The Spice Girls celebrated a previously unknown milestone on Tuesday after recognizing the 30th anniversary of their first audition – as Geri Horner tries to divert attention from her husband’s sexting scandal.
The singer was seen holding hands with beleaguered Red Bull boss Christian Horner at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday, shortly after suggestive texts from her husband to a female employee were leaked online.
It is believed that a behind-the-scenes video documenting Geri’s first audition with The Spice Girls could take some of the attention away from her wedding, with sources close to the band suggesting the incident was a factor in the decision to release the video places.
One said: ‘It will definitely distract her. She desperately wants people to talk about something other than her problems with Christian.
‘She loves the Spice Girls and looks back on them fondly. Those were happy times for her, so it’s coincidental that the anniversary of their first audition was now.
The Spice Girls celebrated a previously unknown milestone on Tuesday after recognizing the 30th anniversary of their first audition
More than 400 candidates, including Melanie Chisholm (left) and Melanie Brown (right), showed up for a first audition in London on March 4
It comes after Geri Horner attended the Bahrain Grand Prix with husband Christian, shortly after suggestive texts allegedly sent by him to a female employee were leaked online.
‘Geri is tired of her marriage being the center of everything, she’s a Spice Girl and that’s how she likes to be remembered. The hope is that this will change the narrative.”
Geri is also said to be looking forward to the upcoming celebrations marking three decades of the band, although discussions have come to a standstill as she resolves her marital issues with Christian.
The legendary girl group was formed in 1994 after Heart Management founders Bob and Chris Herbert placed an advertisement for aspiring singers in the national trade magazine The Stage.
More than 400 applicants turned up for an initial audition in London on March 4, with the father-son duo – keen to create a female alternative to Take That – eventually whittling the group down to twelve, including Geri, Melanie Brown, Melanie Chisholm, Emma Bunton and Victoria Beckham (née Adams) were selected.
Captioning a short, never-before-seen video on Tuesday, they wrote: ‘Today marks 30 years since the very first Spice Girls auditions!
‘What started in 1994 has turned into an amazing journey, far beyond what we could have ever imagined. We thank our fans for your support from day one.”
Geri and Christian put on a very public show of unity this weekend as they headed to Red Bull’s hospitality area in Bahrain, where they mingled with VIP guests in full view of photographers and television cameras.
Red Bull F1 chief Christian has faced allegations relating to hundreds of WhatsApp messages that appeared to be written by him to a female colleague.
Watching Mel C and Geri dance with other hopefuls during that first audition in 1994
Mel B, aka Scary Spice, wears a cropped Adidas T-shirt as she performs alongside future bandmate Victoria Adams
He was cleared to continue as head of Red Bull following an internal investigation into ‘inappropriate conduct’ by the F1 team’s parent company, Red Bull GmbH. The 50-year-old has always denied the claims.
Their joint appearance at the season-opening race came after F1 media and key paddock figures received an anonymous email containing a Google Drive link to alleged evidence submitted for an investigation into the Red Bull owner’s alleged conduct .
Recipients included the president of the sport’s governing body Mohammed Ben Sulayem and Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali, as well as rival team bosses.
On Thursday, after Christian was acquitted but before the email was sent, Mercedes and McLaren team bosses Toto Wolff and Zak Brown had called on Formula 1’s governing body to press Red Bull for more transparency about the investigation.
Christian Horner posted a kiss on his wife’s lips on Saturday as the former Spice Girl came to terms with the controversy surrounding a series of leaked texts
Christian leaned over his wife and former Spice Girl as the couple embraced in front of the cameras
Christian appeared to lean in to peck his wife on the lips as they put on a show of unity
After they kissed, Geri appeared to look directly at the photographers