You're the girl who's got everything. What's missing, a guy?

Personally I wish that I had found somebody, especially since the other girls have partners now. Well, I guess Melanie has some troubles in her marriage now, but yes I do wish I had somebody.

Does the press speculation about your love life get to you?

Not really. The press can write whatever they want, it's a bit of a joke really, in the press. I've been pictured with many guys. Sometimes you go out with a friend, he's a guy, but he's openly gay and everyone knows it, but in the paper he turns into my new flame. It's almost comic. But of course I've had relationships.

But you've managed to keep them hidden from the press?

I haven't managed to keep them, full stop! I've had dates and whatever. I suppose fame has a lot to do with it. I'm never in one place and that's hard on a relationship, but it's not the right time for me to get involved right now.

Have you always played hard to get?

Well, yeah. In school, I had boyfriends but I suppose I was hard to get. I think it's quite nice to be chased. But once it happens, I'm very shy. I can't speak to them. Remember The New kids On The Block? I had a crush on Jordan Knight when I was a kid, and I went to The American Music Awards in LA, and he was there - and I couldn't even turn around and say hello!

Would you like to start a family at some point?

In the future, but it's not something I can see me doing in the next five years. But I would definitely like to get kids. I don't know about getting married, though.

Who do you miss when you're away from home?

My brother, we're very close. He's 20. I speak to him on the all the time. I miss it when I'm not there to share stuff with him.

Is it hard staying in touch with old friends back home in Liverpool?

My best friends in school, I see them whenever I come home, and we're in constant contact. But when we get back together - it's exactly the same as it always was. They do get angry with me because I sneak off and pay for dinners and stuff all the time. But they buy me lovely gifts and stuff…

So what do you buy the Spice Girl who has everything?

I know, it must be difficult! But people who know me, know what I like and it can be underwear or small stuff. It's the thought that counts.

Did it hit you at one point that you could buy whatever you wanted?

It's funny, when I was a student and when I was unemployed, I guess I was around 18, I used to walk around the shops in London and I used to say 'one day I'll be able to walk in and buy things in this store'.

and now you could buy the whole store…

Nah, you know what, now I don't care about those stores. I go to Harvey Nichols instead! That's pretty amazing, but then again, Money doesn't make you happy. I'm quite sensible with money. The most extravagant thing I've got is my flat in London. It cost me an awful lot of money, but it's just the way I want it to be. I like antiques, especially Art Deco. I'm getting quite interested in Buddhism and Eastern culture, really. I love the little artifacts connected to that.

So what else is important in your life right now?

I tell you what I have done, I'm getting very, very health conscious. It's gruelling to travel and perform all the time. I've never smoked anyway, but I used to go out and have a few drinks, but I don't really drink anymore. I just like to really look after myself. I think you have to. I don't know how some bands can lead the rock and roll lifestyle. You know, I eat really well, I don't drink and smoke - and I'm knackered!

Being a Spice Girl - nice work if you can get it…

Oh yeah, I do care about money, and I was overwhelmed by the money that I have earned. And that it's possible to earn so much for doing something I love to do. But sometimes I forget that I get paid for doing this. When you get money, you realize that money doesn't make you happy, but they buy freedom. All want to do is be able to make records. I'm glad that I've been able to give some back to my family.

So you never have to worry about bills these days?

I still have to pay my bills, they're just higher now. What people must realize is that as an artist you take a lot of risks, especially a solo artist. I have a band I need to look after, I've got a tour manager and an assistant. I have huge expenses.

If you lost everything tomorrow, what would you miss the most?

Being on stage, singing live. If that was taken away from me… it's the most important part of my life. Everything else is just benefits you can do without.

You're about to get a Lifetime Achievement Award at The Brits - do you have to pinch yourself when you think about what you and the girls have achieved?

It's incomprehensible, but I rarely think about it that way. I go to bed and think 'yuck, I've gotta get up at 7 o'clock tomorrow and fly to wherever and work…' I don't know any different now.

What's it like meeting or working with your heroes?

That's mad, completely mad! I'm so star struck, every time! But everyone I've worked with has been so lovely. They've shown me a lot of respect. And coming out as a solo artist - one of the Spice Girls - I didn't know how people would treat me or what they would think of me, but everyone who's been working with me has done so because they wanted to, and because they believed in me. That gave me a lot of confidence. It was my album, I was the boss, but we had mutual respect.

You're probably used to doing interviews with the rest of the girls, so what's the difference when you do them on your own?

I think I tend to be a little bit more serious when I'm on my own. When we're all together as the Spice Girls, we're all very cheeky. It's loads of fun, but we rarely make any sense. When you're alone you have to answer all the questions, and you don't realize that it can be quite tiring. With The Spice Girls, if you had a bad day, you could skip an interview, the others would be there to cover for you. I can't do that on my own.

You're all off doing your solo projects - do you think that was inevitable?

Absolutely. It was something we all talked about very early on, when we first got together as a band. We've all got different dreams, as well as being good mates and a great band. We've all good individual avenues we want to explore, even musically. I'm a lot more rock orientated than Mel and Emma, and Victoria is a lot more hip hop and R&B. It's nice to be able to go off and do that.

Is it difficult to do your rock thing and then go back to the Spice Girls?

No, not at all. The Spice Girls is a huge part of my life, and that's within me, but on my own I'm very different.

How do you think your life would have turned out if the Spice Girls had never happened?

God, it's hard to say. When I joined the Spice Girls, I was only 20, very young and very ambitious. And really, I was ready to do whatever it took to get successful. Luckily enough I got in a good band and we made good music and we went on to be a phenomenon that we still can't accept. It's fantastic what's happened to us. But I'm older now, and I know what I want - what I really, really want.

Did you ever worry that Spice Girls fans wouldn't like your new rock style?

I didn't think about that. I'm very proud of the record, it's from the heart. I've been quite surprised with some Spice Girls fans who really don't like what I've been doing, but I have to accept that. I gotta do what I want to do.

Do you want the solo thing to be as big as the Spice Girls?

Of course I want to be successful, I'm human. I've always done exactly what I wanted to. My record is doing very well, so I'm pleased. I could never match what the Spice Girls did anyway, I'd be foolish to even think that. I just give 100% and I pour everything into my show.

Do you think some people have slagged the album just because you're a Spice Girl?

My album's had fantastic reviews all over the world, but it's hard for some people to listen without prejudice. That's all I want people to do. Just listen to it, and don't go 'Eurgh, it's the Spice Girls.' It's only a record.

What can we expect from the next Spice album?

It's a little bit more mature, but it's still very spicy. Very cheeky and poppy. Maybe a little more R&B, so vocally it's more challenging. It's very good.

Some of your interviews, like the one where you spoke about Geri, have got you into a bit of bother…

Maybe I should have learned to keep my mouth shut and stop being so honest, but I can't. If someone asks me a question, I want to answer it honestly. If it gets me in deep water, or if it gets misquoted, then that's what it is.