JUNE 2001

28.06.01 GERI SETS HER SIGHTS ON DOWNING STREET - PAYBACK TIME FOR BLAIR From PeopleNews

Geri Halliwell is planning to shoot her next pop video outside Number 10 Downing Street, PeopleNews can reveal. The former Spice Girl, who appeared in a Labour party political broadcast shortly before the election, believes that Government officials will allow her request in thanks for her services. 'Geri is requesting this from the prime minister directly,' whispers a Halliwell aide. 'She feels that they owe her something after her appearance before the election. She took a lot of flak for that, and she feels she deserves something in return.' Geri appeared in the party broadcast as a tea lady in an old people's home. Days later it emerged that she was not on the electoral register, and thus not eligible to vote, either for Labour or for anyone else. 'I support New Labour because Tony Blair is a good father,' she explained at the time. 'We all need good parenting.'.

28.06.01 THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING WOMAN IS GOING TO BE USED AS A CARROT From NME

According to the Daily Express (June 25), Geri, who likes to holiday abroad and frequently does so outside of the country, has been approached by the British Tourist Authority to tempt visitors back to Britain. Seems they believe that Geri, who is frequently photographed in different bikinis doing yoga on beaches that are not in Britain, is the ideal woman to tempt fearful travellers back to the foot & mouth ravaged country. Despite their belief, Geri has yet to comment on the appointment. After a hectic round of international flights to and from a number of airports in order to reach somewhere she hasn't been before, though sometimes it has been to reach places she has been before, she is taking a well deserved break in Italy.

28.06.01 GERI COPIED VICTORIA'S VIDEO?

AN extraordinary row has erupted between Victoria Beckham and former bandmate Geri Halliwell. Devastated Victoria claims Geri, 28, has ripped off her video for her new single, Innocent Girl.Geri's promo for Scream If You Wanna Go Faster, due out on July 23, is uncannily similar to the video Victoria shot weeks ago for her own new solo single. Although Posh's CD isn't out until September, she recorded the promo way back in early May so she could enjoy a month off with husband David this month. In it, the white-clad Victoria battles against an evil twin, dressed in black, also played by the Spice Girl. Geri's video features the skinny singer playing a Lara Croft-style action girl - also decked out in white - fighting it out with a pop star character ... er, dressed in black. The motor-cycling girl superhero is the eventual victor over the squeaky-clean pop singer character. It certainly strikes us as more than a simple coincidence - and disproves the endless ludicrous denials that Geri is at war with the Spice Girls. Both sides have always maintained that they have patched things up since Geri walked out on the band three years ago. But a friend tells us: "Victoria has just come back from a lovely holiday with David and couldn't believe it when she saw details of Geri's new video. "It is too similar to be a coincidence. Victoria is very upset about it - her single comes out after Geri's so it will look as though she has copied hers."The problem is both Geri and Victoria have the same friends, so the video plot could easily have got back to Geri." Posh came up with the idea for the promo with director Jake Nava, who devised the video to Truesteppers Out Of Your Mind which Vic starred in with Dane Bowers. A spokesman for Geri said: ""There is no way Geri has seen Victoria's video.".

27.06.01 ROB'S SONG FOR GERI

ROBBIE WILLIAMS has ended speculation about his new song Eternity by admitting it is a tribute to Geri Halliwell. While off air during the recording of a TV show, he revealed: "A lot of people think this song is for Gary Barlow - but it's not. It's for the little yoga girl". As I revealed last month, the ballad - due for release on July 9 - includes the lyrics: "You were there for summer dreaming and you are a friend indeed".

27.06.01 TRAVIS SLAMS GERI

In an exclusive interview with worldpop, Travis frontman, Fran Healy has slammed celeb-seeking musicians, including Geri Halliwell and Robbie Williams, for missing the point about making music. 
The Scottish singer told worldpop/alternative, 'I think music is split up into many different categories but you have two main ones. The first is your stars,' he explains, 'You've got your Robbie Williamses, Geri Halliwells and your Jennifer Lopezes. Their vehicle is the song; the song creates their celebrity.' 
He continues to argue that for Travis the opposite is true: 'In our case, we have songs and we are the vehicle for the songs rather than the songs being a vehicle for us. We're songwriters, you know and we're the only ones that can play these songs at the moment. I'm sure in a couple of years boy bands will be covering Why Does It Always Rain On Me? and Ring In The Bells... but not just yet!'.

