Posh Spice has often been criticised for her ultra-slim figure
Victoria Beckham has been left hurt after being accused of promoting an unhealthy body image to her daughter and other young girls, forcing husband David to wade in
She came under fire last week for sharing a snap of a “scarily skinny” and “ill-looking” model wearing a dress from her latest collection on Instagram.
The onslaught of backlash came just days after notoriously slim Posh joked about wearing a necklace as a belt on her Instagram stories – with trolls lashing out at the size 4-6 star for her “irresponsible” fashion hack.
Numerous comments online slammed Posh, 45, accusing her of jeopardising her health and of setting a bad example to her daughter Harper, eight.
One said, “Looking like a skinny rat is not something to brag about,” while another added, “God knows what damage she is doing to her long-term bone health. Silly woman.” One took aim at her parenting, saying, “You would have thought that now she has a daughter of her own she’d want to present a more healthy image.” And, “Childlike. People like her, with their power and influence, should be more careful about the image they portray with their models and clothes.”
Pals say the fashion designer – who is also mum to Brooklyn, 20, Romeo, 17, and Cruz, 14, with David, 44 – feels hurt by the criticism, adding it overshadowed the aftermath of their family holiday where she and David appeared incredibly affectionate in a series of pictures.
A source says, “Vic was gutted when she saw how fans turned what was supposed to be a fun post into a direct attack on her. She was simply trying to connect with fans – showing them how to double up on accessories, so to have it backfire was hurtful.
“Having a young daughter, Vic’s incredibly conscious of setting a good example and instilling confidence and body positivity, so to be accused of promoting an unhealthy attitude to food and having trolls directly reference Harper was very upsetting.”
CHECK OUT 10 big tensions over the Spice Girls reunion
10 big tensions behind the Spice Girls tour - slider
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 £1.3million fee. The Spice Girls, who are rumoured to be pocketing £2.2m 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.
Closer has approached Posh’s representative for a comment but has yet to receive a reply.
It’s not the first time Posh has been accused of promoting an unhealthy body image. Defending her use of skinny models for New York Fashion Week in 2015, the ex-Spice Girl – who has repeatedly come under fire for her own weight and was once cruelly nicknamed Skeletal Spice – said, “They’re thin but that doesn’t mean they’re ill.”
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But pals say Posh – who was accused of being in danger of giving her children complexes last year by trolls after her use of another “malnourished” model to promote her new eyewear collection – has agreed to be more conscious when casting.
The source says, “Vic will never discriminate and won’t be bullied into which models to hire, but she also knows how influential her decisions are and she’s vowed to be more aware of that.
“David’s urged her to stop and think carefully before she posts pictures that turn into an attack on her weight when they’re cruelly twisted – insisting trolls will always find a way to turn it around no matter how innocent it may be, which she agreed to.”
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Posh has previously opened up about her strict diet and workout routine – with her A-list dermatologist Dr Harold Lancer recently telling Closer how the star is a “disciple” of his strict diet regimen which consists of 40 per cent protein, 40 per cent healthy oils and 20 per cent solid green carbs.
And pals say the star – who’s banned caffeine, dairy, salt and sugar from her diet and starts off her day drinking apple cider vinegar “on an empty tummy” before running 5k, followed by an hour with her personal trainer – has relaxed her regime for the sake of her children.
The source adds, “Vic never talks about diets in front of Harper and is very conscious of what she says around the boys too, encouraging them to have a healthy lifestyle that includes occasional treats. David doesn’t want the kids to be obsessed with food, which Vic understands and she’s agreed to be even more aware of it than before."
Read more in this week's Closer magazine, out now.