Melanie Chisholm, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown, Victoria Beckham and Geri Halliwell, aka the Spice Girls, pictured in 1996. Getty Images
Melanie Chisholm, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown, Victoria Beckham and Geri Halliwell, aka the Spice Girls, pictured in 1996. Getty Images
Melanie Chisholm, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown, Victoria Beckham and Geri Halliwell, aka the Spice Girls, pictured in 1996. Getty Images
Melanie Chisholm, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown, Victoria Beckham and Geri Halliwell, aka the Spice Girls, pictured in 1996. Getty Images

Say you’ll be there? New Spice Girls documentary to celebrate 25 years of girl power


Saeed Saeed
  • English
  • Arabic

It's been nearly 25 years since the Spice Girls captured our imagination with their debut single, the effervescent ode to girl power that is Wannabe.

In the time between, the band went on to become a pop phenomenon as they conquered seemingly everything – topping the charts, selling-out arenas and taking on the film and fashion worlds.

Fans and newbies now have a chance to relive the glory years of one of the biggest girl bands to ever exist, with British television broadcaster Channel 4 announcing a new documentary that will chronicle the group's ground-breaking career.

Girl Powered: The Spice Girls will air in 2021 to coincide with the band's silver anniversary.

Rob Coldstream and Clare Cameron will helm the project. The directing duo were behind last year's documentary series Jade: The Reality Star Who Changed Britain, which focused on British television personality Jade Goody.

When it comes to their new project, Coldstream and Cameron will have a lot to work with. It has been reported that up to 72 pieces of archival Spice Girls footage will be used in the upcoming documentary. As of yet, there has been no formal word on whether the group will be involved with the programme.

Viva Forever: preserving the Spice Girl's legacy

There have been numerous attempts over the years to immortalise the girl group in one form or another.

Last year, it was reported that the Spice Girls would return to the big screen in an animated film backed by major film studio Paramount.

Produced by the band’s former manager turned television mogul, Simon Fuller, the film is reportedly based on an idea the Spice Girls had themselves, and will feature the voices of all five members and a plot in which the quintet become superheroes.

But since its announcement last June, there has been no official word from the studio regarding the progress of the film.

One project that did see the light of day was the Spice Girls' very own musical Viva Forever.

Premiering on London's West End in December 2012, the show was viciously panned by critics, who lambasted the script and performances.

"I'll tell you what I wanted, what I really really wanted," read the opening night review by UK newspaper The Daily Telegraph. "I wanted this terrible show to stop."

One initiative that continues to be well received is Spiceworld: The Exhibition, a travelling memorabilia show staged in various British museums and galleries that features over 5,000 collectables.

What are the Spice Girls doing now?

In the meantime, all members of the group have managed to find relative success in their post-Spice Girls careers.

Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham launched her eponymous clothing label, which has become a fashion empire. "I think I dress in a way that suits me," she told The National last year. "It's never too complicated, quite simple, good shapes."

Meanwhile, Melanie Chisholm, aka Sporty Spice and Mel C, found success as a solo artist with hits When You're Gone and Never Be the Same Again.

Speaking to The National in 2012 before her Abu Dhabi concert on the Corniche, she recalled how the media spotlight and the constant whirlwind of touring left the Spice Girls drained when they first broke up in 2000.

“I tried to rebel and shed my Spice Girls image,” she said. “We were all trying to find ourselves in a way. People are so familiar with me as a Spice Girl that they are quite surprised when you are capable of doing other things. So I am really loving showing people that there is another side to my personality and to my performing.”

While Geri "Ginger Spice" Halliwell's solo music career may have flopped, she found success in the literary world with two best-selling memoirs and a series of children's books.

Melanie Brown, known as Scary Spice or Mel B, found fleeting solo musical success with her 2000 debut album, Hot, before entering the television talent show circuit with judging stints in the British and Australian versions of The X Factor, as well as the US production America's Got Talent.

As for Emma "Baby Spice" Bunton, she released two average solo albums and despite their poor sales, she managed to maintain her British national treasure status because of her down-to-earth public persona.

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Read more:

Viva forever: Spice Girls set to return to cinemas in new animated film

Did the Spice Girls' message of 'girl power' really have anything to do with female empowerment?

The Spice Girls, Tamagotchis and Disney: the 1990s are back in a big way

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Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush

Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”

A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.

“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”

Timeline

1947
Ferrari’s road-car company is formed and its first badged car, the 125 S, rolls off the assembly line

1962
250 GTO is unveiled

1969
Fiat becomes a Ferrari shareholder, acquiring 50 per cent of the company

1972
The Fiorano circuit, Ferrari’s racetrack for development and testing, opens

1976
First automatic Ferrari, the 400 Automatic, is made

1987
F40 launched

1988
Enzo Ferrari dies; Fiat expands its stake in the company to 90 per cent

2002
The Enzo model is announced

2010
Ferrari World opens in Abu Dhabi

2011
First four-wheel drive Ferrari, the FF, is unveiled

2013
LaFerrari, the first Ferrari hybrid, arrives

2014
Fiat Chrysler announces the split of Ferrari from the parent company

2015
Ferrari launches on Wall Street

2017
812 Superfast unveiled; Ferrari celebrates its 70th anniversary

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

About RuPay

A homegrown card payment scheme launched by the National Payments Corporation of India and backed by the Reserve Bank of India, the country’s central bank

RuPay process payments between banks and merchants for purchases made with credit or debit cards

It has grown rapidly in India and competes with global payment network firms like MasterCard and Visa.

In India, it can be used at ATMs, for online payments and variations of the card can be used to pay for bus, metro charges, road toll payments

The name blends two words rupee and payment

Some advantages of the network include lower processing fees and transaction costs

The bio

Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.

Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.

Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.

Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.