27.06.01 GERI STILL ON TOP OF THE WORLD

Geri Halliwell has extended her lead at the top of the worldpop Global Singles Chart with her second week at the top. Destiny's Child's Survivor, Crazy Town's Butterfly and Played-A-Live by Safri Duo all hold tight which means the Top 4 is unchanged this week. Angel by Shaggy and Rayvon moves up the chart again to No 5 while Lady Marmalade by saucy foursome Pink, Mya, Christina Aguilera and Lil Kim jumps eight places to No 10. 
There are three new entries on the chart this week: Kiss Of Life by the interestingly-named Ken Hirai, 2Pac's posthumuous hit Until The End Of Time and Drops Of Jupiter (Tell Me) by US breakthrough rockers Train..

27.06.01 GERI TRIES TO AVOID MORE HOLIDAY PICS

Publicity-shy Geri Halliwell desperately tried to avoid any more holiday pictures yesterday ... and the camera shutters drowned out the band playing "Believe it if you like." The former Ginger Spice's "secret" break on an Italian island of Filicudi has become the world's most photographed holiday. Er, since her last one. And yesterday she was back in front of the cameras dipping in and out of the sea from a luxury yacht, wearing a polka-dot bikini, and with her hair up in bunches like Baby Spice. 
She even carried a pink kids' rucksack - former bandmate Emma Bunton's favourite colour. On Friday, she was snapped yelling at an Italian photographer whose scooter keys she "confiscated". Pino Angelini called cops and Geri gave the keys back, complete with a charming one-fingered salute. Geri has mercilessly milked the media for publicity in recent months to boost sales of her new album but snappers following her jaunt in Italy were stunned by her vile rant at Angelini.

17.06.01 GERI'S GURU

THE yoga teacher who helped transform Geri Halliwell from plump ex-Spice Girl to superfit solo singer is a lay Buddhist monk from Liverpool called Kisen. 
And he is very proud of his ex-pupil. "She's a wonderful kid. I'm very fond of her. She performs the bow beautifully," he said. 
Geri, 28, is among dozens of celebrities who have turned to the ancient eastern art in a bid to escape their frenzied lifestyles and restore calm to their lives. 
She practices the moves for up to two hours a day. 
The results were obvious when she was pictured this week going through the demanding positions during a holiday in Italy. 
Kisen, 43, who was also Geri's spiritual guru, introduced her to Ashtanga yoga - the highest form of the art - and spent 18 months helping her to restore balance in her life after she quit the Spice Girls. 
Now he has revealed for the first time the secrets that have given Geri one of the most talked-about bodies in the world. 
The singer spent hours having one-to-one sessions with Kisen to become, in his words, "a whole, a fully-integrated human being. 
While Kisen does not encourage his pupils to lose weight, he claims that the diet regulates itself through yoga. 
"Anyone can change their body shape like Geri," he said. 
"If you practise the techniques, you will change or transform. It's about the renaturalisation of your body and mind, bringing them back into harmony. 
"It restructures every joint, ligament and tendon and makes them function accurately and properly. 
"The reason that celebrities find yoga so appealing is that it works for their lives." 
Kisen has also taught pop stars Lulu and Neil Tennant and actress Elisabeth Shue. 
He believes that the egotistical nature of celebrities can often be at the root of their problems. "One of the processes of yoga is that it softens your ego and makes it malleable, so that things don't hurt you quite so much. You become less self-important. 
"That breeds relaxation and happiness. Celebrities find the difficult aspect of their lives mitigated through yoga. 
"They may have six different deals going on all at once, countless different radio interviews and constantly have to be on form. 
"When the mind is quietened down through yoga, it becomes more receptive, so you don't have the same levels of nervous expenditure." 
Stars like Geri do yoga for hours every day. 
Kisen said: "Start by practising for 20 minutes every day. 
"But get good guidance to start with. 
"A good teacher is essential." 
THE WARRIOR 
The move Geri's doing strengthens her chest and abdomen and also firms the lower back 
LOTUS 
This is a favourite position to use for meditation and the position of Geri's hands makes it clear she is meditating. 
THE BOW 
This helps breathing, suppleness and vitality and is a favourite position of Geri's - and a move she always does beautifully 
SUN SALUTATION 
Feet come together, hands together, to increase flexibility, stamina, awareness. She is also massaging heart and lungs 
PADMA SIRSASANA 
Lifting into the lotus headstand. At top of lift, she will release and unfold her legs. In the final part, legs come together. Geri can hold this position for 20-30 breaths 
SETU BHANDASA 
This is a back arch which helps to relieve tension in the shoulders. The move also opens up the chest to aid breathing and to strengthen the abdominal muscles 
PADMA SIMHASANA 
This helps to stretch the wind pipe and vocal chords and exercises the muscles in the face.

