Two years before Geri Halliwell (AKA Ginger Spice) announced that she was leaving the Spice Girls, the British pop group almost lost a different member. In a new interview with People, Spice Girl Mel C (Sporty Spice) revealed that she was nearly kicked out of the band in 1996. She also explained that it was a dustup with bandmate Victoria Beckham (then Victoria Adams) that almost lost her her spot.
The verbal fight occurred at the Brit Awards in 1996. This was the very early days of the Spice Girls, as they had just released their first single "Wannabe" that year. They'd, of course, go on to become huge stars, with a world tour, a feature film, three full albums, and an unbelievable amount of products with their faces on them. But Mel C, whose real name is Melanie Chisholm, could have missed out on all of it, thanks to some harsh words she lobbed at Beckham, also known as Posh Spice.
"We had a few drinks, and we were all probably a bit tipsy, and I told Victoria where to go," she told People. "It wasn't even in front of anyone—I think we were leaving and getting into our car. But it was a big deal at the time, and I got into lots of trouble. People were concerned."
Fortunately for the Spice Girls and their fans, the situation was resolved and the group remained a five-some until Halliwell's departure in 1998. (She's returned for reunions, including the band's 2019 tour, which happened sans Beckham.) But it stands out in Mel C's memory as a turning point for her personal well-being. The fight was "a tiny little thing" that "could have jeopardized my whole dream," she explained. ″So it made me really self-police."
Mel C eventually broke out as a solo artist, but the anxieties that she experienced within the band, as well as the pressures of increasing fame, led to the development of her eating disorder. To cope with all of the chaos, she became more and more strict about working out and eating.
"I was underweight for a couple of years, and it was very damaging for my mental health," she said.
In 2000, Mel C was diagnosed with depression. Though she said that the stigma surrounding antidepressants influenced her, she credits therapy and medication for improving her mental health. Her 11-year-old daughter has also given her another reason to take better care of herself, she shared with People.
As for her relationship with the rest of the Spice Girls and that part of her history, Mel C said that the 2019 reunion tour reminded her that "[Sporty Spice is] such a huge part of who [she is] as a person and who [she is] as a performer." She also said that being "on stage with the girls" again was an "incredible experience."
Earlier this year, Mel C spoke to ABC News Radio about Beckham's absence from that tour, saying, "Although she wasn't with us on the stage, she was very much involved in the show." She added that the group respected Beckham's decision not to perform, but also wanted her to approve of their creative plans, "because it's her baby as much as the rest of us."
The singer also said that the Spice Girls are talking "all the time" about doing more shows around the world and that she personally is doing "everything I can within my power to try and get all of us back on stage together."
And for more nostalgia from the best decade in pop music, check out the Huge Concerts Every '90s Kid Was Dying to See.
