This week marks the 25th anniversary of the Spice Girls’ debut single, Wannabe, which catapulted the fivesome to global superstardom.
And while Emma Bunton, Mel B, Mel C, Victoria Beckham and Geri Horner have never looked back thanks to their “Girl Power” mantra – becoming the best-selling girl band of all-time during their six-year reign – Closer looks at how differently life could have turned out for Baby, Scary, Sporty, Posh and Ginger…
Sporty Spice – Professional dance teacher
Sporty landed her spot in the Spice Girls just months before completing a three-year course to become a tap and modern dance teacher. And pals say the 47-year-old would have gone on to open her own dance school or become a choreographer. A source close to the singer says, “Mel dreamt of opening a dance academy and offering programs to disadvantaged youths from Liverpool where she grew up – and still does.”
But insiders say Mel – who lives in London with boyfriend Joe Marshall and her 12-year-old daughter, Scarlett, from a previous relationship – has no regrets.
The source adds, “While Mel knows she’d most likely be happy working a nine-to-five in a dance school, auditioning for the Spice Girls opened up doors she never dreamt were possible.”
Ginger Spice - Rival to glamour model Katie Price
She’s since become “lady of the manor” with multi-millionaire husband Christian Horner – a friend of the royals – but Geri grew up on a Watford council estate with her Spanish-born mum, who worked as a cleaner.
And, after leaving school at 16, Geri got a job as a nightclub dancer in Majorca and presented the Turkish version of TV game show Let’s Make A Deal, before turning her hand to glamour modelling.
And if she hadn’t found fame in the Spice Girls? A pal close to the 48-year-old says, “Geri says she would have tried to make it as a presenter, and even though she shies away from it now, she could have made a name for herself – and a lot of money – with her glamour modelling, like Jordan did.
“She insists she would never have settled in Watford and would have moved abroad. She’d probably be running a beachside restaurant.”
Scary Spice - Playing Steve McDonald’s girlfriend
Before bagging her place in the band, Mel B had a brief stint on Coronation Street in 1993 as a checkout assistant.
She was later offered the role of Fiona Middleton – then played by Angela Griffin – but turned down the opportunity, and missed the chance to have an affair with cobbles Casanova Steve McDonald.
She recently returned to the soap though, by helping scriptwriters on a domestic abuse storyline following her toxic 10-year marriage to Stephen Belafonte.
And pals say the 46-year-old – who moved back to her native Leeds from LA following her split from Belafonte in 2018 – would have pursued acting if she hadn’t joined The Spice Girls.
A source says, “Mel would have taken on a role in Corrie had it not been for the band – she was content pursuing an acting career.
“If she had stayed in Leeds, she’d probably have married and had a family with someone from her hometown and led a more ‘ordinary’ life.”
Posh Spice – Married to her parents’ employee!
Posh and Becks celebrated their 22nd wedding anniversary at the weekend – but a young Posh almost married burglar alarm fitter Mark Wood. Victoria, 47, met
Mark after he started working for her parents’ electrical company in Goffs Oak, Hertfordshire. They were together for six years and engaged for two, and she even took his surname in the early Spice Girls days, referring to herself as Victoria Adams Wood.
She called off their romance because “it didn’t feel right” and met David a year later, but the pair are amicable, with Mark saying he is “so proud” of her, while she kept the ring!
A source says, “Vic would probably have married Mark if it wasn’t for finding fame and would be living in Goffs Oak. She jokes about how she would have opened a clothes shop, or worked helping Mark take business bookings.”
Check out: from Cheryl to Coleen Rooney - where are the 2006 WAGS now?
The UK Wags - where are they now? - slider
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1 of 9Victoria Beckham
One half of the indestructible Beckham brand, Victoria was the original Queen WAG in 2006. At the time Victoria had been married to David for seven years and had just given birth to her third boy, Cruz. She had also just launched her denim line, dvb Style and walked the catwalk for Roberto Cavalli. Over a decade later, she is a fully fledged and well respected fashion designer, with a fourth addition to her brood – the adorable Harper.
