No room for Geri!
GERI Halliwell has managed to talk herself OUT of a guest role in BBC1's returning drama Hotel Babylon. The Spice Girl had been in talks to appear as herself in an episode of the show, which returns this year. But it wasn't enough for Ginge. My spy whispers: "She wanted a 'proper part', more substantial than the average cameo. "She is keen to establish herself as an actress but sadly it wasn't available and she's ended up with nothing." Past guests have included Kelly Brook, Joan Collins and Russ Abbot. Luckily mad-as-cheese Paula Abdul has agreed to appear.
CELEBRITIES SUPPORT READING SCHEME
Celebrities including Geri Halliwell, Lenny Henry and Jo Brand are taking part in a new TV ad to encourage more people to read. They will be joined by comedians Bill Bailey, Jon Culshaw, Jo Caulfield and Lee Mack in a Government advert which will be broadcast for the first time on Tuesday night. The stars will be seen playing "consequences", in which they read lines from unconnected material to form a light-hearted narrative. The advert is being broadcast at the start of the National Year of Reading, a Government scheme to encourage people to read more.
Children, Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls said: "The National Year of
Reading is all about reading anything, anytime and any place; the new
advertising campaign brings this sentiment to life perfectly. "The familiar
faces supporting the Year help to show reading can be engaging in all its forms
from books to blogs, while you're at home or even in a 'caf'.
"We hope that it will not only challenge people's traditional perceptions of
where and what they read, but also show that reading is an essential life skill
which has never been more important.
"Parents can be key in leading this renaissance by making time to read with
their children every day when they are young and encouraging them to carry on
reading as they get older. Just a few minutes everyday can make a real
difference." Prime Minister Gordon Brown is hosting a reception at 10 Downing
Street to celebrate the launch of the scheme.
The campaign will have a particular focus on reluctant readers or those lacking confidence, as well as encouraging boys to read with their fathers. Across England 149 reading co-ordinators will be put in place to work with local authorities and businesses. One aim is to encourage broader reading, not only of novels but other publications such as cook books, manuals and websites.
Geri Will be Guest on Channel 4's Friday Night Project
You'd think that Channel 4 would have had enough of divas after dealing with Mariah Carey on The Friday Night Project last night.
But there could be another big list of requests from an entourage in a fortnight when Geri Halliwell joins Justin Lee Collins and Alan Carr. That should spice things up...
The Feeling Dress as Spice Girls
THE FEELING dressed up as the SPICE GIRLS for
their gig at London’s G-A-Y club night on Saturday.
Singer DAN GILLESPIE SELLS put on a GERI HALLIWELL-style Union Jack dress for
the gig at the Astoria.
Meanwhile, Ginger herself demonstrated how sexy Spice action should be done —
flashing her bra on the way to dinner with EMMA BUNTON in New York.
Great boobs ... Geri
An onlooker said: "For one so tiny Geri has great breasts” She was letting
everything hang out!"
Geri and Victoria Say Sorry to Fans
THE SPICE GIRLS have apologised to fans for
cutting short their world tour. The band cancelled planned dates in Beijing,
Sydney, Cape Town and Buenos Aires, much to the disappointment of Girl Power
followers who had already purchased tickets. The girls cited "family and
personal commitments" for their decision, which means the tour ended in Toronto
on February 26.
GERI HALLIWELL also said the fivesome added more
dates in England and America, so they still played the number of dates they
originally intended to perform.
VICTORIA BECKHAM added: "We have children, they need to go back to school and we
always said our families were our priorities.
"We would like to thank all our fans and I'm sorry we couldn't come and see you
all."
The Spice Girls are splitting for a second time and cutting short their comeback tour after a string of bust-ups fired by the two Mel's. Exhausted by the gruelling schedule, Melanie Brown and Melanie Chisholm told the other three girls: “We’ve had enough." Now the band are chopping six dates from the £100million tour, costing them millions in lost earnings and disappointing thousands of fans.The final gig of the tour will now be in Toronto on February 26th and will probably be the last time they perform togetherA close source said: “It looks like the end. It took so long to get them together it’s unlikely to happen again soon, if ever. It’s very sad. Glossing over the axed dates, the girls said last night: “Really sorry if we didn’t get to see you this time round. We all have other commitments in our lives." But who knows what will happen? We’ve had an amazing time.” The band reunited in June after seven years apart, unveiling plans to play dates on five continents. They made a triumphant start in Vancouver two months ago and went on to pocket £10million each, playing to 500,000 fans in Europe and the US. But as the strain of performing up to four nights a week took its toll, tensions mounted. An insider said: “Tempers have been running high and there have been times when they’ve just lost it with each other.”
