Spice Girls Mel B and Emma Bunton are catfishing 'The Circle US' on Netflix

Mel B and Emma Bunton have made a surprise appearance as catfishers in the latest series of The Circle US.

The reality TV contest began streaming on Netflix on Wednesday with an unexpected reveal that the Spice Girls were taking part together, playing as the same catfish profile, children's book author Jared.

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In the show, contestants live in separate apartments in the same building and interact through social media platform The Circle, with other players having no idea whether they are messaging a real person or a catfish.

However, the players in season four of The Circle US are in for an even bigger surprise when they find out that "Jared" is actually two huge stars.

Mel B and Bunton can't win, though - their challenge is to fool the other contestants into believing their profile is real during a limited amount of time on the show and if they succeed, the prize fund will increase from $100,000 to $150,000.

The first four episodes of the series has begun streaming on Netflix, including one scene which sees the contestants dance to Spice Girls debut hit Wannabe at a 90s party with no idea that the singers are just across the hall from them.

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Scary Spice and Baby Spice, both 46, aren't the only famous people to have competed as catfish in the show - broadcaster Richard Madeley featured in one UK series of The Circle posing as a young woman called Judy.

The UK version of the show was the original in the franchise and ran for three seasons at Channel 4, as well as a fourth celebrity series won by Lady Leshurr playing as Big Narstie.

Although Channel 4 decided not to renew the show, it could make a reappearance on Netflix in the future where international versions of it are streamed.

The show's winner is the most popular player by the end of the series and could be either a real person or a catfish.

The Circle US season four is currently streaming on Netflix.

Watch: The Circle season four