2 of 9Coleen Rooney
Coleen rose to fame as a WAG at just 20 years old. Coleen and Wayne are married and they celebrated their ten-year anniversary in 2018. However, Wayne's repeated cheating has strained the relationship over the years. They have four children together, Kai, Klay, Kit and Cass. Since 2006 Coleen has released a fitness DVD, been a style advisor for Littlewoods and even had a column with us in Closer magazine.
3 of 9Cheryl
How could we forget Cheryl as a WAG? Back then, 23-year-old Cheryl was a popstar in Girls Aloud who had just married Ashley Cole. Nowadays, Cheryl is a household name and a worldwide celebrity in her own right. After splitting from Ashley in 2010, she had a successful (well, successful-ish) solo career, was a judge on The X Factor and was the face of beauty brand L'Oreal. She married Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini in 2016 but they divorced three months later. Most recently, Cheryl separated from One Direction singer, Liam Payne, who she has a baby son called Bearwith.
4 of 9Abbey Clancy
Abbey first grabbed our attention in 2006 as one of the finalists in Britain's Next Top Model. She began dating Peter Crouch that same year and the pair are now married with three kids Sophia Ruby, Liberty Rose and baby Johnny. Lingerie model Abbey went on to win Strictly Come Dancing in 2013 and she returned to Britain's Next Top Model as the show's presenter. Not bad work, eh?
5 of 9Danielle Lloyd
Danielle Lloyd was dating footballer Teddy Sheringham when she gained her WAG status. At the time, her title as Miss Great Britain was a controversial matter and she was later stripped of it. Fast forward to now and Danielle has appeared on TV shows such as Celebrity Big Brother, Total Wipeout, The Weakest Link and even Come Dine With Me. She has three sons, Archie, Harry and George with her now ex-husband Jamie O'Hara. Danielle gave birth to a fourth child with her husband Michael O'Neill, Ronnie, in 2017.
6 of 9Elen Rivas
Elen Rivas was engaged to Frank Lampard at the time of the 2006 World Cup, and was a permanent fixture in the WAG circle. After splitting from Frank after a seven-year relationship, she dated Peter Andre, appeared on Dancing On Ice and now looks after her two daughters Luna and Isla while working as a model. Frank has since married TV presenter Christine Bleakley and they've welcomed their daughter Patricia into the world.
7 of 9Louise Owen
Despite being married to one of the most famous footballers at the time, Louise Owen wasn't your stereotype WAG. She has always managed to keep her distance from the limelight. Her passion is rescuing race horses and she currently lives in Wales with her husband Michael and their four children, Gemma, James, Jessica and Emily.
8 of 9Carly Zucker
Now known as Carly Cole after marrying midfielder Joe Cole in Chelsea in 2009, Carly loved to party during the 2006 World Cup (we know the feeling). She then spent two weeks in the jungle during I'm A Celeb in 2009 before being the third to be booted out. Carly and Joe have had three children, Ruby, Harrison and Max together.
9 of 9Alex Curran
Former nail technician Alex Curran began dating Liverpool player Steven Gerrard in 2002. She was one of the leading figures in the 2006 WAG squad. The pair married in 2007 and they have had four children together, Lexie, Lio, Lord, Lilly-Ella. Fashion lover Alex has released a perfume, fronted a Lipsy campaign and written a weekly shopping column for a national newspaper.
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Baby Spice - Mrs Leonardo Dicaprio!
After being together for 23 years and sharing two sons, Emma Bunton and former Damage singer Jade Jones are set to tie the knot at the end of this year. And while Emma, 45 – who is also broody for her third child – has called her family her “world”, her romantic life could have taken a rockier path.
Shortly before meeting boyband star Jade, Baby reportedly briefly dated Hollywood Lothario Leonardo DiCaprio, 46 – after he sent her a love letter! But despite his affection, Baby later said, “He’s a bit boy-y for me. I go for real lads, which is probably why I’ve had trouble... We’ll just have to wait and see.”
A pal says, “Emma knew that Leo wasn’t ready to settle down, and while it was fun, she’s aware of how different – and painful – her dating life would have been if she hadn’t joined the Spice Girls and met Jade, which she still to this day insists was ‘fate’.”