Geri Halliwell ‘in turmoil’ over Christian Horner’s sexting scandal & having ‘second thoughts over Spice Girls reunion’
GERI Halliwell is reportedly “in turmoil” over Christian Horner’s sexting scandal and having “second thoughts” over the Spice Girls reunion.
Red Bull boss Horner has been battling a female aide’s claims that he bombarded her with “sexually suggestive” messages.
Horner said he wanted to “draw a line” under the scandal yesterday – saluting his “phenomenally supportive” wife.
But Geri is said to be “in turmoil” over the sexting sage – and could drop out of the rumoured Spice Girls 30th anniversary reunion.
A source told the Mail: “Thirty years should be a special moment for her.
“That she’s having second thoughts shows the level of turmoil she is in.
“Getting everything back on an even keel is what she will be
concentrating on.
“She wants a low-profile existence now.”
Last night Geri, 51, stood by the 50-year-old Red Bull Racing chief in his team’s hospitality suite before the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
But her second public show of support in a week was dented by another jibe from Red Bull world champ Max Verstappen’s dad Jos, who repeated calls for Horner’s head.
And he twisted the knife by revealing he supports the unidentified team employee suspended after accusing her boss and sending hundreds of “sexually suggestive” texts.
Geri appeared red-eyed last week when she was pictured kissing her husband and holding hands as they walked through the F1 paddock at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
But she was much more composed yesterday as she appeared at the trackside wearing a long-sleeved white dress in keeping with Saudi Arabia’s strict religious dress code.
The pop icon was seen greeting several Red Bull staff preparing for the evening race before stepping into the team’s luxury motorhome.
She also appeared relaxed and smiled alongside her tracksuited husband as they took tea in his team’s trailer.
Trendsetter Geri has worn almost exclusively white outfits over the past five years but the modest ensemble she sported yesterday drew comparisons to Star Wars’ Princess Leia.
Insiders said she had spent time relaxing in Dubai prior to yesterday’s F1 event and was in a better frame of mind than in Bahrain, when the Red Bull “sext bomb” had just dropped.
A source close to the couple said: “They want the world to see they’re still very much a couple and that it’s business as usual for Red Bull.
“It’s been tough but Geri has been a rock for Christian through all this and he has spoken out about how much that means to him.
“There was no question of her staying away from Saudi – that would have sent entirely the wrong message.”
Geri was also buoyed by a public show of solidarity from ex-bandmate Melanie Brown – the Spice Girls’ “Mel B” as she fought to calm her marriage crisis.
Melanie, 48, said it had been “horrible” to see her suffer and that she, Mel C, Emma Bunton, and Victoria Beckham would “take a bullet” for their friend.
She added: “Between the four of us we’ve all been messaging her, I sent a message to her earlier. I just feel for her, and… oh my God. I just feel sad.
“But she knows she has us four that are with her. Because I don’t really know the ins and outs, all I see is, ‘That’s my friend and I know what she’s going through is really tough.’
“All you can do is be there, just like the girls have been there for me, all I can do is be there for Geri.
“But it is horrible to see your friend going through something, something you don’t quite know what it is, but that’s your friend and you want to protect her, no matter what.”
On Thursday, Horner saluted his “phenomenally supportive” wife but insisted it was time to “draw a line” under the scandal.
But his accuser has won the support of UK parliament equality chief Caroline Nokes who encouraged her to take her case to an employment tribunal.
And Verstappen Snr – who is understood to have become close to the woman – reignited the row yesterday, days after a public bust-up with Horner in Bahrain.
Jos, 52, hit out again after skipping the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to compete in a rallying event in Belgium.
He said: “I think it’s too late for Christian to say ‘leave me alone’ but he has the support of the Thai owner so I think he will stay for the rest of the season
“I said it would be bad if he stayed, it really isn’t good for the team, this whole situation.”
Jos – who has warned Red Bull will “explode” if Horner stays – also lifted the lid of what appeared to be a public bust-up between the pair in Bahrain last week.
The Dutch former racing driver said: “He was saying to me ‘Do you trust me? I will do everything for your son’ and we were talking with our hands, we didn’t have a fight.
“But on Friday we did have an argument in the office, and I walked out but, in the trailer, he came up to me and said ‘Congratulations, good race’.”
Voicing his support for Horner’s attractive blonde accuser, Verstappen Snr said: “I sympathise with the woman, with all that she went through, but we will see what happens.
“Red Bull seem to know what they are doing with her, we will see. But I think it is for her to come out and see what happens.
“I’m not fully up to speed with what is happening with her but all these things that are going on are having an influence on Max.
“I’ve already said I think it is causing problems if he stays.”
Quizzed about Horner’s bid to draw a line under the saga, Jos said : “I think it’s a bit too late for that now. If that’s what he wants, fine, but I don’t think it will be possible.”
The Sun revealed on Thursday that Horner’s accuser had been suspended, with insiders alleging it was over “inconsistencies” in her evidence to a barrister-led probe.
Pals said Horner was finding it impossible to avoid his accuser at work who among 1,600 employees at the team’s HQ in Milton Keynes, Bucks.
HR bosses stepped in and suspended her on full pay on Monday and she is currently mulling whether to appeal against the rejection of her complaint.