Melanie C has said it is “frustrating” to not be able to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the release of Spice Girls’ debut single Wannabe “in the way we’d like”.

She told Virgin Radio the group plan to do something “fun” to celebrate when they are able to do so.

Wannabe, which was released in 1996, topped charts all over the world and propelled the five-piece group to global stardom.

Graham Norton Show – London
(David Parry/PA)

Discussing the anniversary, she said: “It’s a big one, we are kind of frustrated we can’t celebrate in the way we’d like to but we have got some plans up our sleeve so we’re hoping to have some fun stuff for the fans to look forward to.”

She added: “We’re very excited to do something fun because it’s such a big, big deal and I’d love to get back on stage with the girls but that obviously isn’t going to happen this year… but maybe 2020.”

The chart-topping girl group – minus Victoria Beckham – played a string of tour dates in the UK and Ireland in 2019 after a long hiatus in performing together.

Melanie C added she is pleased that her time with the girl group has helped her to carry on recording music.

Q Awards 2016 – London
(Ian West/PA)

“When you’ve been part of something as enormous as the Spice Girls that’s the thing that everybody’s going to remember you for, but I’m so grateful that it’s enabled me to go on and make my eighth studio album,” she said.

“Looking back it was crazy because… we were flying high at the absolute peak of our success, two albums in, movies… we were just about to go on tour and we decided we’d had enough of our manager.”

Melanie C made the comments during an interview with Graham Norton, who recently quit his BBC Radio 2 show before joining Virgin Radio.