What's life really like when you're in the world's biggest band? heat's editor Mark Firth joined the Spice Girls entourage at Top of the Pops and got a unique insight into their secret lives . . .
Phoenix Chi, one and a half years old, is parading down the corridor of Top of the Pops with the confidence only a daughter of Mel B could have. She's eating a chip and waving affably at the audience that has gathered around her. In fact she doesn't so much walk down the corridor as strut. It's hers. She owns it. And if there's a Spice baby in the building, it can only mean one thing - the Spice Girls must be here, too...
It's been a long time. It's been three years since they released an album (the last one was recorded and released before Geri had even thought of leaving the group - that's how long it's been). Three years, one movie, one world tour, various solo projects, two babies, two marriages, one divorce. Finally they're back. Together. If there's anything that reminds you that you're in a very famous group, it's the Top of the Pops experience. And the Spice Girls are spending most of their day here.
Top of the Pops is nothing like you expect it to be. Firstly it's not in London, it's way out in Hertfordshire, just off Borehamwood High Street, Elstree, where it's filmed, is also home to Eastenders and various other BBC sitcoms and dramas. In the space of 30 minutes we see Hi-De-Hi!'s Paul Shane, Andrea Corr (dressed in her trademark handkerchief attached to her shoulders by two bits of string), that bloke from Hollyoaks who's now in Holby City and Brian Moloko from Placebo.
It's a very utilitarian experience, Top of the Pops - everyone is treated the same. Whether you're on your first hit or your 20th, the drill is identical: you get a dressing room so you can have your hair and make-up done in private but when it's your turn to go on there is no option but to hang around in the corridor outside the studio waiting for the nod. When Puff Daddy and posse showed up there were so many of them that no one could get past. The Spice Girls - probably the most regular TOTP attendees of the past decade - have got the whole thing off to a fine art...
7.05pm
The entire entourage - band, two hair people, two make-up people, stylist,
Victoria's mum, Victoria's dad, Emma's mum, Phoenix, Brooklyn - wait
until their final call from their dressing room to the corridor. They
allow for the regulation five minutes waiting time in their schedule -
this is essential extra time for minor clothing adjustments and an extra
dab of make-up.
Most importantly, this is extra baby time. Victoria hugs Brooklyn until the doors to the studio open. Mel B hugs Phoenix too before handing her to Emma's mum Pauline, with her toy mobile phone to distract her. Mel comes up to her daughter and pretends that the phone's ringing.
"Phoenix? Who is it on the phone?"
It's fascinating standing here watching it all. Conversation fills the long, narrow, zigzag corridor. Round one corner Victoria is telling Emma and Mel C about her recent visit to the Elle Style Awards. "I was on the same table as Jodie Kidd. She's so sweet, a really lovely person. So nice."
"Ooo's nice?" shouts Mel B from around the corner, clearly the Spice Girl with the best hearing.
"Jodie Kidd."
"Ooo's she? Is she that Page Three girl?"
The three of them pull a face at her (we assume she's getting her mixed up with Jo Guest. Maybe) then ignore her an carry on with their conversation as before.
Victoria hands her watch - a present from David - to her press officer. "Madonna's got one of these," she laughs.
"You will look after it won't you?" (she ends up walking off without it at the end all the same).
7.15pm
After five or ten minutes of dawdling the group get into the actual
studio. Victoria - the rest of the band refer to her as Vicky - and Mel B
hug their children for the final time. Mel pats Phoenix's bottom then
stares straight at her: "Someone needs a nappy change, eh?" Victoria
hands Brooklyn to her mum, Mel B passes Phoenix back to Emma's mum. They
go through the door of the studio one by one. The reception they get is
deafening.
And this pattern is repeated for all of the four songs the Spices are singing today (two versions of Holler, two versions of Let Love Lead The Way) that are being used on various editions of the show between now and Christmas. The group's availability as a foursome is limited between now and the end of the year: Mel C has a major European tour, Mel B is doing promotion in Japan while Victoria and Emma will be in the States.
7.30pm
In between each song the girls head back to to the dressing room. The
scene there is one of devastation. There's a table full of food (the
regulation plates of sandwiches, naturally, but also plates of specially
requested sushi) and soft drinks. There were two bowls of chips too but
they're gone. "No chips left," remarks Emma, "Phoenix ate most of them."
