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Emma Bunton demanded Robbie Williams apologise for claiming he slept with ALL the Spice Girls
Baby Spice revealed a hilarious email exchange with the Angels singer as they made plans to record a new version of the group’s hit single 2 Become 1.
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It came after Rob had, according to Emma, made the “very naughty” claim that: “I’m very fortunate I’m one of the only people in the world that can say they’ve been in Take That and four out of five of the Spice Girls.”
Following the risqué joke that he told in an episode of my podcast The Dan Wootton Interview, Robbie emailed Emma apologetically, writing: “Sometimes I think I’m being funny.”
She responded on behalf of her bandmates, replying: “You are funny and we adore you but stop saying it now.
“We forgive you if you don’t ever say it again.”
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Now taking her turn to star in the new episode of — which you can get for free on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts — an exasperated Emma added: “I’m like, ‘Where’s it come from?’ ”
Luckily, Robbie’s apology meant Emma could move forward with a plan for them to rework the Spice Girls’ 1996 Christmas No 1 for her brand new solo album My Happy Place.
She recalls: “He was brilliant, and said yes straight away. Can’t wait. He kept emailing saying, ‘Is there anything else you need me to do?’ Very professional as always and, yeah, I really like it.”
Emma’s return to the studio as a solo artist comes just months before the Spice Girls’ highly anticipated summer reunion that will take place without Victoria Beckham.
In the podcast, I tell Emma that decision is Posh’s loss.
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She replies: “I think she will miss it, won’t she. I would. I know I’d be like, ‘Argh!’ ”
I also wonder why Posh went through the whole palaver of officially reuniting with the band at Geri’s house, even getting her PR to release a statement on behalf of the band, only to drop out soon after.
“Right,” Emma says, clearly as confused as I am, “I’m not sure I could answer that either but there’s other things that possibly we would like to do.
“Obviously we’re a brand as well and there’s fun things that we could maybe be doing.”
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Emma does not believe Victoria deserves criticism for refusing to rejoin, explaining: “We’ve really learnt and grown up. We totally respect each other’s differences and Victoria is not ready to get back up on stage.”
Will she ever be ready? “I really don’t know, really don’t know. I know not for now.”
But even if she had a last-minute change of heart, it’s too late for Victoria to be any part of the reunion this year.
Emma says: “I know people have said, ‘Oh, will she get back up on stage with you?’ But the thing is it’s a show and second by second we’ve got dancers — everything is so set. That is not going to be possible.
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WHAT I'VE LEARNED by Emma Bunton
WHY SHE WON’T MARRY LONG-TERM PARTNER JADE JONES: “We were talking about this the other day and we were like, ‘Imagine we did then it all went horribly!’ We don’t organise things, we’re very last-minute – we kind of just go with the flow. But he’s so fab and he’s so sexy. I fancy the socks off him. We’re a very strong team and we care about each other and adore each other and our kids. We feel like we’ve got that unit anyway.”
LOVING HOSTING THE U.S. VERSION OF GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF WITH PAUL HOLLYWOOD: “He was great fun, lots of banter. He keeps the team together, has us laughing and is very, very professional. You’re watching these people bake amazing things and I’m not good in the kitchen – I burn toast. But I’ve got a brilliant palate and know what I like, so I was quite good for the job.”
HOW I BEAT THE STRICTLY CURSE: “I was totally and utterly in love with Jade. You spend a lot of time with your partner and you have to be quite intimate in the dance thing. I was pregnant as well by the end of that. Not to my dance partner, no!”
WHY KEELEY HAWES IS GREAT TO GO ON HOLIDAY WITH: “I went to school with Keeley. I adore her, we are very good friends. She lived with me for about six months and we used to go on holidays together. She’s really good fun. She’s a bloody brilliant actress, isn’t she? I’m just so proud of her and she’s so beautiful.”
HELPING HOLLY WILLOUGHBY COPE WITH FAME: “I’m lucky because I’ve got a few little networks of friends. We’re all mummies and we can just have those chats about lots of different things. Holly’s wonderful to have around and in business as well.”
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'CLOSE TO PERFECT'
“But knowing that she’s going to come to the show and she’s going to bring the kids — that is going to be really special, and every conversation we have is pure support.”
As for the new four-piece, which also includes Mel B, Mel C and Geri Horner, those old Spice Girls tensions have been kept at bay.
Emma, who has previously played peacemaker in the group, says: “Of course it’s like having family. It’s not always perfect but I would say at the moment it is very close to being absolutely perfect.
“We have different priorities. What we used to argue about back in the day is not important any more.
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“We have changed. We love each other, and I kind of want to cuddle them all and wrap them up and make sure they’re all safe.
“We’ve all got our own lives but when we come together there’s nothing quite like it — the bond between us all.”
The comeback, which I revealed earlier this year, has been a wild success, with the stadium concert tickets selling out faster than any other gigs in British history.
While rehearsals begin next month, the creative work behind the scenes has already started, with the members’ children being involved in the process.
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Emma says: “We’re right in the middle of creating the show and all the kids are so excited. I can’t wait to start rehearsing, Dan — I’m ready.”
Emma rightly thinks the phenomenon around the ticket sales was in part a way for a country, deeply divided over Brexit, to come together and party like it’s the Nineties again.
She says: “At this moment everybody seems to be very separated — different opinions, different things going on all over the world.
“But it just showed when we put those tickets on sale that everyone wants to unite and reminisce and have those lovely feelings.” When I sat down with the Spice Girls last year for their first interview as a reunited band, they revealed their Girl Power slogan would become People Power — a decision that sparked some controversy.
Spice Girls tour - Mel B, Mel C, Emma Bunton and Geri Horner tell Dan Wootton everything you want to know
'BIG DOSE OF FUN'
But Emma says: “It’s about people power now — we want to lift everyone’s spirits again, and there’s light.
“Obviously from us we’re always girl power, we are girls, but I think it’s about giving everyone a lift now.”
There’s also going to be a big dose of unadulterated fun, including those epic dance routines to iconic tracks including Stop, Say You’ll Be There and Who Do You Think You Are.
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“We all can’t wait to get back into a rehearsal studio and do our dance routines,” Emma says excitedly.
She then warns ominously: “Hope you remember them all, Dan, because we’re going to bring the originals back.”
If there’s one concert this year that would make me give an iconic dance routine a try, it’s the Spice Girls — after all, I’ve only been banging on about it for the past ten years.
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