ALISON BOSHOFF: Why Geri Halliwell doesn't Wannabe a part of the Spice Girls' 30th ¼þǯµ­Ç°Æü ½Ë²ìs

Their ºÆ²ñ at Victoria Beckham's 50th birthday party got everyone talking ¡½ Mel B even started teasing selling tickets for a Spice Girls ¾®Î¹¹Ô¤¹¤ë, and bookies have been ¿½¤·¹þ¤à¡¿¿½¤·½Ðing Ⱦüʪs on them getting together for Glastonbury.

However, not only are the chances of a singing ºÆ²ñ as a five-piece nil ¡½ because Victoria ´Êñ¤Ë hasn't got the time or inclination ¡½ I can ÌÀ¤é¤«¤Ë¤¹¤ë¡¿Ï³¤é¤¹ that ·×²è¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ës to ¼¨¤¹ their 30th ¼þǯµ­Ç°Æü with a ʸ½ñ¤Î have also fallen apart.

After the Netflix Beckham ʸ½ñ¤Î, made by David's TV company, was such a success last year, the Spice Girls started to talk to the streamer about ¤«¤â¤·¤ì¤Ê¤¤ making a Îà»÷¤Î all-Àܶá show about the group and their phenomenal success.

It was to feature Èó¾ï¤ËŤ¤ interviews with all of the 'girls' and their families, talking about their experiences of fame and of life since their pop heyday.

The idea was to tie the ʸ½ñ¤Î to the 30th ¼þǯµ­Ç°Æü of the group ¸ºß ÀßΩ¤¹¤ëd in 1994.

The Spice Girls, Mel B, Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton, Mel C, Geri Halliwell, pictured in 1997

The Spice Girls, Mel B, Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton, Mel C, Geri Halliwell, pictured in 1997

Although Victoria, Mel B, Mel C and Emma Bunton were all keen on the anniversary doc, after a number of meetings Geri Halliwell (pictured in May 2023) was still against the idea and they were not able to talk her round

Although Victoria, Mel B, Mel C and Emma Bunton were all keen on the ¼þǯµ­Ç°Æü doc, after a number of ²ñ¹çs Geri Halliwell (pictured in May 2023) was still against the idea and they were not able to talk her °ìÏ¢¤Î²ñµÄ¡¢¸ò¾Ä¡¿´°À®¤¹¤ë

Red Bull Racing boss?Christian Horner and Geri walk together at the?F1 Bahrain Grand Prix on March 2

Red Bull Racing boss?Christian Horner and Geri walk together at the?F1 Bahrain Grand Prix on March 2

This disagreement ¡½ certainly not the first in the group (pictured in 1996) ¡½ created a little bit of frost between Ginger and the other girls

This ÉÔ°ìÃ× ¡½ certainly not the first in the group (pictured in 1996) ¡½ created a little bit of Áú between Ginger and the other girls?

However, although Victoria, Mel B, Mel C and Emma Bunton were all keen on the doc, after a number of ²ñ¹çs Geri Halliwell was still against the idea and they were not able to talk her °ìÏ¢¤Î²ñµÄ¡¢¸ò¾Ä¡¿´°À®¤¹¤ë. This ÉÔ°ìÃ× ¡½ certainly not the first in the group ¡½ created a little bit of Áú between Ginger and the other girls.

And it may have been in Mel B's mind when she ȯ¸À¡¿½Ò¤Ù¤ëd about not knowing how old Geri was because she never saw her ¥Ñ¥¹¥Ý¡¼¥È. They kept their distance at the party at Oswald's in Mayfair last ½µËö.

Some believe Geri wasn't keen on the scrutiny ͽÄê to the ¤Ü¤ó¤ä¤ê¸½¤ì¤ëing ¥¹¥­¥ã¥ó¥À¥ë over husband Christian Horner, whose Ìò³ä at F1 team Red Bull appeared to be in ´í¸±¡¤´í¤Ê¤¯¤¹¤ë after an ½¾¶È°÷ ¿½¤·Î©¤Æ¤é¤ì¤¿¡¿µ¿¤ï¤·¤¤ he had Ǻ¤Þ¤¹d her.

Horner was ¡Êµ¿¤¤¤ò¡ËÀ²¤é¤¹d in March after an Ä´ºº, but the ¸¶¹ð¡¤¹ðÁÊ¿Í has ³«»Ï¤¹¤ë¡¤ÂǤÁ¾å¤²¤ëd an ¹µÁÊ¡¤¾å¹ð against that ·èÄ꡿ȽÄ꾡¤Á¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë.

