He's on the subs bench, while she's hitting the town
We love a lady who gives as good as she gets, so hats off to Victoria Beckham.
While she’s long been considered the poster girl for the stony-faced pout, especially when she’s being overshadowed or rebuffed in public by her husband David, last week we saw a different side to her.
A happier, more relaxed Vic, who smiled, laughed and even – would you believe – linked arms with her evening companion (on this occasion, fashion journalist Derek Blasberg).
According to sources, Posh’s new public persona – which she debuted on a dinner date with Derek in New York – marked a turning point.
No longer willing to put up with David’s apparent coldness towards her while he jets off across the world for work and mingles with a host of stars, we’re told that Posh has decided to change her tactics, prompted by David’s recent series of public blunders.
Last week, shortly after the former footballer got slapped with a six-month driving ban for using his phone while driving, he hit the headlines for taking 30 first-class long-haul flights in a year while campaigning for action against climate change.
And now we’re told Victoria’s decided to take advantage of his image being dented and have a little bit of fun herself.
CHECK OUT the big tensions behind the Spice Girls tour
10 big tensions behind the Spice Girls tour - stacked
1 of 10Mel’s sex claims
Mel B, 43, sensationally revealed last week that she'd had a boozy night of passion with Geri, 46 – who is said to be furious with her, as her daughter Bluebell, 13, could read the story. A worried Mel C, 45, hinted the fallout could ruin the reunion, responding to Mel B's exposé by saying, "That's it then, the tour is off."
2 of 10Geri’s posh new life
Geri married F1 boss Christian Horner in 2015 and replaced the tongue-poking andpeace-signs with spiritualism sessionsand cookery classes. She has a society neighbour, Lady Joanna Wellesley, and a menagerie of goats and donkeys at her country manor. She also reportedly stopped a photo shoot with the Spices so she could meditate – and her new lifestyle is said to have irked Northern lass Mel B.
3 of 10Manager fallout
The Spices sacked old boss Simon Fuller in 1997, amid reports he'd had a relationship with Emma Bunton, 43 – which they both denied – but he's involved with the tour in partnership with Mel C's Modest Management agency. He's also responsible for Brand Beckham – which won't sit well with the girls if they reportedly continue to clash with Posh, 44.
4 of 10Post & Mel B's feud
Fans want a guest appearance fromPosh, but she doesn't get on with Mel B. Mel reportedly described Posh as "a bit of a bitch" in an interview last month, and allegedly told her to "f*** off" during a phone call last year. She then dressed up as her for Halloween. Posh also said the girls used to switch off her mic on-stage!
5 of 10Nerves over past humiliation
Their 2007 comeback single Headlines was a flop, limping into the charts at number 20, and they fear the same will happen with the tour. Emma suffered anxiety before tickets went on sale, while Geri is reportedly taking singing lessons to avoid embarrassment.
6 of 10Fury at Jess Glynne payout
Allegedly without the girls' say so, tour managers booked Jess Glynne as their support act, agreeing to a hefty ÂŁ1.3million fee. The Spice Girls, who are rumoured to be pocketing ÂŁ2.2m each, are said to be furious, suggesting tensions will rise in the dressing rooms. Jess, however, said she only agreed to the tour as she was such a massive Spice Girls fan and wanted to "hang out" with them.
7 of 10Wardrobe woes
Stage costumes are causing problems as the foursome struggle to agree whether their fans want to see them wearing their '90s outfits – think Union Jack dresses – or more grown-up attire. While Mel B is apparently "desperate to relaunch herself as an edgy, sexy star to compete with the likes of Rita Ora", Geri wants a more wholesome image to appeal to the older, original fans.
8 of 10Victoria is still cashing in
It's no secret that money is a big motivation for the tour. But Victoria will still make millions without stepping foot on stage, as she owns an equal stake in the band's brand. This has reportedly caused fury among the band members.
9 of 10A fifth spice?
The Girls are reportedly discussing having a "fifth Spice". Comedian Jack Whitehall and superfan Adele have offered their services, while The X Factor's Saara Aalto revealed Mel C told her she could join. But would that mean splitting their earnings even further?
10 of 10Old animosities
Although Emma is seen as the sweet one, she's no pushover. She may have forgiven Geri for quitting the band in 2003, but reveals that she won't stay quiet if the Girls squabble. "I was never afraid to say exactly what I thought. It's still the same now," she said recently.
“Vic has decided that David shouldn’t be the only one who gets to let his hair down,” an insider close to the fashion designer tells heat.
“She’s fed up of always being the one to make compromises and be looking after the kids while he’s off somewhere doing his own thing. Now that David’s image has taken a bit of a beating with his driving ban, the power dynamic has shifted.
"It’s yet another blow for Brand Beckham that he’s responsible for, so Vic’s now told him to keep a low profile and spend more time at home with the kids.”
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The insider continues, “She’s taken the chance to catch up with her fash-pack friends in New York, as well as LA friends like Eva Longoria and Kate Beckinsale. David gets annoyed when he sees her out having fun while he’s at home, but she’s told him tough luck. She feels that it’s time that he put a bit of work into the more domestic side of family life.”
As heat told you last week, Victoria’s grown increasingly tired of the lack of romance that David shows toward her in public, and feels that his apparent coldness is in stark contrast to their early years of married life, when he used to make her feel “like the most special person in the world”.
On her recent 45th birthday, David once again celebrated Vic as a great mum, while posting a picture of them with their four children – Brooklyn, 20, Romeo, 16, Cruz, 14, and seven-year-old Harper – but failed to acknowledge their almost 20-year marriage.
This time, instead of trying to change his behaviour by pressuring him to show more affection towards her, Vic’s giving him a taste of his own medicine. And her new plan might just be working.
“She feels David needs to prove himself and spend a bit more time with her,” our source says. “He’s still got to be travelling for work and will be visiting Miami later this year, but he’s got to clear everything with Vic. She’s in the driving seat right now.