Ohnotheydidn't.com reports that Spice Girls member Victoria Beckham is officially saying 'cheerio' to the popular British pop girl group. According to the report, the singer has officially retired as a vocal performer, despite recent plans for a Spice Girls Australian tour and a current Broadway-bound musical featuring the songs of the legendary group.
A rep for Beckham informed the site that his client will no longer be participating on the tour and tells Gossip Cop, "Victoria has made no secret of the fact her singing days are over, with a hugely successful business and a growing family."
The publicist adds, "She loved her time as a Spice Girl and will always wish the other girls well in whatever they choose to do." There is speculation that the group will hold a reality competition to fill the now vacant fifth spot.
The Spice Girls formed in 1994, and was comprised of Victoria Beckham (then Adams), Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm, and Geri Halliwell. They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single "Wannabe" in 1996, which hit number one in more than 30 countries and helped establish the group as a "global phenomenon".
They have sold over 75 million records worldwide, making them the best-selling female group of all time. The group became one of the most successful marketing engines ever, with their global grosses estimated at $500-800 million between 1996 and 1998, and the group earned up to $75 million per year.
The new musical
Viva Forever!, written by one of Britain's most brilliant comediennes and BAFTA winning writers Jennifer Saunders, (Absolutely Fabulous, French & Saunders) features the multi-million-selling songs of The Spice Girls. The Spice Girls reunited in honor of the show's opening on December 11, 2012, at the Piccadilly Theatre in London's West End.
Producer Judy Craymer has assembled a creative team that includes script writer Jennifer Saunders (Absolutely Fabulous, French & Saunders) and director PAUL GARRINGTON to bring the fresh, original story of
Viva Forever! to the stage.
VIVA FOREVER! tells the story of a beautiful, talented girl and her best friends who get swept up in the obsession of today's TV celebrity culture. As she follows her dream, the musical charts her journey into the world of overnight fame and its impact on her relationships with her mother and the friends she thought she'd have forever. From London to Spain and back again, as they confront the bitter reality of fame and as the world judges her, she and her mother learn to empower themselves and be who they really want to be.