A source said: 'It might have been ¤®¤³¤Á¤Ê¤¤ for Geri to get out there and talk about Girl ÎÏ¡¿¶¯ÎϤˤ¹¤ë in these circumstances surrounding Christian but in truth even before it all ¡Êµ¡¤Î¡Ë¥«¥à out she wasn't keen on revisiting those days. She just didn't want to go over all the fun, wild times that they had.'

?

No expense spared to create the wizard world of Wicked... in a Norfolk field!

In the streaming »þÂå, it takes a lot of clout to go big ¡½ I mean old school big ¡½ but director Jon M. Chu has pulled it off for his ¿³ºº¤¹¤ë adaptation of the musical Wicked.

The story will be told over two blockbuster films, the first of which comes out this year, and Chu ÌÀ¤é¤«¤Ë¤¹¤ë¡¿Ï³¤é¤¹s that he went to ¹­Âç¤Ê¡¿Â¿¿ô¤Î¡¿½ÅÍ×¤Ê (and Â礤¤Ë expensive) lengths to create an Oz so ¤ß¤´¤¿¤¨¤Î¤¢¤ë it would ¸¶°ø¡Ê¤È¤Ê¤ë¡Ë 'that ½¸ÃĤΡ¿¶¦Æ±¤Î gasp' in the cinema.

He said: 'It means the world to have something like Wicked and say: 'We're going to spare no expense.' We ¹©¾ì¡¿¿¢Êªd nine million tulips. At first, they were like: 'Do you really need to ¹©¾ì¡¿¿¢Êª nine million tulips? Just do a Îó¡¿Á椰¡¿ÁûÆ° that they're running along, and then we can CG the »Ä¤ê¡¿µÙ·Æ¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë.' No!' He Äɲ乤ëd: 'The µðÂç¡Ê¤Ê¡Ë train, the 1,600-¥È¥ó train, you can definitely CG that ¡½ but we built it, and it runs.

'That's not to say we don't have CG. ÌÀÇò¤Ë we are in ¶¦Æ± with some ¹­Âç¤Ê¡¿Â¿¿ô¤Î¡¿½ÅÍ×¤Ê companies that are building and ±äŤ¹¤ëing and doing all this stuff. But it is really ¹­Âç¤Ê¡¿Â¿¿ô¤Î¡¿½ÅÍ×¤Ê to show the physical goods.'

The tulip fields in question were ¹©¾ì¡¿¿¢Êªd in Norfolk and much of the »Ä¤ê¡¿µÙ·Æ¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë of the filming was done in Ivinghoe, Bucks.

Wicked À±¡¿¼çÌò¤Ë¤¹¤ës Ariana Grande as Glinda, Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible and Jeff Goldblum as Oz.

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in a scene from the new Universal Pictures movie Wicked

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in a scene from the new Á´À¤³¦¤Î¡¿Ëü¹ñ¶¦Ä̤ΠPictures movie Wicked?

In the streaming era, it takes a lot of clout to go big ¡½ I mean old school big ¡½ but director Jon M. Chu (pictured on April 11) has pulled it off for his screen adaptation of the musical Wicked

In the streaming »þÂå, it takes a lot of clout to go big ¡½ I mean old school big ¡½ but director Jon M. Chu (pictured on April 11) has pulled it off for his ¿³ºº¤¹¤ë adaptation of the musical Wicked

?

A silver heart for Sheridan's Valentine

Congratulations to Sheridan Smith who will be awarded the Variety Club Silver Heart Award 2024 for Í¥¤ì¤¿ ½Ð»ñ¡¿¹×¸¥ as an Actress and Singer, on Sunday night.

The award honours her ¶ÈÀÓ¡¿À®²Ì as Shirley Valentine and will be ¸½ºß¤Îd in a µ·¼° at the Londoner hotel. The historic awards ¡½ which »Ø̾¤¹¤ëd The Beatles 'Showbusiness personalities of 1963' ¡½ are a ½Ë²ì of talent but also raise ´ð¶âs to change the lives of ̵ǽ¤Ë¤¹¤ëd and disadvantaged children in the UK.

