Geraldine Estelle “Geri” Halliwell (born August 6, 1972) is an English pop singer and songwriter, television personality and sometime actress. Halliwell became famous (under the nickname of “Ginger Spice”) in the late 1990s as a member of the girl group the Spice Girls. She was born and grew up in Watford, in the county of Hertfordshire to a Spanish-born mother (Ana María) and a father (Lawrence) of Swedish, English and French descent.

In October 2005, after Passion was a failure, and the Spice Girls reunion never materialized, Geri fired her managers, the husband and wife team Paul and Katie Conroy, and went to Los Angeles, California, to work on unnamed projects. Soon after, she was photographed by the paparazzi, having put on weight and looking exhausted. The tabloids reported that Halliwell was pregnant, which was subsequently confirmed. British scriptwriter and former drummer with the band Bush, Sacha Gervasi, is reported to be the child’s father; he made a statement saying he wished Halliwell and child the best shortly after the rumours came out. On March 7, 2006, Hello! magazine published an interview with Halliwell which did not confirm the father’s identity. Geri stated, “It is tacky to kiss and tell, I would never deprive a child of the right to know its father.”

In April 2006 it was revealed that Halliwell invited all four of her former Spice Girl colleagues to be godmothers at the christening of her baby. Victoria Beckham had already phoned her to thank her and accept the invitation. Former bandmate Emma Bunton was photographed going to Halliwell’s baby shower in early May, and Melanie C was rumoured to be there as well. Melanie B was not present due to projects in America.

On May 14, 2006, Halliwell gave birth to a daughter, Bluebell Madonna, by caesarean section at London’s Portland Hospital with her sister by her side. Explaining her name choice, she said, “What really clinched it for me was my mother telling me that the bluebell is increasingly rare – so it’s a precious flower, which seems just right for my daughter.” Her daughter’s middle name came from two of Geri’s’s heroines, singer Madonna and the Virgin Madonna.

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