17.06.01 GERI ATTACKS PHOTOGRAPHER

GERI Halliwell was questioned by police yesterday after attacking one of the photographers who snapped her bikini-clad yoga session. For once, the woman who has built a career out of publicity stunts was furious at her picture appearing in the papers. She flipped when the same photo-grapher then snapped her as she went jogging on her holiday in Italy. The day before, she had been pictured sunbathing topless outside her villa and performing a string of yoga exercises. The former Spice Girl has become as famous for her tacky publicity-seeking as her music. But she lost the plot yesterday as she punched and kicked Pino Angelini and tried to grab his digital camera before stealing the keys to his moped. Officers from the Carabinieri later interviewed the singer at her holiday home on the Italian island of Filicudi. She was ordered to hand back the moped keys but made her feelings clear with an offensive gesture. Last night, angry Angelini hit out at publicity-hungry Geri's sudden demand for privacy. He is still considering whether or not to press charges for assault. Angelini, 46, told how Geri used an Italian swear word when she set about him. He said: "She ran up to me screaming and swearing." Then she ripped the keys from his moped and stormed off. He added: "She was like a wild animal. Doesn't she realise she is a famous millionaire because people take pictures of her? "I was just doing my job and she turned on me, lashing out kicking and punching. It must have lasted over a minute. "It's a good job she is a woman or I might just have retaliated. Then she stole the keys to my bike. Who does she think she is?" After being visited by the police, Geri boarded a boat to take her to the latest stop on her holiday, believed to be Capri. Yesterday's show of petulance left onlookers in no doubt that Geri had really lost the rag. After a string of media coups, coming when she has records to promote, many are wary of her motives.

16.06.01 BENDY GERI'S A YOGA BARE The Sun

SUN worshipper Geri Halliwell gets set to turn up the heat on holiday in Italy - by flashing her boobs. 
The supple singer, 28, dropped her bikini top before going through a string of eye-popping yoga exercises. 
Geri peeled off during a holiday with two girl pals and got one to rub oil into her back as she laid out on the sand. 
Then it was time for a different kind of stretching - and she swapped her blue costume for a yellow and pink outfit for some awe-inspiring exercises. 
One onlooker at the secluded Italian island hideaway said: "Geri spent a good half an hour working on her moves and got a few funny looks from other sunbathers." 
Geri has slimmed down using a strict diet, plenty of yoga and jogging and punishing sessions in the gym. 
The former Spice Girl, 28 - who had a No1 hit last month with It's Raining Men - was taking a break from her hectic schedule. 
A source said: "She's been going flat out for the last few months with promoting her album. 
"She wanted to get away somewhere quiet and have a rest. She arrived on Monday and is planning on spending a few more days in Italy before returning to London to start work again. 
"I'm sure she won't mind pictures being taken of her exercising - after all, she's always been prepared to bend over backwards for fans.".

15.06.01 I DON'T FANCY GERI This is London

Girls with boyish figures such as Geri Halliwell or Kate Moss are a turn-off for millions of men, new research reveals today. 
Most British males would rather date a woman with a fuller figure, such as Kate Winslet or Davina McCall. Experts say the findings show women are wrong to be obsessed with losing weight and keeping themselves thin.

14.06.01 GERI RAINS ON CRAZYTOWN'S PARADE From Worldpop

Geri Halliwell has knocked Crazytown's Butterfly from the top of the worldpop global charts this week. After six weeks on the chart, Geri's single, It's Raining Men rises two places to No 1 for the first time since its release. Destiny's Child are still proving their staying power with Survivor still at No 2 this week. Crazytown drop to No 3 while Dutch house combo Safri Duo, Atomic Kitten and Westlife are non movers at No 4, No 5 and No 6 respectively.
This week's highest new entry is Faithless' We Come I at No 16. The track also entered the UK singles chart at No 3 this week. The Backstreet Boys' new single, More Than That, a new entry at No 34 last week, rises ten places to No 24n.

