Mel B and Professor Green will team up to make new music after bonding on Lip Sync Battle UK
The song will be Mel’s first new music since 2013, when she released dance single For Once In My Life
THE long-awaited SPICE GIRLS reunion has taken so many twists and turns since I first broke the news that it has been tough to keep up with them all.
But while the group, now just MEL B, GERI HORNER and EMMA BUNTON, is still planning to re-form later this year, Mel is lining up a very different musical collaboration.
She has railroaded rapper PROFESSOR GREEN in to joining her for a new tune after the pair bonded on the set of Channel 5’s Lip Sync Battle UK.
In an exclusive interview, show host Mel said: “We have spoken about working on some music together and it’s something we are going to work out.
“It would be pretty cool. I nag him all the time, I’m like, ‘Let’s do a song together’. And he’s like, ‘All right’. I keep on getting at him.”
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Pro, who also hosts the programme which sees celebrities mime to famous tracks, added: “I’m gonna go and write something for us. We’re gonna find a day where we’re not doing Lip Sync.”
The song will be Mel’s first new music since 2013, when she released dance single For Once In My Life.
And she is planning to fly her new pal out to her home in Hollywood’s Beverly Hills so they can work on the track.
She added: “I have a studio in my house in LA so he’s going to come over there. We’ll write it together.”
The pair will be back with the new series of Lip Sync Battle at 10pm on Friday, when EastEnders hardman DANNY DYER will compete against CRAIG REVEL HORWOOD.
Steps Five are back and they party like it's 1999
LAST year was far from jolly in the showbiz world. But STEPS are doing everything in their power to ensure 2017 is a Stomping good one as they celebrate their 20th anniversary.
Pictured here reuniting on stage at G-A-Y club night in London’s Heaven in the early hours of New Year’s Day, they confirmed my story that they are making a full comeback, which I revealed will include a new album and major UK tour.
Posing for the crowd, below from left, are CLAIRE RICHARDS, G-A-Y promoter Jeremy Joseph, LISA SCOTT-LEE, FAYE TOZER, LEE LATCHFORD-EVANS and IAN “H” WATKINS – who told the capacity crowd: “2017, Steps are back.
“We have some surprises up our sleeves and it’s a good job we’ve got very big sleeves. So you’ll just have to watch our website and we’ll tell you all in due course.”
Hopefully they will be a bit better at planning their future dates, though. Lisa flew to the UK from her home in Dubai with a broken arm – but had to leave behind her family who had jetted out to be with her on New Year’s Eve.
Faye rushed down to London from Sunderland after another gig, and Lee travelled from Hertfordshire, where he’d been appearing in panto.
It was all right on the night, though, and I have no doubt their tour will be a huge success.
I can’t wait.
First review
IT should have come as no surprise to the clubbers at Heaven that the surprise pop act reuniting there was STEPS, given my huge story about the show.
But the reaction of the crowd could not have been any better as the five-piece burst on to the stage and launched straight into their huge hit Tragedy.
With all of their cheesy dance routines on show, the group had no problem recreating the pop perfection their fans fell in love with two decades ago. And despite the late night, their vocals were just as powerful as ever.
Unfortunately, LISA could not quite keep up with her bandmates’ dance moves during the six- track set. Explaining why she was wearing the sparkly sling and struggling to stay with the pace, LEE revealed: “Lisa broke her arm, believe it or not. So what a trooper she is to be here on stage tonight for you guys.”
Fingers crossed she’s better by the time the tour rolls around.
Happy new rear
FERGIE made sure her own backside was on display while celebrating the tail end of 2016.
She rang in the year with some unforgettable performances during US TV show DICK CLARK’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, with RYAN SEACREST in Los Angeles.
The BLACK EYED PEAS frontwoman was on hosting duties but couldn’t resist climbing on stage to sing hits including her raunchy single M.I.L.F.$.
The five-hour telethon saw her rub sequined shoulders with DJ KHALED, JOHN LEGEND, FIFTH HARMONY, JOE JONAS and NIALL HORAN, who performed new single This Town.
What a way to kick off the New Year.
James after US hearts
JAMES ARTHUR’s turnaround in 2016 was something to behold.
The singer, who I gave my Comeback of the Year award to, was dangerously close to being finished before releasing his new album and ending the year back on top.
And now he’s ready to break America. In an exclusive interview, he said: “I’m going to do the JAMES CORDEN show on January 2. That’s huge. And the Today Show. Two big chances to launch myself in America. I’m excited about it.”
James, who says his Facebook Live with me last year was the start of his comeback, is spending the month in the US, getting his music heard by millions.
He added: “I am going everywhere, doing all the radio and TV stations, iHeartRadio and all of that. If that came up for me that would top off everything.” I wish him all the luck in the world.
Ed's back this week
HE hasn’t released music for a whole year but ED SHEERAN fans won’t have to wait much longer for his comeback.
In a video posted on his Twitter yesterday the chart-topper, whose last album X was one of the best-sellers of the decade, confirmed his return by revealing he will release new music THIS WEEK.
The nine-second clip shows him, right, holding up a piece of paper with the message, “New Music Coming Friday!!”, waving, then taking a bite out of the sign.
Ed revealed in Bizarre just over a year ago how he was planning to take a break from the public eye, including social media, starting in December 2015.
I thought he might struggle, given how prolific he is on Twitter, but he was true to his word and the silence has built the hype for what will undoubtedly be one of the albums of the year.
It will definitely be worth the wait.
Beck for a song
SNUBBING the SPICE GIRLS comeback has not stopped VICTORIA BECKHAM and MELANIE C staging their own mini reunion.
They belted out 2 Become 1 at a New Year’s Eve party in the Maldives on Saturday, left, after I revealed last month that Mel would be the special entertainment.
Cheering them on at the bash was DAVID BECKHAM, kids BROOKLYN, CRUZ, ROMEO and HARPER, and GORDON RAMSAY’s family.
Come on, ladies, if you can perform out there in paradise, it’s surely not too much effort to get the whole gang back together on home soil?