Exclusive: “I just wanna say: Liam, come and ‘ave a go if you think you’re hard enough!”
It’s the now-iconic challenge Sporty Spice issued to Oasis’ Liam Gallagherwhile the Spice Girls were on stage collecting an award at the 1997 BRIT Awards.
Almost 30 years later, Melanie C, 52, tells nine.com.au the ‘rivalry’ between the two groups was “all a bit of fun”.
Watch the videos above.
Both groups were up for awards that year, and the on-stage callout came after Gallagher declared he wouldn’t go to the BRITs because ”if I bump into the Spice Girls, I will smack them”.
The Spice Girls won two awards that evening – ‘girl power’ indeed.
“All of those moments are so great. The Spice Girls happened at a time in the UK that was quite rebellious,” Melanie C, whose full name is Melanie Chisholm, says.
READ MORE: Melanie C on Spice Girls’ impromptu moment with Cruz Beckham
READ MORE: Venezuela Fury, 16, clarifies huge wedding rumour
READ MORE: Demi Moore is ruling the red carpet in Cannes
“It was a super fun time, the ’90s were great. It was the pop girls versus the Britpop boys. It was all a bit of fun.”
“Liam and I have never really had an issue,” she clarifies.
“You said in the memoir [Who I Am: My Story] you’re friends,” I interject, to which she confirms, “We’re good, we’re good.”
For a daily dose of 9honey, subscribe to our newsletter here.
“It’s quite fun to look back on those moments and again being together, five girls, we kind of conquered the world and we were fearless.”
Melanie C is celebrating the release of Sweat, her ninth studio album, and has announced a world tour.
“The ’90s were great. It was the pop girls versus the Britpop boys. It was all a bit of fun.”
Reflecting on her bond with her fellow Spice Girls, Mel B, Emma Bunton, Victoria Beckham and Geri Halliwell, she says: “Now, we’re all 50 and Emma was the last one [to turn 50] … we’re at a point where I think we truly appreciate and respect each other more than what we ever have.”
“That’s just a really beautiful place to be. We know none of us would have the lives we have without each other, so we really respect that,” she adds.
The I Turn To You and Never Be the Same Again hitmaker adds about her new album and upcoming tour: “Sweat I suppose, in a way, is very inspired by being a Spice Girl, I fully embraced my sporty side.”
“I had loads of fun in the studio, musically. Obviously I am a pop artist and I always will be, but I’ve been DJ’ing for about eight years and just rekindled that love with dance and house music.
“I was a raver back in the early ’90s and so it was really beautiful to bring those worlds closer together.
“I love making music, but the ultimate for me is being on stage.
“It’s that moment when you have your audience in front of you and there’s such a connection and you’re sharing this beautiful moment and it’s what’s always driven me.”
Melanie C’s world tour dates for Australia are as follows:
Wed 11 Nov 2026 – Astor Theatre, Perth
Fri 13 Nov 2026 – Northcote Theatre, Melbourne
Sat 14 Nov 2026 – The Tivoli, Brisbane
Sun 15 Nov 2026 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney
What happened to the Spice Girls?
FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.
