Jono, Ben & Megan - The Podcast - Mel C Talks New Music, Fitness & Spice Girls Legacy!

Episode Date: November 4, 2025

We’re joined by Mel C, Sporty Spice herself. Speaking to us from her place in the UK, she chats about her new single Sweat, her famously low perspiration levels, and her love of fitness (including the idea of taking on a High Rocks challenge). We talk about her time in New Zealand, mentoring Cassie Henderson on The Voice Australia, and the surreal moment Stevie Wonder sang a Spice Girls song on stage. Mel also reflects on embracing the Sporty Spice legacy, the impact of girl power, and the chances of a Spice Girls reunion tour... Plus, we surprise superfan Matty Mclean with a FaceTime!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thanks to Hello Fresh, Cook Easy, delicious dinners the whole family will love, because nothing beats dinner time. Nice to meet you all. What grand room are you currently sitting in at the moment, Mel? It looks very lavish. Got a whacking great piano behind you there. Well, this is my living room, as we call it here in the UK. Oh, that's a nice room. You play the piano, do you?

I can play scales. Oh, that's not bad. How's at home? I got a piano at home. We got free, and it's quite noisy because the kids aren't very good. But it just sits with pot plants on it. It's a lovely holder of pop plants if you need something. I've decided in my lifetime I'm going to learn Spanish and to play the piano.

I haven't started yet, but it's never too late. Yeah, you always have those guys. Mine was to do drums and I was like, it seems like so much effort. Yeah, you start and then you realize how hard it really is. I have faith in you, man. Yeah, we do have faith in you. Hey, congrats on new single, Sweat. Are you traditionally a sweaty person?

Is this where the inspiration came from? Do you know what? Unfortunately, I'm not a big sweater. Right. It takes quite a lot to get me sweating. So, yeah, I have to work extra hard to get a bead on. Yeah, I'm terrible. I perspire all the time.

Very sweaty, clammy individual. Honestly, when I was younger and I dreamed of talking to Malsy, this is not the line of questioning. I always wanted to ask Malsy that. I always thought, I mean, were you wearing a lot of track suits? I imagine they're not that breathable, you know, as sporty spice. A lot of mum-made fibres. Although you check the good option with the tracksuits though for comfort levels now

yes yes well you know back in the day people used to say to me don't you get bored or weren't you frustrated because you always wore trackies and I was like I was comfortable what's not to love and a trackie all that's cool so everyone's doing it now yeah that's right they never go out of fashion and it's like Steve Jobs were the same clothes so you always know what you're in for do you get sick of being called sporty spice do you still respond to Sporty Spice? I do. I do. I think I went through

a phase of trying to distance myself from Sporty. I think when I did my first solo record, I was a bit frustrated. You know, obviously, first time away from the girls, trying to be seen as an individual. But then as the time's gone on, I've just realised, there's no getting away from sporty. It is

truly who I am. I love an embrace. I'd like a rebrand where you're like unhealthy spice and you're just smoking sickies and eating burgers. Because you are quite sporty. I've seen you run like half marathons and stuff before not not actually seen you but i've seen news articles here i'm not like stalking or anything but yeah you do you you're quite sporty in real life do you know what i am i've always been really active from being a kid i've done triathlons

i've done a half marathon and actually my sister's trying to tell her she's trying to talk me into doing a high rocks what's that what's that the next like the full-on um games the cross-fick sort of games it is brutal yeah so um But I like a challenge, so that might be next on my list. Well, we love the new song here in New Zealand, and we love the fact that you've been to New Zealand a couple of times. You've been to Hawks Bay. You've performed.

You've come to Auckland and done a DJ set. And we also love it when celebrities talk about New Zealand. What do you remember from your brief time in New Zealand? I remember you have some really bizarre signs. I went running, and it was something about, like, you've got like some scary cows or something. That's what's etched in my mind. Have we got?

Yeah, watch out for the cows and the horny cows. And you've got excellent wine, which I did enjoy when I played over there. But I need to come back. I don't think I've ever done like a live show as a solo artist. Obviously, Spice Girls haven't got there either. But, you know, maybe with this record, I can get over with my musicians and do a live show. Coincidentally, our show in the morning is called the horny cows. So we'd love to hear you on live.

And we can take you on tour. I feel like you've got other people that could book. But yeah, we were happy with... Porny Cowell Productions, is it? Yeah. Actually, well, you could team up with, you know, New Zealand artist Cassie Henderson,

who you know really well from The Voice Australia. I do. How cool was that mentoring Cassie, who did so well to get to the final and run her up? Oh, it was amazing. I just, I adore her. She's brilliant. And, you know, obviously gutted.

She wasn't the winner. I have my own ideas on why that might have happened. But, um... What are those ideas? She's on away. Why do you think she didn't win? I think she was at a disadvantage, potentially. Yeah, for what reason?