13.06.01 GERI SPICES UP 15TH ANNUAL FASHION CARES From toronto Sun

TORONTO -- "I have the English at my feet. An Italian on my butt and I'm proud to say a Canadian on my top," said pop singer Geri Halliwell on stage at the Fashion Cares AIDS fund-raising gala that rocked the Metro Toronto Convention Centre last Saturday evening into the wee hours of Sunday. 
The ex-Spice Girl was speaking of her skin-and- bones show-opening outfit, designed from the feet up by British shoe designer Jimmy Choo, slashed mini by Roberto Cavalli and bustier by Canadian designer Lida Baday. 
Halliwell later returned on stage in workout wear to sing her hit song It's Raining Men

13.06.01 GERI'S A CATWALK NATURAL From The Daily Star. Thanks to Halliwell News

Geri Halliwell was in stunning form as she sang and strutted her stuff in Canada over the weekend. The pop babe followed in former Spice Girls band mate Victoria Beckham’s footsteps by making her first appearance on the catwalk at the Fashion Cares Concert in Toronto. She first appeared in a slinky black leather number before slipping into her trademark gym gear for her performance. After yesterdays gig Geri, 28, flew straight to Rome for a week0s holiday where she will divide her time between seeing the sights of the city and relaxing. Europe is a happy place for Geri – her single ‘It’s Raining Men’ is now the second best-selling single across the continent

13.06.01 GERI'S POSH LOOK

IMAGE chameleon Geri Halliwell's latest look seems to have been inspired by her former bandmate, Posh Spice. The one-time voluptuous Ginger Spice, 28, was the double of Victoria Beckham when she took to the stage in Toronto on Saturday. Her face looked gaunt and her body skinny as she danced around in a skimpy leather boob tube and matching mini - Victoria's trademark look before she was dubbed Skeletal Spice. Geri was even singing at the Fashion Cares Concert - clothes being Posh's main obsession in life.

13.06.01 BANNED FROM GATECRASHERS

Not Cool Enough For Gatecrasher Jon Bon Jovi, Geri Halliwell, Posh Spice and Atomic Kitten have all been barred from a big dance concert in England. Organisers of Gatecrasher - a huge dance concert which is to take place in Northants, England, have secretly put together a list of stars they don't want crashing the gig - because they're not cool enough. These include, singer Halliwell, girl band Atomic Kitten, pop group STEPS and rocker Bon Jovi, who's playing a gig ten miles (16.093 kilometres) down the road at Milton Keynes on the night.

13.06.01 OCTOBER ISSUE OF FLARE MAGAZINE From GHCS

Geri Halliwell will be in the october issue of canadian fashion magazine flare according to there official site: "Girl Power: Change your look; change your body, change your life, change your job, come out on top! All About You survey answers; plus Geri Halliwell and how she did it.".

12.06.01 GERI'S NOT ACTING UP From Worldpop

Geri Halliwell is not dumping pop for a movie career, despite claims in today's Mirror newspaper that she has been signed up by the ICM acting agency in LA. Geri Halliwell's spokesman told worldpop, 'The story is complete rubbish. Geri has not signed to ICM and she is definitely concentrating on music this year. She is releasing a second single from her new album in July and there will be a third in the autumn.'. Geri's spokesman also revealed that her planned debut movie Therapy is on hold for the time being and she will definitely not be filming anything for it this year. He said that Geri's priority is her music and that there may even be a possibility of a tour. Geri was photographed a couple of weeks ago filming the video for her new single, the album's title track Scream If You Wanna Go Faster.

