Mel C. Explained Why Victoria Beckham Won't Join the Spice Girls Reunion

In the heartbreak heard round the world, Victoria Beckham announced she wouldn't be joining the other Spice Girls during their epic and long-awaited reunion. There have been rumors swirling about bad blood and the reasons for Posh Spice's decision. But now we have our answer, and it's NONE of those.

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In the heartbreak heard round the world, Victoria Beckham announced she wouldn't be joining the other Spice Girls during their epic and long-awaited reunion. There have been rumors swirling about bad blood and the reasons for Posh Spice's decision: Was it a feud? Was it because Victoria didn't want to be known as a Spice Girl anymore? Was she just too busy? But now we have our answer, and it's NONE of those—apparently she just gets crazy stage fright.

Melanie Chrisholm, a.k.a. Mel C. or Sporty Spice, went on Jay Rayner’s "Out to Lunch" podcast, and the topic came up in conversation.

"I’m sure, Victoria wouldn’t mind me saying, the Olympics was hard for her,” she said. "You know, she’s moved on, her life has changed, and she just doesn’t have that love of performing, and in fact, it completely petrifies her." (I mean, SAME, Victoria.)

Mel C. went on, "I’m sure there are many reasons...She’s extremely busy and successful in what she’s doing. She has put her heart and soul into her business, and...to step away from that, and...not give it the time that she does at the moment would be difficult." She added, "But also, I’m sure, if she felt passionate about being on stage and loved it, then she’d be there."

Luckily, rumors of a feud are just that: baseless rumors. Mel C. made it clear that there was no throwing shade here: "We’re all very sensitive of that, and we completely understand," she said. "We’re all sad that Victoria won’t be joining us, but it’s all genuinely very supportive you know, obviously understand and support her."

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Victoria has also said she's really sad to miss the tour, in a prior interview with The Guardian. "I’m sure when I’m there and they are on stage, there will be a part of me that feels a bit left out," she explained. "Because even after all this, a part of me will always be a Spice Girl."

I actually feel okay about this news now, after initially being really bummed about it. I feel better about this decision than just beaming her in via hologram—now, that's creepy.

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Katherine J. Igoe
Katherine J. Igoe
Contributing Editor

Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award. 

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.