It's some good news for Sheridan, who lost out on an Olivier award earlier this month and also ¶ì¤·¤àd the ºÇ¶á¤Î ÅöÏÇ of an ¹ð¼¨ that her ¸½ºß¤Î show, ³«»Ï Night, is to ¤Î¶á¤¯¤Ë two months earlier than planned after poor ticket sales.

Others honoured at the event this year ´Þ¤à James Corden, Bradley Walsh, Kate Garraway, Kelly Hoppen and Abbey Clancy and Peter Crouch. Dame Joan Collins will receive an award for her Í¥¤ì¤¿ ½Ð»ñ¡¿¹×¸¥ to Á´À¤³¦¤Î film and television.

The chairman of Variety, Jonathan Shalit, tells me: 'I am thrilled about the awards this year.' The event will be hosted by Amanda Holden.

Congratulations to Sheridan Smith who will be awarded the Variety Club Silver Heart Award 2024 for Outstanding Contribution as an Actress and Singer, on Sunday night

Congratulations to Sheridan Smith who will be awarded the Variety Club Silver Heart Award 2024 for Í¥¤ì¤¿ ½Ð»ñ¡¿¹×¸¥ as an Actress and Singer, on Sunday night

Smith attends The Olivier Awards at The Royal Albert Hall on April 14, 2024

Smith ¡Ä¤Ë½ÐÀʤ¹¤ës The Olivier Awards at The ²¦¼¼¤Î Albert Hall on April 14, 2024

It's some good news for Sheridan, who lost out on an Olivier award earlier this month and also suffered the recent embarrassment of an announcement that her current show, Opening Night, is to close two months earlier than planned after poor ticket sales

It's some good news for Sheridan, who lost out on an Olivier award earlier this month and also ¶ì¤·¤àd the ºÇ¶á¤Î ÅöÏÇ of an ¹ð¼¨ that her ¸½ºß¤Î show, ³«»Ï Night, is to ¤Î¶á¤¯¤Ë two months earlier than planned after poor ticket sales

?

Gary Lineker is °æ¸Í¡¿ÊÛ¸î»ÎÀÊ known for his long ¶¨²ñ with a ³Î¤«¤Ê brand of crisps, but in reality his ¾ÚµòÉÔ½½Ê¬ is for the sugary stuff. Lineker, 63, says: 'I'm terrible with chocolate ¡½ ÍïÇÀ¾ì Milk and things like that.?Once you start you're doomed.'?

The Match Of The Day host, who is Áª¤Ó½Ð¤¹¡¿ÆÈ¿È, Äɲ乤ës that he has had to stop trying out recipes for desserts as he can't help but eat the whole thing.?

'I started doing a lot of desserts in lockdown and I couldn't stop eating them. With other food, I can just cook stuff and have a little bit to try, but I had to stop ¡½ I've got such a ´Å¤¤ tooth.'

Gary Lineker is well known for his long association with a certain brand of crisps, but in reality his weakness is for the sugary stuff

Gary Lineker is °æ¸Í¡¿ÊÛ¸î»ÎÀÊ known for his long ¶¨²ñ with a ³Î¤«¤Ê brand of crisps, but in reality his ¾ÚµòÉÔ½½Ê¬ is for the sugary stuff

?

Gollum's girl knocks 'em dead in Shardlake

Watch out for Andy Serkis's beautiful daughter Ruby Ashbourne Serkis, 26, in the Í褿¤ë¤Ù¤­ Disney+ »¦¿Í mystery series Shardlake, which ³«»Ï¤¹¤ë¡¤ÂǤÁ¾å¤²¤ës next week and is based on the popular Ä´½ñ¤ò¤È¤ë¡¿Í½Ì󤹤ës by C.J. Sansom.

All of Serkis's children with actress Lorraine Ashbourne ¡½ that's Ruby ²Ã¤¨¤ë Sonny and Louis ¡½ ¹Ô°Ù¡¿Ë¡Îá¡¿¹ÔÆ°¤¹¤ë, and all played young Hobbits in the Lord Of The ¡ÊÈȺá¤Î¡Ë°ìÌ£s movies before ´¶ÈÀ¸¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ëing to larger Ìò³äs. Serkis, of course, is best known as Gollum in the blockbusting films.

Ruby joins Arthur Hughes, who has the ¸ª½ñ¤òÍ¿¤¨¤ë Ìò³ä, and charismatic actor Anthony B oyle ¡½ recently in Masters Of The ¶õµ¤¡¿¸øɽ¤¹¤ë and Manhunt ¡½ as his handsome sidekick.