12.06.01 GERI GOES TO HALLI-WOOD FILM BID AFTER ALBUM FLOPS From The Mirror

GERI Halliwell is launching a multi-million-pound assault on Hollywood. 
The 28-year-old singer is "gutted" by how badly her latest album has done in the charts and wants to pursue an acting career. 
She has just been signed up by top acting agency ICM in Los Angeles. The firm started planning Geri's "Hollywood career path" last week. 
Her album Scream If You Wanna Go Faster reached the not-so-heady heights of No. 5 despite a relentless publicity campaign and the ex-Spice now wants to focus on the big screen. 
"Although her single got to No. 1, Geri is furious her album didn't do better," says a source close to the star. "She has always said she wanted to get into films and has now decided the time is right to go for it." 
So far, her film career hasn't really set the world alight. At the Cannes Film Festival last year, Geri told the world she'd be starring in a movie titled Therapy. 
But more than a year later, no progress has been made other than the fanfare announcement. 
The Mirror revealed recently that the script has been re-written 12 times and will not go into production until next autumn. Last year Geri also asked top British director and Madonna's old man Guy Ritchie to help her break into Hollywood but he declined. 
Her film debut was during her Ginger Spice era when she starred in Spiceworld in 1997 with the rest of the band. But we have a word of warning for Geri. 
In the mid-90s, another ginger Brit got involved with ICM but was told that he didn't have what it takes to crack the American market. 
So who was the not-so-lucky star? 
Step forward Geri's ex-boyfriend, Chris Evans.

10.06.01 GERI IS NUMBER 3 IN THE GLOBAL CHARTS From Wordpop

Geri Halliwell is currently number 3 in the Global charts with her single It's Raining Men. This chart is based on the charts of over 30 countries. Geri is the higuest UK act in the Global charts. She climbed from the 30th place in the week of the single's release in the UK to the number 3 this week. Geri's album has been released almost everywhere now.

09.06.01 Former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell no wallflower - Geri Halliwell is in Toronto to sing her hit single, It's Raining Men, at the Fashion Cares AIDS fundraiser From Toronto Sun

Geri Halliwell might have been out of the country and unable to vote in yesterday's general election in England, but she showed her support for Labour's Tony Blair in other ways. "Everyone knows my vote," said the former Ginger Spice, 28, yesterday as she ate lunch (salmon, tuna, broccoli, mashed potatoes and cucumbers, if those who've noticed her newly svelte figure must know) on the pool deck of her Toronto hotel. Halliwell is in Toronto to promote her second solo record, Scream If You Wanna Go Faster, and sing her hit single, a cover of It's Raining Men, at Fashion Cares tomorrow night. "Tony Blair asked me to be in his election campaign. That was my way of lending support. I don't know a lot about politics, never claimed to. My father was big into it, so therefore leaders interest me, more than anything. "As days go by, political parties are blending into one in England, so I'm more interested in whether I trust that leader fundamentally ... I met (Blair) at a dinner -- it was a Pride Of Britain dinner -- and we spent time talking then. He's not the average megalomaniac."

It's Raining Men was the No. 1 single in Britain, and this week is 18th and rising on the Canadian SoundScan singles chart. Of the Fashion Cares AIDS fundraiser, now in its 15th year, Halliwell admitted, "I don't know that much about it. But I know that it seems like it's a foundation full of consciousness, and I think the quality of the giving is good.". Halliwell said she was already "an AIDS monitoress" when she was 13 years old at her all-girls school. "That would have been, like, 15 years ago, and we were only becoming aware of AIDS. It was a very conservative girls school and I decided, at the age of 13, 'I think I'd like to put forward that our next charity would go to fight AIDS.'. "And I went, ''Cause you know we're all going to be having sex one day.' And the whole place was like, 'Ooh...' ". That anecdote is about the most outrageous thing Halliwell had to say yesterday.

Much more subdued than in previous interviews, she arrived about an hour and 15 minutes late for her scheduled chat with The Sun. The plan had been to have "afternoon tea" together, but since she's apparently off sugar and flour, that wasn't happening. Instead, she offered up her diet drink while she tucked into a very healthy-looking lunch with one of her "best mates" Alice, also seated at the table. Nearby were two publicists, a makeup artist and a security guard. "I'll have a nice cup of tea, though -- love a cup of tea, Earl Grey," said Halliwell, who admits she occasionally allows herself to indulge in sweets. "Sometimes. I try not to. I'm like most girls or human beings. But it doesn't really agree with me -- sugar and white flour. I try and have a cleaner diet.".

