Melanie C has said it is the Spice Girls’ “number one priority” to get back on stage together after the hardships of the past few years.

The girl group previously reunited in 2019 for a tour of the UK and Ireland, although Victoria Beckham did not join her former bandmates.

Speaking on Lorraine’s Christmas Day special, she said: “Us Spice Girls keep chatting and we will just wait for the day where we can get back out there and get back on stage together.

The Voice Kids
Mel C (Ian West/PA)

“Speaking to the girls, we all feel the same and in 2019 when we did the stadium shows, they were so incredible.

“We feel that after the hardship of the last few years, it would be wonderful if we could get back on stage.

“Not only for us, but for all our fans out there. It’s our number one priority.”

Back in the late 1990s, the girl group became the first band since The Beatles to claim three Christmas number ones in a row, with 2 Become 1 in 1996, Too Much in 1997 and Goodbye in 1998.

Mel C, real name Melanie Chisholm, added: “It’s such an honour to have a Christmas number one, but those ones were extra special.”

The Spice Girls are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their debut album Spice this year, and to mark the occasion they reissued an expanded version of the hit record featuring previously unreleased songs on October 29.

Her fellow bandmate Mel B previously said she will “make sure” that a Spice Girls tour happens in 2023.

Mel C also reflected on how being in the girl group made her more rebellious.

She said: “I think we really gave each other the confidence to do that. Us girls, we’re all very different.

“And I think without the others by my side, I probably wouldn’t have been as bold. I wouldn’t have been as rebellious but because we had each other and we had each other’s backs – we did, we went out there, we did whatever we wanted.

“We did the things people told us not to do and that opened doors for us. So I encourage you all to do naughty things today. Father Christmas has been!”

The singer, 47, explained that her daughter Scarlet would be spending Christmas Day with her father, Thomas Starr, this year, which she said was “always difficult” but added that she would be with visiting her own mother for the big day.

“This year, I’ve had a busy year. It’s been a strange year for all of us. And I’ve been dead busy”, she said.

“So I thought you know what, this year I want to be the child. If I haven’t got my child, I’m going home to my mum. I’m going to get cooked for, I’m going to get looked after and my mum’s loving that!”

Lorraine airs on Christmas Day at 9am on ITV and ITV Hub.