In real life, Belfast-born actor Boyle had a long romance with Bad Sisters actress Eve Hewson, whose father is U2's Bono. Shardlake streams on Disney+ from May 1.

Watch out for Andy Serkis's beautiful daughter Ruby Ashbourne Serkis (pictured), 26, in the forthcoming Disney+ murder mystery series Shardlake

Watch out for Andy Serkis's beautiful daughter Ruby Ashbourne Serkis (pictured), 26, in the Í褿¤ë¤Ù¤­ Disney+ »¦¿Í mystery series Shardlake

(L2R) Lorraine Ashbourne, Andy Serkis, Louis Serkis, Ruby Serkis and Sonny Serkis pose at the Netflix BAFTA after party in 2020

(L2R) Lorraine Ashbourne, Andy Serkis, Louis Serkis, Ruby Serkis and Sonny Serkis Ä󵯤¹¤ë¡¿¥Ý¡¼¥º¤ò¤È¤ë at the Netflix BAFTA after party in 2020

Ruby Ashbourne Serkis, Andy Serkis and Meera Syal attend the BAFTA Gala in February

Ruby Ashbourne Serkis, Andy Serkis and Meera Syal ¡Ä¤Ë½ÐÀʤ¹¤ë the BAFTA ½Ëº× in February?

?

Emily Blunt played °ÌÃÖ¡¿±øÅÀ¡¿¸«¤Ä¤±½Ð¤¹ the family in the audience at the IMAX on Monday night, where her film The Íî¤Á¤ë Guy was ¿³ºº¤¹¤ëd. Blunt's husband, John Krasinski, was there, as were her parents Joanna and Oliver, who ¡Êµ¡¤Î¡Ë¥«¥à with her to the Oscars last month.

Co-À±¡¿¼çÌò¤Ë¤¹¤ës Ryan Gosling and Aaron Taylor-Johnson also squinted up into the Ω¤Á±ýÀ¸¤µ¤»¤ës and waved to their loved ones. The film is a ridiculously entertaining ³èÆ°¡¿ÀïÆ®-romance, based on the Colt Seavers character from the 1980s TV show starring ʪ±¢¡¿É÷²¼ Majors.

Blunt and Gosling, pictured, play on/off lovers and ºÛȽ´±ing by their giggles on Monday they definitely struck up a friendship making the film.

They have Êá¤é¤¨¤ë¡¢³ÍÆÀ¤¹¤ës of chemistry on ¿³ºº¤¹¤ë, too. But when someone made a ¸ÀµÚ¡¿´ØÏ¢ to Gosling's ¥¹¥Ý¥Ã¥È¥é¥¤¥È-hogging Ìò³ä as Ken in Barbie, Blunt said: 'We really need to put that to bed now!' The film is out next week.

Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling attend a special screening of The Fall Guy at an IMAX in London on Monday

Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling ¡Ä¤Ë½ÐÀʤ¹¤ë a special ¿³ºº of The Íî¤Á¤ë Guy at an IMAX in London on Monday

Blunt's husband, John Krasinski, was there, as were her parents Joanna and Oliver, who came with her to the Oscars last month. Pictured:?Oliver Blunt, Emily Blunt, Joanna Blunt and John Krasinski at the Oscars on March 10
Blunt's husband, John Krasinski, was there, as were her parents Joanna and Oliver, who came with her to the Oscars last month. Pictured:?Oliver Blunt, Emily Blunt, Joanna Blunt and John Krasinski at the Oscars on March 10

Blunt's husband, John Krasinski, was there, as were her parents Joanna and Oliver, who ¡Êµ¡¤Î¡Ë¥«¥à with her to the Oscars last month. Pictured:?Oliver Blunt, Emily Blunt, Joanna Blunt and John Krasinski at the Oscars on March 10

(L2R) Producer Kelly McCormick, Producer Guymon Casady, Chris O'Hara, Drew Pearce, Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Winston Duke before the special IMAX screening in Waterloo

(L2R) À¸»º¼Ô Kelly McCormick, À¸»º¼Ô Guymon Casady, Chris O'Hara, Drew Pearce, Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Winston Duke before the special IMAX ¿³ºº in Waterloo?

?

