Interview - April 2001

Geri Halliwell is skilled at the art of reinvention. From her origins as a self-confessed "jumble-sale kid" she transformed herself into the curvaceous Ginger, cheekiest member of the Spice Girls. And now the 28-year-old is making the headlines again with her lean body and sleek blonde bob, set off to perfection by a vast variety of fashionable outfits.

But it's not just her physique that is attracting interest - Geri's close relationship with singer Robbie Williams has also been a source of much speculation. He last week talked of having been intimate with her, but Geri maintains she's single. When asked for the truth about their relationship, she said: "If you knew, you'd be so bored it's unbelievable."

Meanwhile Geri is still finding time to work. Her second album, Scream If You Wanna Go Faster, is due out in May and her single It's Raining Men, a cover version of the Weather Girls' hit, is used on the soundtrack of Bridget Jones's Diary. The original of that song was first released in the 1980s, when fame was a faraway dream for Geri. She was being raised in Watford by her English father, at the time, and she had a long way to go on her journey to the top. Here she talks of the road to the Spice Girls - and beyond.

Geri, you've hit hit the headlines again because of your new look. What do you put it down to?

"It's mostly down to yoga. When I started doing yoga I knew it was something that I'd continue doing. It's not just about the exercise, it's a way of life. It's taught me a lot and it's made me calmer and happier. Looking better is a bonus."

Since you left the Spice Girls they seem to have lost their Girl Power. So was it you all along?

"Hand on my heart, I totally believed in the 'Girl Power' thing. It worked for me - I'm living proof that if you put your mind to something and you feel strong then you can achieve anything. And I always draw from it."

How did you feel when you left what was probably the biggest band in the world at the time?

"The day I left the Spice Girls - and I wasn't planning to leave that day- I wanted to do an interview for the Breast Cancer Campaign, but I was meant to be doing the National Lottery on TV and the schedule wouldn't allow me to do both. I thought, 'Hold on, what are your principles?' I had to question what I was about. Things got very complicated. That's why I left on that day. I'm not saying that's the reason I left the Spice Girls - I was going to leave in September and the girls knew that. It was my personal decision and not to do with any of the girls. It is still tender in my heart. It was just something I had to do for my own spiritual and mental growth. I'd have felt like a hypocrite if I'd stayed. I'm meant to stand for Girl Power and it's not just about singing songs. I had to do it."

Geri is also in there on the Bridget Jones Premiere page and here is what they said: "An impressive array of celebrities were there to witness her debut on both sides of the Atlantic. Most notable was former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, whose hit record It's Raining Men is on the movie's soundtrack. Wearing a backless Julien MacDonald dress, she stalked the red carpet outside Leicester Square's Empire challenging the crowd with the statement: "I am looking for a man." Shortly afterwards she had one - beaming 15-year-old Edward Spencer, who was pulled out of the throng by Geri's minders and walked alongside his idol into the star-strewn auditorium.

After the screening, Geri confessed to being a big fan of Bridget Jones. "I've had many Bridget moments," she told reporters. "I identify with her talking about boys, sex, overeating and all that." As for the film, she raved, "Renee Zellweger is brilliant and it is the best performance Hugh Grant has ever given.""