Emma Bunton Ends Spice Girls vs All Saints Feud Rumours in Heart Radio Reunion
Emma Bunton has finally and definitively cleared up those persistent rumours of a bitter feud between the iconic 1990s girl bands, the Spice Girls and All Saints. On Monday, during a special appearance on Heart Radio, Emma, now 50, was reunited with All Saints members Nicole and Natalie Appleton, where they addressed the long-standing speculation about their relationship.
Emma initiated the conversation by stating emphatically, 'Now I need to start off by saying we are mates.' Nicole immediately affirmed, 'We are mates!' with Natalie wholeheartedly agreeing. Emma elaborated, 'We are bessie mates! And I think, only because someone just the other day said, 'Oh, I thought you and All Saints back in the 90s, you didn't get on.' We are mates! We went to school together!'
Natalie reinforced this sentiment, replying, 'We have always been mates! I mean, we've known you since we were eleven. And do you know what? I've always said you've always been exactly the same.' Nicole sweetly quipped, 'You have not changed!' as Natalie added, 'The sweetest, most beautiful, most loving person.'
Melanie Blatt's Conflicted Stance on the Rivalry
Despite Emma's heartfelt comments, there have been long-running rumours and acknowledged difficulties between some members of the two bands. Just last November, All Saints star Melanie Blatt humorously declared she would forever have 'beef' with the Spice Girls, after fans accused her of being bitter over their rival band's monumental success.
The 50-year-old singer appeared on Sunday Brunch, discussing the BBC documentary Girlbands Forever. In the documentary, Melanie expressed frustration that All Saints had worked diligently for years, only for the 'manufactured' Spice Girls to 'blow up so quickly'. Discussing the perceived rivalry, Melanie addressed fan comments that she 'comes across bitter', candidly sharing, 'A lot of them are saying 'you come across as bitter,'' before pausing and announcing, 'I am.'
Melanie and the hosts laughed as she continued, 'I am bitter. I'm bitter and I'm jealous.' However, she clarified her personal relationships, stating, 'I love Emma, she's a good mate.' She also noted knowing Mel C a little, calling her 'amazing'. Her issue was more with the concept, explaining, 'It was more the concept of having music and selling crisps and lollipops and stuff like that that I had a problem with.'
Melanie elaborated on All Saints' ethos, saying, 'We worked so hard, even being called a girlband it felt like a dirty word to us because we just wanted to be a band. We didn't want to have to be put into this box or that box.' She concluded firmly, 'I did have a major problem. I'll have beef until I die with them. I will.' Reflecting on the Spice Girls' success, she reiterated, 'I genuinely had a problem with them, all the years of work we'd put in and then they just came out and blew up so quickly. And were obviously manufactured. The band was made for a purpose.'
Historical Tensions and Contradictory Claims
In addition to Melanie's comments, other tensions have surfaced over the years. In 2016, Spice Girl Mel B claimed she beat up All Saints singer Shaznay Lewis in a toilet brawl at the height of their fame, although Shaznay vehemently refuted these allegations.
Speaking on the Allegedly podcast, Mel B declared she won a fight against the Never Ever singer after she gave her 'attitude', alleging, 'There was this girl group called All Saints. And I had already beaten up one of them in the bathroom, the black girl Shaznay. She started giving me attitude so I went in the bathroom and tried to rip her weave off. And she chokes me and then we kinda got split up but I won.'
At the time, The Daily Mail contacted a representative for Mel B for comment. A spokesperson for Shaznay blasted the story as 'horrible' and claimed there was no truth to Mel B's sensational claim. The rep explained, 'Shaznay says this story is not true. Mel B once came to an All Saints show and was invited to the after party. Mel and Shaznay had a brief friendly chat and that was all. Otherwise they don't really know each other – so we are baffled as to why Mel would make this up and fabricate such a horrible thing.'
Legacy of the Iconic Girl Bands
All Saints, comprised of Melanie Blatt, Shaznay Lewis, Nicole Appleton, and Natalie Appleton, were together until 2001, with reunions between 2001-2006 and 2008-2022. They are renowned for hits like Never Ever, Black Coffee, Under The Bridge, All Hooked Up, and Bootie Call.
Meanwhile, the Spice Girls, formed in 1994 and consisting of Victoria Beckham, Geri Halliwell, Mel B, Emma Bunton, and Mel C, are arguably one of the most popular and well-known girl groups of all time. They are celebrated for anthems such as Wannabe, Spice Up Your Life, Viva Forever, and 2 Become 1.
Emma Bunton's recent reunion with the Appleton sisters on Heart Radio serves as a poignant reminder that, despite past rivalries and rumours, genuine friendships have endured. While professional jealousies and media-fuelled feuds may have coloured perceptions, the personal bonds between these pop icons remain strong, finally putting to rest decades of speculation about their relationships.