Áàºî¡¿¼ê½Ñ Mincemeat, the 'little' show about a WWII Áàºî¡¿¼ê½Ñ to fool the Nazis which started life as a fringe À¸»º¡¿»ºÊª, won big at the Olivier Awards.?

It took the prize for best new musical, and one of its cast, Jak Malone, was Åêɼ¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ëd best actor in a supporting Ìò³ä. À¸»º¼Ô Jon Thoday has ÌÀ¤é¤«¤Ë¤¹¤ë¡¿Ï³¤é¤¹d ambitions to take the show to Broadway and turn it into a long-running West End classic.?

Which would be ¤ä¤á¤ë something, given it was only Ä´½ñ¤ò¤È¤ë¡¿Í½Ì󤹤ëd into the Fortune Theatre for a five-month run last year.

Thoday told me: 'We want it to be one of those must-see, long-running shows like The Play That Goes Wrong or even Les Mis.'?

He Äɲ乤ëd: 'We have been ¿½¤·¹þ¤à¡¿¿½¤·½Ðd a theatre on Broadway, but the problem is that while it cost about ¡ò2 million to ¹Ô¤¦¡¿³«ºÅ¤¹¤ë¡¿Ãʳ¬ it in the West End, it will cost about ¡ò14 million to go to Broadway ¡½ so you need »Ù±ç¼Ôs.'

Operation Mincemeat?won big at the Olivier Awards as it took the prize for best new musical, and one of its cast, Jak Malone (pictured), was voted best actor in a supporting role

Áàºî¡¿¼ê½Ñ Mincemeat?won big at the Olivier Awards as it took the prize for best new musical, and one of its cast, Jak Malone (pictured), was Åêɼ¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ëd best actor in a supporting Ìò³ä

The cast of Operation Mincemeat perform on stage during The Olivier Awards at The Royal Albert Hall on April 14, 2024

The cast of Áàºî¡¿¼ê½Ñ Mincemeat À®¤·¿ë¤²¤ë on ¹Ô¤¦¡¿³«ºÅ¤¹¤ë¡¿Ãʳ¬ during The Olivier Awards at The ²¦¼¼¤Î Albert Hall on April 14, 2024

?

You wait for years for a show about art º¾µ½ ¡½ and then three come along at once.?

Succession À¸»º¼Ô Jane Tranter is developing a ±é·à based on the life story of Orlando Whitfield as told in his Ä´½ñ¤ò¤È¤ë¡¿Í½Ì󤹤ë All That Glitters.?

That covers the ketamine, Çä½ÕÉØs and »äŪ¤Ê jets story of Whitfield's best friend Inigo Philbrick, ½Ò¤Ù¤ëd as the 'Bernie Madoff of the art world'.?

He got out of a U.S. ·ºÌ³½ê¡¤¹´ÃÖ½ê in February and has his own TV ¼è°ú¡¤¶¨Äê, to make a three-part ʸ½ñ¤Î with the BBC. Philbrick is also ¸ò¾Ä¤¹¤ëing with other À¸»º¡¿»ºÊª com panies over a possible ±é·à based on his story.

Succession producer Jane Tranter (pictured on March 19, 2024) is developing a drama based on the life story of Orlando Whitfield as told in his book All That Glitters

Succession À¸»º¼Ô Jane Tranter (pictured on March 19, 2024) is developing a ±é·à based on the life story of Orlando Whitfield as told in his Ä´½ñ¤ò¤È¤ë¡¿Í½Ì󤹤ë All That Glitters

?

You might assume nothing ¡Ê·Ù´±¤Î¡Ë½ä²ó¶è°è¡¤¼õ»ý¤Á¶è°è Barbie at the box office, but you'd be wrong. In Italy, the ¹¶·â¤¹¤ë¡¤¾×Æͤ¹¤ë of the year was C'e Ancora Domani ¡½ There's Always Tomorrow ¡½ a ¹õ¿Í¡¿¥Ü¥¤¥³¥Ã¥È-and- white ±é·à about a woman in 1940s Italy and her abusive marriage.?

It's out here in cinemas this week, and there is talk that Lady Gaga has her ÃíÌܤ¹¤ë¡¤¤â¤¯¤í¤à on doing an English language ¸«²ò¡¿ËÝÌõ¡¿ÈÇ. She will next be seen as Harley Quinn in big-ͽ»» Batman spin-off Joker: Folie a Deux.