Football pundit Micah Richards recounted a surprising childhood connection to Spice Girl Melanie Brown, commonly known as Mel B, during a recent episode of The Rest Is Football podcast. Richards revealed that Mel B used to babysit him when he was younger, a statement that elicited a strong reaction from his co-host, Gary Lineker.
"Mel B she used to babysit me when I was younger!" Richards stated on the podcast, prompting Lineker to exclaim, "She used to what!!" Richards clarified that the revelation was true and suggested bringing Mel B onto the podcast. He also mentioned that his sister still does Mel B's hair.
Richards, 38, further explained that he comes from Leeds, the same hometown as Mel B. He shared that his sister knows Mel B's sister, and his brother knows Mel B's sister Danielle. "In the old days people used to just go around each other's houses, you know?" Richards said. His mother had previously told him that Mel B used to babysit him, a story his sister later confirmed. Although Richards has no personal memory of being babysat by the Spice Girl, he stated that with two sources confirming the event, he could "now confirm it definitely happened."
The anecdote comes amid renewed public attention on the Spice Girls, particularly concerning the relationship between Mel B and fellow band member Geri Halliwell. Fans have speculated about a rift between the two after Geri Halliwell appeared to untag Mel B in an Instagram post celebrating the 30th anniversary of the band's debut single "Wannabe." Reports suggest the bandmates no longer follow each other on social media.
This apparent tension between Halliwell and Brown is not new. The root of their past disputes has been traced back to the 1990s, when Geri Halliwell famously left the group in May 1998, during a world tour. This departure occurred shortly after the release of "Wannabe" and was particularly impactful as it happened on Mel B's birthday. Mel B later described the incident as "bad" and noted that Halliwell did not inform anyone of her decision beforehand.
Further complicating their relationship, Mel B revealed in 2019 that she and Geri Halliwell had a brief romantic encounter during the band's peak fame in the 1990s. Sources close to Halliwell reportedly described her as "livid" following this revelation, and she issued a statement denying the claim. Mel B's story was met with criticism, with some suggesting it was a "PR strategy." She later appeared to backtrack on her account.
More recently, reports have surfaced of disagreements over Geri Halliwell's public image, which Mel B has reportedly found to be somewhat elitist.