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Mel C wasn't allowed to date during the Spice Girls, but bandmates could

Mel C claims she was not allowed to date during her time in The Spice Girls. (Getty Images)
Mel C claims she was not allowed to date during her time in The Spice Girls. (Getty Images)

Mel C has said she was banned from having a boyfriend during her time in the Spice Girls, while the other band members were free to date.

Sporty Spice has been reflecting on her time the girlband in her new autobiography Who I Am, and confessed being told she couldn't have a relationship while the other Spice Girls could, made her feel vulnerable.

Mel C told Australia's The Project: "Looking back what struck me was it was one rule for one and another for the others, right?

"I think when you are vulnerable as well, people go, I don't think it's good for you."

Read more: Spice Girl Mel B dedicates her MBE to 'all the other women' facing domestic violence

She went on: "The rule for the other women was, 'She is fine, she can have a boyfriend, she can cope with having a boyfriend, she is strong enough but you are not.'

"It makes you question yourself when you are already vulnerable."

Watch: Mel C was 'quite unwell' with eating disorder during height of Spice Girls fame

The Spice Girls Mel C, Victoria Beckham, Mel B, Emma Bunton and Geri Halliwell
The Spice Girls - Mel C, Victoria Beckham, Mel B, Emma Bunton and Geri Halliwell - shot to fame in 1996. (Shutterstock)

Mel C joined the Spice Girls with Victoria Beckham, Mel B, Geri Horner and Emma Bunton in 1994 and they were managed by Simon Fuller.

The 48-year-old singer went on to date pop star Robbie Williams, only to have her heart broken by him when he her "behaved badly" by leading her on and "abruptly" splitting up from her.

She said: "He has apologised to me and a lot of water has gone under the bridge and we're absolutely fine and have been for many, many years."

Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams broke Mel C's heart by 'behaving badly'. (Getty Images)

Mel added: "We're doing a show together in a few weeks, so I might have to tell him to read the chapter!"

The Spice Girls are now tipped to headline Glastonbury music festival in 2023 and Mel is keen for Posh Spice to join them.

She said previously: "I do believe it could be the thing that would see all five girls on stage. So should we start a petition?"

In 2019 Mel C joined Mel B, Geri Horner and Emma Bunton on a tour of the UK and Ireland. Beckham met the rest of the band prior to the announcement of the live shows, but declined to join them.

The Spice Girls perform during the Closing Ceremony at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
The Spice Girls last performed as a five-piece at the Olympic Closing Ceremony in London in 2012.

Scary Spice announced on stage at their final London show that the band would be taking the tour to Australia the following year.

But the next morning she backtracked, telling 2DayFM Breakfast with Grant, Ed & Ash: “So I announced it on stage, yes, without everybody else signing off 100%.

Read more: Mel C convinced Victoria Beckham would rejoin Spice Girls for Glastonbury

“I figured if I put it out there then maybe it’s going to happen because I’ve been putting it out there for seven years. London did actually happen after seven years so I figured, Australia in February sounds pretty good to me.”

Watch: Mel C has opened up on being sexually assaulted while in the Spice Girls