Not being Australian. You know, that's true? Yeah. There is a rivalry, a friendly kind of family rivalry between Kiwis and Aussies. Yeah, because I'm not fully aware of it, but being British and knowing I'm from Liverpool, and knowing us and people from Manchester, we're very, you know, there's a lot of rivalry between us too. So, yeah, so I thought maybe that was the decision. advantage but I'm just so excited for her because she already has a career and her time on the

voice is just going to put a spotlight on that you know she's just had so many more people see how brilliant she is after you mentor someone on a show like the voice do you keep in contact because you spend so much time together and you're you're so close can she like just text you now and be like ma what do you think about the song yeah no totally we were in touch well yesterday we were in touch constantly because we were both both watching and yeah and and and we will stay in touch forever you know i will be there as long as she wants me i'm always happy to to help her out if she needs anything oh what i feel like we've made that connection too so we'll send you my digits so we can all um yeah yeah through the uh you know illustrious career crazy career that you all had

in the spice skills so many memorable moments meeting royals world tours it was absolute mayhem what's the one thing that really stuck with you the craziest moment oh Gosh, you know what? Actually, what springs to mind? We did a show. We were singing with Pavarotti, which in itself was insane. But myself and Emma, actually, we grew up listening to a lot of Motown. Our moms were massive Motown fans. And I, like, my favorite artist of all time is Stevie Wonder. And he happened to be on this show that we were also performing on. And we were all on stage for the finale. And he started like ad libbing, like on the piano. And he was singing Spice Girls. And that for me is just like, yeah, an unforgettable moment. It must be so cool to look back. And to Stills think, you know, last night I was, you know, playing your music, researching for this and my kids, you know, my kids and my teenage girls, they still, they love the Spice Girls, they know the Spice Girls.

It's like you've reached a whole new generation through TikTok as well. Yeah, I know. We're so proud of our legacy. And I think as further generations discover the Spice Girls, it's just, you know, it's so wonderful to see. Are we smelling a tour? Are the horny cows taking the Spice Girls on tour next year? Reunion tour.

You guys have hinted, what are we going to do? Yeah, what are we need to do? I know, I know, do you know what? There's always so much being discussed. And I just, whenever I've got interviews, I kind of dread it because obviously I can't come with all the news that people want to hear. But, you know, I remain optimistic. I would love to get back on stage with the Spice Girls.

So, you know, we've still got a little bit of work to do to get things ironed out, but I'd like to think it would happen one day. I think it would be great, and then you can all bring in your solo stuff. I would love to see the Spice Girls doing your song, never be the same again. I think I would, like, I think I would die inside. Then you can all bring a solo stuff, and you all do it together. You could actually just go on an interview and go, yeah, man, we're on tour next year, and really get the wheels in motion.

I know, right? It would be worth doing it just so in interviews, I could have good news. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, just quickly, my kids. were worried that I was going to ruin it with a dad joke and I said I would and they said I didn't have the confidence to do it to you so I'm making roast potatoes talking one of the spice girls should I go with rosemary or occasion seasoning I've got some spices for you right now oh dear what's it always what's the occasion seasoning you know I was just like well what I'm making a nice occasion yeah no no no no okay go with the rosemary with the roasties cool I've always wanted to ask the spice girl about that so thank you very much for that. My kids said I didn't have the confidence to do it and I showed them and I regret no part of that. Mel, we have a guy called Maddie who works on the station in the afternoon. His dream is, he's got a list of 40 things he wants to do before the age of 40 and he's a huge Spice Girls fan and his dream was to interview the Spice Girls and he's got no idea that we're talking to you this morning. Would you mind if we FaceTime to Maddie?

Does it, to speak to one of his space girls? Is that great? going to do? Is that going to cut it? Yes, that will absolutely cut it. Well, if you want to get all the other four on, but I feel like that's going to be quite complicated. I'm just going to, I'm going to FaceTime him now. He doesn't know why.

Is he going to answer? Hopefully he'll not. Can you hear that? Did you say nutty? Maddie. Yeah. Oh, here we go. Maddie, we can't see your face.

We need to see your face, Matt. It's important to see your face. Show your face. Move the phone a bit. Look, look who we have. on the screen at the moment. No. Oh my God.

Hi, my, don't cry. It's Mel C. Oh, my God. She can hear you. I'm going to cry, Mel, I love you. He's crying. Oh, my God. You and the girl, oh my God, you and the girl's been so much to me.

I just, I adore you. Oh, that's a boy. Is there anything? Is there anything you want to ask you? And if the question is, what spice should I put with, the roast potatoes, it's Rosemary. So I've already got to that. Oh, my God.

It's not spicy to her. What do I want to ask her? I just want to, I, I've always wanted to know, is it okay that I embrace girl power as much as all the girls did when I was 11, 12 years old? Absolutely. It's very important that boys embrace girl power as well. This is a great moment. Maddie, I didn't realize you're going to give such a reaction.

This is special. Oh, I love you. I love you all so much. You mean so much to me. Oh, thank you, Maddie. Oh, me too. You're talking to us or Mel, I'm not sure. And don't worry, Maddie.

They said they're going to go on tour next year. It's going to be all good. The Spice Girls are coming to me. New Zealand, Mel said it. Mel said it here first. Lovely to talk to you, Maddie. There you go. 40 before 40.

You can tick that off your list. Thank you. Happy birthday when it comes around, Matty. Happy 40th. Thank you so much, Mel. Thank you so much. Thank you for your time, Mel. We really appreciate it.

And congrats on the new singles. It is awesome. And hopefully we'll see you one day back here in New Zealand. Yeah, albums out May 1st. So there's loads of my music to come. Awesome. Hey, thanks for your time. Thanks guys.

Bye. Bye. See you, mate. Thank you so much. Lovely to meet you. Thank you. Pleasure. You too.

Take care. Bye.