Halliwell just shot a video for the second single from Scream If You Wanna Go Faster, the title track. "It's kind of like Lara Croft meets Blondie," said Halliwell, who plays two characters in the video. "The Lara Croft character, she represents spirit and soul, a little more organic, more playful. Then the (Blondie) character on stage, she's a lot more aggressive and sexual and represents ego.". Film role? Halliwell, who eventually lit up a Silk Cut and sipped some peppermint tea after her meal, said she also is looking at acting in a film, but couldn't talk about the part yet.

In the meantime, she claimed she would try to see Toronto while she was in town. She arrived Wednesday night and leaves on Sunday. "I think there's very good energy here in Toronto," she said. "Fantastic energy. The minute we got here, we went, 'Oh, cool.' ". Halliwell, who is currently single, once jokingly clamoured for "a nice Canadian man to fertilize" her eggs at the MuchMusic Video Awards a few years back. She now says she would consider a relationship with someone from Canada. "I've always got to try to keep an open mind. You can't close yourself off. And I think Canadians are a good breed of people. I think you've got the best of both worlds. I think you have culture, you're cosmopolitan, you're enterprising. It seems like you've taken all the best bits from other countries. "From an outsider's perspective, people seem very open, non-judgmental, nice, relaxed, but then you're still out there doing it. Balanced. I think you're the most balanced country I ever met. So maybe Canada is an example to us all.".

08.06.01 GERI'S ALBUM SLIPS FURTHER DOWN THE CHART From Ananova

Geri Halliwell's album Scream If You Wanna Go Faster looks set to drop to number 30. It has had just three weeks on the UK album chart. According to midweek figures, the album has shifted just 1,587 copies. It debuted disappointingly at number five. But the album has proved more successful than Mel B's first solo LP Hot. It debuted on the chart last year at number 28 before slipping out of the Top 75 after two weeks.

08.06.01 GERI IS EXHAUSTED! From GHCS

Well Geri Halliwell is certainly exhausted from doing her current promotional tour for her new album Its Raining Men. The former Spice Girl who is currently in Montreal, Canada doing promotion for her latest album, did an interview on the french canadian show Tam Tam and was so exhausted she had to lay her poor head against the black, leather sofa where she was conducting the interview. The poor singer didn't have enough strength throughout the interview to lift her head up, instead layed it comfortably against the sofa, letting all the viewers only see one half of her head. Geri Halliwell will do more TV shows and Radio in Montreal before heading off to Toronto on thursday to do further Canadian promotion.

08.06.01 GERI GETS ALL SNAP HAPPY From Daily Star. Thanks to Dawiho

Geri Halliwell’s click off the mark as she takes happy snaps of pals during her promo tour of Europe. 
She was taking time out in Venice from promoting her single ‘It’s Raining Men’ – at No 2 in Italy. Geri looked cool in boots and polka-dot mini-dress. 
And even the fact that her album ‘Scream If You Wanna Go Faster’ has dived to No 21 in the Uk didn’t stop her smiling.

07.06.01 'SIR SEAN JOINS GERI ON THE ELECTION TRAIL' From yahoo

EDINBURGH (Reuters) - Veteran 007 actor Sean Connery joined the unlikely ranks of teen pop sensations Geri Halliwell and Britney Spears when he took a star turn in the election campaign. 
Connery, the one-time Edinburgh milkman who shot to fame as the suave secret agent James Bond, was out campaigning on behalf of the Scottish National Party in the Highland city of Inverness. 
"This is a great bonus for the campaign," said an SNP spokesman. "It's great that Sir Sean should visit the most marginal seat in Scotland." 
The actor, who has carried a 'Scotland Forever' tattoo and SNP membership card for most of his life, now lives in the Bahamas but has said he will return when his homeland wins independence. 
The SNP have saved up arguably the world's most famous Scot, The biggest trick up the nationalists' sleeve, for the final few days' run-up to the June 7 election. 
Former Spice Halliwell appeared in a Labour Party broadcast in a bid to win over younger voters early on in the campaign. 
Days later, Spears was reported to have sent a message of support to Tony Blair via his press secretary Alastair Campbell. 
Opinion polls suggest the nationalists, who see the new devolved Scottish parliament as a stepping stone to independence, are the second most powerful political force in Scotland, with 25 around percent support behind Labour at 50 percent. 
They hold six out of Scotland's 72 parliamentary seats.

