Melanie C has opened up about tracing her Irish roots to Limerick, saying she was "gobsmacked" by what she discovered about her family history.
Speaking on Friday night's Late Late Show, the singer said she knew she had Irish heritage through her Liverpool background, but did not know the full story until she took part in Who Do You Think You Are?.
"Being from Liverpool, of course, most people from Liverpool are Irish," she said.
"I knew we had Irish heritage, but I didn’t know all of the details. I didn’t know how far back it went.
"Being English, of course, I wanted an Irish passport because we all do. And I thought, well, maybe I’ll get my hands on one, this is great.
"But actually, my family left Limerick in 1850."
Melanie C said learning more about her family’s experience during that period had been eye-opening.
"It was fascinating doing Who Do You Think You Are? because in England, you’re not taught about the Great Famine," she said.
"So yeah, I was gobsmacked and it’s incredible.
The singer also spoke warmly about Ireland’s connection with the Spice Girls, recalling how the group opened their 2019 stadium tour at Croke Park.
"We have such a gorgeous relationship with Ireland," she said.
"We started our stadium tour in Croke Park back in 2019, which was amazing.
"We’ve kind of historically started our tours here because we know the audience is incredible. And it just gives us confidence.
Asked about the possibility of the Spice Girls performing together again, Melanie C said she would "love" to get back on stage with the group, while warning that constant speculation can give fans the wrong impression.
"I personally, I can only speak for myself, I would love to get back on stage with the Spice Girls," she said.
"The problem with everyone thinking it’s coming is that it’s constantly written about in the media, and it’s like, stop it!"
You can watch Friday's episode of the Late Late Show in full on the RTÉ Player.