Matters came to a head this week when the band were presented with a new tour schedule. Posh Spice Victoria Beckham, 33, Baby Emma Bunton, 32, and Ginger Geri Halliwell, 35, wanted to play gigs in Argentina, Australia, South Africa and China. But Scary Mel B, 32 – mum of Angel, eight months, and Phoenix Chi, eight – and Sporty Mel C, 34, said they wanted out. A source said: “Mel B wasn’t having any of it. She misses her husband and children and said she couldn’t go on. She’s also been floode with US offers after her success on Dancing with Stars.“ Mel C agreed it was time to call it off. She was the least excited about the tour. She also feared it might jeopardise her solo career.“ The others wanted to go on, but couldn’t persuade the Mel's. Without them, there was no point.”
Geri Halliwell
Jessica Knight was left for dead, stabbed 30 times in a frenzied attack as she walked alone through a park close to her home. And for six days the 14-year-old schoolgirl lay in a coma, devastated by a stroke as she fought for life on the surgeon's table.Her desperate parents stayed by her bedside, willing her to open her eyes - until a miracle arrived in the most unexpected form: Spice Girl Geri Halliwell. A surprise hospital visit - and a bit of singing - from Ginger Spice, set Jessica on the road to recovery.
"Geri sang a couple of lines of one of their songs and Jessica started moving her arms and legs," says mum Jill Walmsley." It was amazing. We were all in fits of giggles because we were so relieved and it was just so funny seeing her legs move to Geri's singing. The next day, she opened her eyes for the first time." The visit had been arranged by a family member who got in touch with the Spice Girls while they were performing their reunion tour in Manchester last month. Jessica had been stabbed just two days before she was due to see the Spice Girls in concert. " I only found out Geri was coming half an hour beforehand," says Jill. "You just don't expect to be sitting in the hospital and for Geri Halliwell to walk in. She gave me a big hug and said that Jessica's story had really touched her. "It's just such a shame Jessica can't remember anything about it - when I told her Geri had been to visit her, she looked stunned and said 'No way!' "Luckily, Geri left her a wristband from the Spice Girls concert as proof!"
Now, just seven weeks after the attack, Jessica, of Chorley, Lancs, is making great strides towards recovery and has finally started walking again And in her first interview, mum Jill says the brave teen's will and determination are truly inspiring. "As a mum you're always proud of your kids, but she's made me the proudest mum ever. She's so wonderful." On January 21, Jessica had been walking through Astley Park, near her home to meet friends. She was stabbed in the neck, chest, face and back and left for dead on the dimly-lit path. If it wasn't for a passing cyclist, who spotted Jessica slumped and bleeding, she may not have survived the random knife attack. He saved her life by pressing a paper tissue over one terrible wound in her neck. Jessica was taken to hospital where the six-hour battle to save her life began. Jill first heard of her Jessica's plight at 10pm, when her beloved daughter had already been in theatre for four hours. "We rang the police at 9.20pm saying she hadn't come home," says Jill, a healthcare assistant at Chorley Hospital. "They came round shortly after to tell us the terrible news.
Geri: It's all over for Spice Girls
GERI HALLIWELL says the Spice Girls will NOT
get back together after their reunion tour ends. When the girls recently
announced the global tour would finish early, they hinted at future shows,
saying:“ Who knows what will happen next?” But now Geri, 35, admits a tour
“probably won’t happen again”.
She said the final show — in Toronto, Canada, on February 26 — would
be “the last time you’ll ever get to see the five Spices on the stage as one”.
The mum of one denied reports of in-fighting
with EMMA BUNTON, 32, MEL B, 32, MEL C, 34, and VICTORIA BECKHAM, 33. She
insisted the tour had simply “gone on longer than planned”.
Geri said in a US interview: “We thought we were only going to go to the end of January.
“After February everybody had commitments — kids had to go back to school and
that. So we had to leave places out that we would have loved to have gone to.”
CLOONEY IS LOONEY FOR GERI
SHE’S been bemoaning the absence of a man in her life for ages,
so Geri Halliwell must be delighted to have discovered a huge star has a crush
on her. The man in question is George blinking Clooney, and she’s been asked to
join the legend on humanitarian missions for the UN!
It’s all pretty fabulous and if George were single, we’d be buying wedding hats
after his admission he’s been a fan of Geri for years. He said: “She was always
my favourite Spice Girl; I loved her feisty approach and the fact she wasn’t
afraid to have an opinion.
“Her work with Unicef and Marie Stopes in the third world was
inspiring. “And her address at a UN Youth summit in 2000 was brave – it’s so
easy to not get involved and she just gritted her teeth and went for it.” Not
unlike George, 46, himself. His incredible work in the Darfur region of the
Sudan saw him spearhead a campaign to utilise Hollywood power with Brad Pitt and
pals. He’s just been appointed a UN Messenger of Peace so he can continue his
good works.
And when Geri, 34, has finished the Spices’ tour, she’ll be joining Clooney in
Darfur and possibly Zimbabwe to work on female empowerment. Our source in Camp
Clooney told us: “George really admires Geri’s tenacious attitude. ”But we have
to point out George is dating Sarah Larson, so Geri must settle for just being
admired.