All Pop - Artists

Melanie C, a.k.a. Sporty, is not leaving the Spice Girls.

And the group is not splitting up.

Yesterday Sporty woke up to front-page news that her band, the Spice Girls, one of pop music's most successful acts ever, had split up for good.

The source?

Ms. Melanie Chisholm herself.

"I've had a very bizarre day," Chisholm told the Sun yesterday. "But I'm fine now, I'm all locked up in my home and I'm safe.

"The paparazzi's gone crazy . ... I'm sure you've heard the rumours."

A news agency reported the Liverpool-born artist had left the U.K. girl-group, and used quotes from her saying the quartet had run its course. Chisholm denies the story, but that hasn't stopped the tenacious U.K. press.

Chisholm admitted that because of her and the Spice Girls' popularity, she's been forced to deal with media attention, but nothing like what she experienced after the story hit the papers.

"I've been in quite a bit of danger today," she said. "I've been chased by paparazzi on busy roads, and they've blocked me in when I've stopped. It's really scary.

"We all remember what happened to Princess Diana, but it doesn't seem to have deterred anybody at all."

And after dealing with the media, Chisholm then had to set the record straight with her three bandmates.

"Of course the girls have been upset by reading these things as well," she said.

"And I've spoken to all of (them) today, just to reassure them that it isn't the case, like this is something that they're completely unaware of."

As to what she really told the reporter, Chisholm said it's nothing she hasn't said before, and nothing the band itself hasn't discussed on many occasions.

"The truth of the matter is I haven't left the Spice Girls," she said.

"But I'm being asked questions, I'm going to answer honestly. And at the moment we're all pursuing solo careers, and have got no plans to do any Spice Girls work in the immediate future.

"That is the be all and end all of it, really. I think it's been blown out of proportion ...

"So it's been a very hectic day."

Spicy rumour

Sporty sets record straight with gal pals and public