Geri Horner denied that she was “throwing shade” at her former Spice Girls bandmates during an interview on Good Morning Britain.
The singer and TV star also said she has “let go” of her dream of the band reuniting, admitting that it would be difficult to top their “moment” in the spotlight at the height of their fame.
Asked about a possible reunion, Horner told GMB hosts Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard: “Last year I so wanted it to happen, because it was the anniversary, and a few of us were really pushing for it to happen.
“And then it didn’t, so I sort of let it go a little bit.”
She said the potential comeback had lost a bit of momentum and added: “I love the girls, and I’m really grateful for the fans and the music.”
She said that, after the band’s performance at the 2012 Olympics closing ceremony in London, “everyone took a break”.
“It’s quite a moment, it’s hard – how do you top that?”
Referring to her earlier comment, Reid asked: “There is obviously a sticking point somewhere, someone saying this can’t happen?”
Horner replied: “To get five people to agree all at the same time … even if you’ve got five really nice people, to say you all like the same colour, it’s hard.”
Reid said: “That is throwing shade … ‘even if you’ve got five really nice people’?”
Horner quickly replied: “No, they are really nice, that’s what I’m saying.”
Denying that she was criticising one of her former bandmates, she added: “No, I wasn’t saying that, they’re all really nice girls.”
Horner rose to fame in the girl group in the mid-1990s alongside Victoria Beckham, Mel B, Mel C and Emma Bunton before she quit in 1998.
She re-joined the band for a live tour in 2007.