Much anticipated Spice Girls Talent Show is axed and it’s Mel C & Victoria Beckham who dealt the killer blow

AFTER the messiest reunion in pop history, SPICE GIRLS fans are set for another blow.

Despite GERI HORNER insisting the group will perform together “in the near future”, one exciting comeback project is well and truly dead.

I’ve learned the much-anticipated Spice Girls talent show which would give ­members of the public the chance to join Geri, MEL B and EMMA BUNTON on stage has sadly been axed.

And it’s VICTORIA BECKHAM and ­MELANIE C who dealt the killer blow.

The TV plot came to light last ­September and received huge interest from TV bosses including the BBC.

Geri, Mel B and Emma’s camps ­discussed plans for the show with production companies including Thames TV — makers of The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent, before the idea made its way to the Beeb.

But it has been canned after Posh and Sporty objected to being replaced by the show’s winners and voiced fears it would “damage the Spice Girls brand”.

A telly insider said: “While fans would have preferred to see all five on stage again, the chance to become a Spice Girl was definitely the next best thing.

“Unfortunately, that won’t be happening now. Neither Victoria nor Mel C were on board with the idea and faced with an ‘us and them’ situation, it was dropped.

“It’s a shame because it would have been one of the most sought-after prizes in reality TV show history.

“Given how unpredictable the Spice Girls reunion has been so far, there’s a chance it could be resurrected. But there has been no movement on it since last year.”

It is the latest project to fall by the wayside, following a axed international tour in 2016 to mark ­Wannabe’s 20th anniversary and a London Hyde Park show this summer that would have marked the winners’ debut.

Mel C ditched the comeback last year, and Victoria was against the reunion from the start. I’m still longing for a happy ending in this saga.

ALL HAIL CHRISSY

CHRISSY TEIGEN and JOHN LEGEND might have the perfect relationship – but the singer wasn’t there to protect his wife from the elements this time.

The Sports Illustrated model was almost blown away when her gold dress was blasted by gusts of wind and heavy rain in New York on Tuesday.

She had rushed across the city just in time to join John at the Time 100 Gala, inset above right, having been at a different bash earlier on.

Judging by her face she was feeling the strain of only just avoiding a ­wardrobe malfunction. John was among those to make the mag’s annual list of the world’s 100 most influential people.

Fellow guests at the bash at the Lincoln Center included actress BLAKE LIVELY, who lived up to her name as she joined ­husband RYAN REYNOLDS on the red carpet. Other attendees were DEMI LOVATO, NAOMI CAMPBELL and MARGOT ROBBIE.

This year’s Time 100 Most Influential People In The World list also includes Brits ED SHEERAN, RIZ AHMED and JAMES CORDEN, who were all absent.

The fact that their fellow honouree VLADIMIR PUTIN didn’t attend either is slightly less surprising – and probably for the best.

TV REUNION'S JES NOT FAIR

YOU’VE got to hand it to CHRIS CLARK – he’s a fast mover. It’s just a shame it’s not for the right reasons.

The Towie star is already back with ex AMBER DOWDING just weeks after dumping JESY NELSON by phone.

It means fresh heartache for the LITTLE MIX star after Chris confessed on the ITVBe show that he still has feelings for Amber.

A source said: “Chris and Amber have decided to give things another go.

“Meanwhile Jesy has been left broken-hearted after having to deal with another very public break-up.”
I revealed Chris abruptly ended the romance by text earlier this month while Jesy was on tour in the US.

Jesy’s friends feared the reality star may have used her fame to boost his profile and suspected a reunion between him and Amber would be a storyline for Towie.

They were spot on.

BIZ BIT

ARETHA FRANKLIN has finally hit back at  ­DIONNE WARWICK, who called her out in 2012  for skipping WHITNEY HOUSTON’s funeral and claiming Aretha was Whitney’s godmother. Aretha said: “She blatantly lied on me.”

FAMILIAR STYLES

HARRY STYLES’ new Seventies rock- inspired sound isn’t all his own doing.

The singer at Paris’s Gare du Nord train station yesterday, had formed a secret friendship with THE EAGLES legend GLENN FREY before he passed away aged 67 in January last year, which is sure to have rubbed off on him.

The pair had become so close he attended Glenn’s private memorial in LA alongside co-songwriter DON HENLEY and STEVIE WONDER.

Filmmaker CAMERON CROWE, who interviewed Harry for Rolling Stone magazine, said: “The first time I met him was for the memorial. He was really missing his friend.”

Until now, an Instagram post had been the only clue to Harry’s love for Glenn. A day after his death, he posted: “Rest in love and peace, Mr Frey.”

BIZ BIT

ORLANDO BLOOM says he pities his son Flynn, six, after the actor was snapped naked on a ­paddle board with his ex KATY PERRY last year. He joked: “My poor son. He’s got that to live up  to.  I just took my clothes off, that’s it.”