: 14 shocking facts you NEVER knew about the Spice Girls 😱
14 shocking facts you NEVER knew about the Spice Girls
1 of 141. They were originally called Touch
When the girls first got together, they were called Touch. It wasn't until Geri thought to change their name to Spice that the band eventually agreed on Spice Girls.
2 of 142. Geri MISSED the original audition
After getting sunburnt on a ski trip to Spain, she thought better than to turn up to the auditions with a red face. Thankfully then-manager Robert 'Bob' Herbert gave her a second chance when she called after the original search.
3 of 143. Emma wasn't in the original line-up
Baby Spice was last to join the group after original member Michelle Stephenson quit the band in 1994. Victoria went on to claim Michelle 'just couldn't be arsed' to put in the same work as the rest of the girls.
4 of 144. They're Simon Cowell's 'biggest regret'
Speaking to Jay Leno in 2013, Simon said: "Spice Girls is probably my biggest mistake," before explaining "I offered them a deal, but they didn't want to sign to me, so that kind of hurt at the time."Victoria doesn't agree with Simon's account, though. Claiming he passed up on their offer on Idol in 2009, she said: "He is the only man in the music industry who turned down the Spice Girls – and said we would never work. I like that fact."
5 of 145. They didn't come up with their own nicknames
That was the idea of former Top of the Pops Magazine editor Peter Lorraine back in 1996. It just stuck.
6 of 146. Wannabe almost wasn't their debut single
The girls have explained they had to fight for the pop classic to be their first single, while the record label reportedly wanted Love Thing. IMAGINE.
7 of 147. The Wannabe video was BANNED in some parts of Asia
This was due to Mel B's erect nipples.
8 of 148. Geri's Union Jack dress made a FORTUNE
The infamous dress Ginger wore to perform Wannabe/Who Do You Think You Are? at the 1997 BRIT Awards was sold at auction in 1998 for $68,000 (£41,320) at a Hard Rock Cafe auction. It's since been spotted on display at a casino in the US.
9 of 149. Speaking of the Union Jack dress...
It was actually made of a 'boring' black Gucci dress - the outfit Geri was originally supposed to wear - and a Union Jack tea towel.Explaining how the look came about, Ginger's former stylist Emma Poole told The Telegraph: "Two nights before, Geri said, 'You know what, Emma? I'm not really comfortable with the dress I'm wearing, I've got a much better idea. I'm going around to my sister's, she's got these great Union Jack tea-towels. I'm going to make a dress.'"
10 of 1410. Geri WROTE Goodbye
Sort of. Although the girls' third Christmas number 1 is thought to be written about Geri's departure, she was actually involved in the early stages of the track when it was intended to be included on the Spiceworld album. Mel C explains in the girls' autobiography Forever Spice: "Goodbye was originally about a relationship ending, but now it's about Geri and it's really sad."Ginger isn't credited as a writer for the released version of the track.
11 of 1411. They were Nelson Mandela's 'heroes'
His words!
12 of 1412. Victoria's the only member WITHOUT a solo number 1
Out of Your Mind - her collaboration with True Steppers and Dane Bowers - was pipped to the post by Spiller's Groovejet (If This Ain't Love) back in August 2000. Oh, how we miss those big chart battles.
13 of 1413. The Viva Forever video is DEEP
As the girls were too busy touring to film a video for Viva Forever - their last single featuring Geri - they turned to Aardman Animations for the treatment.In an interview with Crack magazine, director Steve Box explained that the video's about loss of youth. He said: "It's like the sadness of the song is leaving your childhood behind. "Pop music is all about sex and love, so becoming interested in that, you suddenly put the toys away, you start to grow up in a different way."
14 of 1414. And the Spice Up Your Life video's pretty dark
An unreleased alternative ending to the video shows an erotic dancer in front of a 'SEXXXY SPICE GIRLS' sign, somebody seemingly choking and what appears to be a stack of dead bodies. YouTube it. It's SO WEIRD.
Meanwhile, an unearthed interview from Loaded magazine in 2000 sees Scary Spice Mel B deny sleeping with Geri.
"Sexual partners, you mean? Nah," said Mel in the interview obtained by The Sun. We were the best of mates for a long time. But we never had sex."
If you’re a sucker for the Spice Girls and love a bit of One Direction, you need heat Radio in your life.
We’re online at heatradio.com. You can still get us on the free app on your Android, iPhone or tablet. Tune in on Freeview channel 716 on the telly or get us on your smart speaker by asking it to "play heat radio."