The Spice Girls are set to re-form for a world tour next year, according to the Sun newspaper – albeit without Victoria Beckham.

2016 will mark the 20th anniversary of the band’s debut single, Wannabe, which launched them to pop stardom.

Full details of the tour have yet to be confirmed, but it comes after insistence by Melanie Brown (aka Scary Spice) last week that the Spice Girls would “do something to celebrate” the milestone.

Speaking on America's Tonight Show, she said: “It’s been 20 years, it’s about time… I’ve got so many great memories. I toured the world with four of my best friends.”

Beckham, however, aka Posh Spice, is reported to be too busy with her fashion business to join her erstwhile bandmates on tour.

The Spice Girls had nine Number One singles in their heyday and sold 85 million records worldwide, making them the best-selling female group of all time.

The Spice Girls in 1995 Credit: Copyright (c) 1995 Rex Features. No use without permission./Brian Rasic/REX Shutterstock

Geri Halliwell (Ginger Spice) quit in 1998, after a souring of relations, and by the turn of the millennium the remaining four members were all working on solo careers.

The group first reunited in 2007 for a lucrative, 47-date tour; and then again at the closing ceremony of the London Olympics in 2012. Beckham has since said of that performance, “ it was the perfect time to say, ‘That's great. Thank you to everybody, but no more.’ Sometimes you've got to know when it's time to leave the party.”