Geri Halliwell-Horner found fame as the feisty Ginger Spice, becoming an iconic figurehead for girl power, performing in her Union Jack mini-dress and once famously causing outrage by kissing the then Prince Charles, patting him on the bum and telling him he was ‘very sexy’.
But with the news that the rights to her debut novel Rosie Frost And The Falcon Queen have been snapped up by a top production company, insiders say that she is eager for a second lease of life as a famous author.
A source tells Closer, ‘This is a dream come true for Geri. As much as she’s proud of being in the Spice Girls and everything she achieved in the band, she doesn’t want to be remembered just for being Ginger Spice.
‘She’s moving away from that now and this is the perfect opportunity for her. Those Spice Girls days were great, but she’s focusing on a separate path now and wants to make it big in Hollywood.’
The exciting announcement comes after a challenging few months for Geri, 52, following the news in March that her husband of nine years, Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner, had been accused of ‘inappropriate and coercive behaviour’ by a female colleague. Following an investigation, however, Christian, 50, was cleared of any wrongdoing in August.
As Closer previously reported, amid the drama, Geri and Christian’s 10-year relationship came under severe scrutiny – especially when Geri reverted to her maiden name in a social media video filmed at Dior’s fashion show at Drummond Castle in June – and sources close to the former singer spoke of her pain at the time.
Insiders now reveal that discussing the prospect of developing the Rosie Frost franchise – a fantasy and adventure series for younger readers, which tells the story of 13-year-old Rosie Frost, who finds herself orphaned and forced to go to school on a mysterious island – helped Geri move on from the negativity. ‘She had a really tough time earlier this year after her husband Christian’s situation and it took an emotional toll on her,’ they explain. ‘So, working on this project really helped her put her relationship woes behind her and gave her something to focus on.
‘She put all her energy into this book, so the fact it’s set to be made into a movie is a dream come true and something she’s really proud of. She loves the idea of making it in Hollywood and it’s a brilliant career move.’ Christian and Geri – who share son Montague, seven, while Geri is also mum to daughter Bluebell, 18, with ex-boyfriend Sacha Gervasi and Christian shares daughter Olivia, 11, with ex-partner Beverley Allen – originally met at Monaco Grand Prix in 2009 but didn’t begin dating until 2014. The pair announced their engagement later that year and eventually tied the knot in front of, among others, Jennifer Saunders and Sir Jackie Stewart in May 2015. Since then, Geri has been embracing domestic life, splitting her time between her and Christian’s two country estates – one in Oxfordshire, the other in Hertfordshire.
But while she’s more likely to be found riding horses in the UK countryside nowadays, Geri has made no secret of her love of America over the years.
Speaking on Jimmy Fallon’s US chat show last year, she admitted, ‘I don’t think I’d be as successful as I was, and I have been, if it wasn’t for America. You say, “You can do it”.
And with Geri wanting to crack Hollywood, she’s got plenty of famous pals in the US to support her. Not only do Victoria and David Beckham spend plenty of time in LA – and have recently purchased a £56million mansion in Miami – but so does Geri’s close friend Elton John.
Closer’s source adds, ‘Geri loves Hollywood and wants nothing more than to make it big there. She’s always enjoyed being in the States, and has friends there.
‘At the moment, she sees the UK as her home, but never say never. She really does want it to be a success, so who knows what the future holds. Geri is really going for it. She’s in a great place personally and is very excited for the future and this new venture.’
Following the overwhelming success of her debut novel, a move to the US could be a good idea – especially since she’s announced that the sequel Rosie Frost: Ice On Fire will be released in April 2025 and will likely also be developed into a movie.
The source concludes, ‘There’s talk of her making the books into a trilogy – all of which could become films – which would be a great legacy for Geri. At the moment, Jilly Cooper’s Rivals series on Disney+ is huge and Geri is hoping to emulate the success she’s had. She could definitely be the next Jilly Cooper.’