Spice Girls reunion for Virgin Voyages scuppered by Covid, Richard Branson tells Attitude
"They owe us one!" the businessman joked with Attitude today, when we suggested a Spice Girls-themed party at Virgin Hotels London-Shoreditch to celebrate their 30th anniversary
The Spice Girls were set to reunite for a Virgin Voyages activation in Dover several years ago – but the event was derailed by the rise of Covid-19, Virgin Group co-founder Richard Branson revealed today
The Spice Girls, who burst onto the pop scene in 1996, were famously signed to Virgin Records.
Speaking to Attitude today at the launch of Virgin Hotels London-Shoreditch, the businessman said: “The last time the Spice Girls were going to do something for Virgin, we had our first cruise ship at Dover. They were coming to launch the ship. They didn’t turn up! I rang one of them, said: ‘Where are you?!’
“She said: ‘They said there’s something called Covid on cruise ships. We’ve been advised not to come. I said: ‘What’s Covid?! Don’t be stupid! Get on down here!’
“They said: ‘No, no, there are cruise ships stuck at sea with Covid!’ Anyway, that was my first sign that we had big troubles to come!”
Branson did not say whether the planned get-together included Victoria Beckham, who last performed with the group in 2012 at the London Olympics. Attitude has approached the Spice Girls camp for comment.
“Anyway… they owe us one!” Branson joked.
“What a good idea!” – Richard Branson on a Spice Girls-themed party at Virgin Hotels London Shoreditch
After Attitude suggested a Spice Girls-themed party at Virgin Hotels London-Shoreditch for their 30-year anniversary, because the group famously recorded in the area, Branson enthusiastically responded. “What a good idea!”
Further reflecting on his history with the group, Branson – speaking from the hotel’s HiFi listening lounge, Hidden Grooves – added: “I was just going down memory lane of the signing of the Spice Girls 30 years ago. How we headed off to Spain to see them record for the first time at a Virgin Megastore.
“I was flying with them on my own. We flew back, going through an empty Heathrow Airport at 2am in the morning with these five delightful, wonderful girls. Then we ended up signing them.”
And the rest, as they say, is history!