06.06.01 LOUIS WALSH SAYS GERI HAS NO TALENT From Worldpop

Louis Walsh, the manager behind Boyzone, Westlife and Samantha Mumba, has revealed he is to run an Irish version of Popstars on Irish TV station TV3. And in describing the characteristics necessary to succeed in the world of pop, Walsh delivered a backhanded compliment to Geri Halliwell. 'To be a star, the most important thing is to have drive and ambition but not necessarily the talent,' Walsh explained. 'Just look at Geri Halliwell. She's got the drive and ambition but no talent.'. However, Louis Walsh then told the Irish press that his version of Popstars will unearth far more talent than the UK series. 'I didn't think the UK Popstars were very good,' Walsh said. 'It was compulsive viewing but I would not have picked the same band and the songs were not very good. We'll do a much better job in Ireland and get more talent.'. Walsh went on to defend his recent decision to raise his management rate from 20% to 25% of his stars' income. He explained he deserved more money because he's worth it and he only works with Irish people! Last week, Dane Bowers revealed he would love to ban Geri Halliwell from recording.

04.06.01 GERI'S WAITING TO GET INTO THERAPY From Sunday Mirror

THE intrigue behind Geri Halliwell's movie debut could make a film. 
You may remember Geri announced she would star in Therapy at Cannes last May. 
It was due to start filming last summer. It didn't. Then it was due to start at the beginning of this year. It didn't. 
Now I hear it's due to start filming this summer. But it isn't. 
Over to Geri's PR... "At the moment the film has been put back because Geri is on an international promo tour until August. Maybe filming will begin at the end of the year or early next year." I think you get the picture... 
Meanwhile Geri has told an Italian magazine how her obsession with food was so bad she used to send pals to hotels before checking-in to make sure the rooms had no free chocolates. 
It was in case she was tempted to have a nibble during the night. Nothing wrong with that, Geri.

03.06.01 GERI TO DUET WITH BRITNEY From Worldpop

Geri Halliwell is rumoured to be dueting with Britney Spears, on Britney's third album "Evolution", due September/October. The song is to be called "Evolution Of A Woman" and will be out in late August this year. The duet was already recorded earlier this year in Sweden, and is supposed to be an up-tempo man bashing song. The track was written by Samantha Mumba's writters.

01.06.01 GERI HALLIWELL IS GOING TO MAKE YOU SCREAM From Chartattack

Geri Halliwell is to be immortalised in wax at Madame Tussaud's, PeopleNews can reveal. According to insiders at the museum, the new statue will show Geri in the silver-blue backless Julien Macdonald creation that she wore to the Bridget Jones's Diary premiere. Geri narrowly missed out on being cast in wax back in 1999, after she left the Spice Girls. The group had been selected for the Tussaud's treatment in 1998 when Geri was still with the band, but by the time the waxworks were underway, Geri had departed. At the time, the girls were the first British pop band to be sculpted in the museum since the Beatles, and Geri's frustration at her absence was well known. 'She should be pleased to be getting even,' remarks our source. 'She was always the most famous Spice Girl, and she's now more famous than all of them. It was a little ridiculous that she wasn't included last time, but that was just the way it was.' Spokesmen for Madame Tussaud's refuse to officially confirm plans for the new statue, but say that names for a new batch of waxworks will be announced within the next few weeks.

01.06.01 GERI ARRIVES IN MADAME TUSSAUD'S - SHE'S MADE OF WAX , HALLELUJAH! From People News

Geri Halliwell is to be immortalised in wax at Madame Tussaud's, PeopleNews can reveal. According to insiders at the museum, the new statue will show Geri in the silver-blue backless Julien Macdonald creation that she wore to the Bridget Jones's Diary premiere. Geri narrowly missed out on being cast in wax back in 1999, after she left the Spice Girls. The group had been selected for the Tussaud's treatment in 1998 when Geri was still with the band, but by the time the waxworks were underway, Geri had departed. At the time, the girls were the first British pop band to be sculpted in the museum since the Beatles, and Geri's frustration at her absence was well known. 'She should be pleased to be getting even,' remarks our source. 'She was always the most famous Spice Girl, and she's now more famous than all of them. It was a little ridiculous that she wasn't included last time, but that was just the way it was.' Spokesmen for Madame Tussaud's refuse to officially confirm plans for the new statue, but say that names for a new batch of waxworks will be announced within the next few weeks.