Phoenix and Brooklyn start playing together; Phoenix thinking it hilarious
to wander up to Brooklyn and put make-up on him. Brooklyn isn't
impressed by this at all. Most alarmingly, though, is the pile of clothes
left on the floor. When our photographer first goes in there he describes
it, not inaccurately, as like "four sisters in their bedroom about to go on
their biggest-ever night out". And he's not wrong.
Make-up lies in piles. Clothes are on the floor. Half-eaten food sites on plates.
This is where the real action is. It's carnage in here.
Three of the girls choose a fantastic variety of outfits:
Victoria goes from an amazing figure hugging green dress to a denim jacket and jeans ensemble before ending up in a black lather vest an trousers. Emma starts off in a scarf top and black trousers before progressing to a purple leather jacket and jeans. Mel B kicks off in tight white trousers and a leather bustier that nearly manages to contain her ample bosom before moving on to an all black number. Mel C sticks pretty much to basic black T-shirt and jeans - with subtle tweaks. By song two the T-shirt has a Motorhead logo on it. By song three it has acquired a selection of pin badges. "Look!" she says to anyone who'll listen, "It says 'Piss off' on this one!"
Skulking around in the shadows not far away from Mel is a very young, very good-looking chap in a floppy hat who answers to the name of Dan. In recent weeks the papers have speculated that he - the singer in a band called Tomcat - and Mel are an item and his presence here in the role of pop star boyfriend seems to be confirmation.
Though he doesn't join in with much of the band's banter, he seems very happy with just following the entourage around, thoroughly enjoying the whole Top of the Pops experience. That is when he's not snogging his new girlfriend. The two met on her tour (Tomcat were the support group) and he's happy to regale the whole story of how he bagged a Spice Girl. Or rather, how a Spice Girl bagged him.
"We were all so nervous when we met her first time but she was lovely," he tells me during one of the songs. "She came into the bar after the Newcastle gig and asked all of us if we'd like to come up to her suite for a few drinks. We all went up there and I ended up just talking to her. We got on so well." He grins from ear-to-ear. It seems like the rest of the band didn't stick around for long.
Dan looks up at Mel on the stage and leans in to me to whisper something: "She acts really hard when she's up there but she's not, you know. She's dead soft." When she's off the stage Mel pulls him round the corner for a snog. They're well smitten. The rest have their mums or babies. Mel C has a boyfriend she clearly can't keep her hands off. All through the evening the couple will disappear round corners, then emerge with daft grins.
8.55pm
When they head out for song three - a version of Let Love Lead The Way
that will be shown on Christmas Day - there's a two minute gap because of
a technical hold-up during which the group start bantering with the
audience. Unsurprisingly, Mel B takes the microphone.
"Ullo!" she says to the audience (they answer back minus the Leeds accent). "Let's talk to the rest of the Spice Girls!" She walks down the row of girls with her microphone.
"Mel C - is there anything you would like to say?"
She passes her the mic.
"Yes I would just like to say that Mel B has amazing breasts."
The crowd whoop.
"Victoria - is there anything you would like to say?"
"Yes. I really like your breasts."
More whooping, and Mel arrives at sweet innocent little Baby Spice.
"I would like to take this opportunity to say that Mel B has humongous breasts."
Then Mel's back down the line to Mel C.
"Who wants to touch Mel B's tits?"
9.40pm
The evening drags on. Phoenix gets changed into her night wear, a
fantastic all-in-one fluoro green number, which makes her resemble Dipsy
the Teletubby and she looks cute and a bit sleepy in her mum's arms. As
they're about to start filming song three her mum shouts, "Where's my
little Teletubby?" from the stage. Clearly recognising her mum's voice
Phoenix waves happily back at her. Someone is dispatched with a bottle of
baby milk to try to persuade the Top of
the Pops canteen to warm it up for Brooklyn.
10.10pm
The group do the final song and head off back to the changing room for
the last time.
Time to round everyone up. Emma's mum Pauline is in charge of Phoenix and the toddler is the only one dawdling; another crowd has gathered in the corridor and she's rather liking the attention. But she needs to be back up those stairs because they're about to go. She's going to need something really good to get her attention. She needs a bribe. And it needs to be good.
"Phoenix!"
She looks up expectantly.
"Chips!"