Spice Girls on their comeback tourThe Spice Girls kicked off their comeback tour in Vancouver last night in front of 15,000 excited fans.

The women were nervous before the show, with Melanie Chisholm admitting they were “all really excited but petrified”.

Victoria Beckham added that she thought it was “going to be an amazing show [and] I just want to get on with it” but worried that it didn’t matter how good they were because “people will still say we’re s*** anyway”.

Victoria was particularly worried about the thoughts of one audience member: even though earlier in the week he had denied he would attend, her husband David Beckham flew to Vancouver to watch the performance.

Victoria explained: “David turned up today but he hasn’t been at any of the rehearsals because he’s been away working so I’m nervous about what he’s going to think about the show. He’s not even seen any of the costumes.”

The gig - the quintet’s first live show together in nine years - opened with their 1997 hit, ‘Spice Up Your Life’, followed by other classic Spice numbers, ‘Stop’ and ‘Say You’ll Be There’.

In total, the group performed 22 tracks (including solo performances by Mel C and Geri Halliwell) and made eight costume changes - including updated versions of their character-designing/reflecting outfits from the first time around, with Geri in a rhinestone version of her infamous Union Jack dress, Melanie Brown in animal print and Mel C in a tracksuit.

A spokesperson for the band denied rumours that they were lipsynching to backing tracks through the show as had happened during their brief Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and Children in Need performances last month: “All of the girls sang live. There is a click track for the band to keep them in time, which is standard, but all of the girls’ vocals were live.”