Emma Bunton: 'We need a Posh for Spice Girls reunion'

Spice Girls star Emma Bunton is keen for someone to take on Victoria Beckham's role as Posh Spice for the band's 2017 reunion.

A get together has been planned for many months and an initial run of shows to mark the 20th anniversary of the band's first hit Wannabe was abandoned when the girls couldn't book venues in time to do it this summer.

Emma, aka Baby Spice, has since regrouped with Ginger Spice, Geri Horner, and Scary Spice, Melanie Brown, to record new music and schedule a bunch of shows for next year, but the 40-year-old singer believes any reunion without a Posh Spice will fall flat.

"There's nothing set in stone," she tells British TV show This Morning. "I personally think we should do something. It would be lovely (but) I think we need a Posh."

Victoria has turned down the chance to team up with the trio, now called GEM, as has the fifth member of the group, Melanie Chisholm, but Emma reveals she has spoken to Posh, who since leaving the band has embarked on a career as a top fashion designer.

The two bandmates met at David Beckham's 41st birthday in May (16), and Emma has high hopes the soccer star's wife will change her mind.

"For a long time she's said that she wishes us the best," Emma says. "When I was at David's birthday we had a chat about it. She (Victoria Beckham) said, 'You've got to do something. I just don't feel like (it)'.

"We've known that (she's felt that way) for a while. Maybe she will change her mind. Sometimes she does do that. She might want to do it in time."

Melanie Chisholm has remained largely silent on whether she will return, and rumours persist she's even considering taking legal action to prevent any Spice Girls tour going ahead without her.