Spice Girls on tenterhooks over potential email leak that exposes spat between Posh and bandmates

UNEDIFYING details of a private chat between three of the Spice Girls caused some blushes – and fury – when they emerged in court papers this week.

In it, a brutally frank Mel B told bandmates Geri Halliwell and Emma Bunton that “charity doesn’t pay the bills” when seemingly discussing a reunion gig.

The Sun understands the leaking of those messages, which formed part of a defamation lawsuit filed on Wednesday in the US, has enraged the ’90s pop icons.

And there is likely to be some more rage and red faces over a load of bitchy exchanges kicking around from years ago, before Posh, Scary, Sporty, Baby and Ginger became best of friends again.

We have been told there is a tranche of catty emails which include Posh being slagged off for the way she behaved at the premiere of the Viva Forever! West End musical on December 11, 2012.

She had arrived late on the night having been stuck in traffic, and then chose to sit separately from the group during the show.

Sources say that did not go down well with Mel B, 49, in particular, and it came just months after the girls reunited as a five-piece for the London Olympics closing ceremony.

And we have been told they also secretly called in lawyers over a potential tour which did not include Victoria Beckham – in case she tried to stop them.

At one point a few years later, fractures between the other three and Victoria and Mel C, both 50, appeared to be at rock bottom – as they plotted a comeback without them.

A source told The Sun one girl even bitched about the financial woes of one of her bandmates to a confidant.

This all comes after Mel B’s group chat with Geri, 51, and Emma, 48, emerged.

Ironically, Geri told Mel after her “charity doesn’t pay” remark that she hopes “nobody ever hacks your texts” – to which Mel said: “Why? My texts are fine,” before adding: “Like I said charity doesn’t pay the bills everyone no’s that.”

Our source said: “This is highly embarrassing for the girls as it doesn’t exactly chime with their core messages.

“But obviously it was a fair few years ago now and they’ve all kissed and made up since then.

“Just look at how happy they were together celebrating Victoria’s 50th birthday back in April, belting out their greatest hits together after a few drinks.

“The hatchet is well and truly buried.”