The Spice Girls as you’ve never seen them before

They are the biggest girl group in the world, but as this footage proves, the Spice Girls needed a lot of work to turn them into the global superstars they are today.

As the reunited girls wow fans on their comeback tour, amazing unseen footage from 1994 shows the fivesome as spotty-faced, out of tune teenagers with pigtails, tracksuits and crop tops.

It's a far cry from the now tanned, toned, and more finely tuned, band that has sold more than 55 million records worldwide.

A documentary shows the girls auditioning for a place in the band and follows their journey from unknown jobless wannabes to successful chart-topping singers.

As they strove to become the female version of Take That, the feisty girls are seen fighting over harmonies and cocking up dance routines during rehearsals.

"You really spoiled that harmony line then," bitched Mel B to Geri as the fiery pair admitted they are like warring sisters. "Me and Geri either get on or we don't," she added.

In the early days when they all shared a house in Maidenhead, each singer bickered over the washing up and barely had enough money to eat as they yearned to be a successful pop group.

"They were living off toast and jam and sandwiches and whatever food they could afford being on the dole," said their former manager Bob Herbert.

During the auditions, Victoria admitted she wanted to be a mega star. "I want to do Top of the Pops and the Smash Hit Pollwinner's Party," she said enthusiastically.

But initially Mel B wasn't that eager for stardom after it was revealed she only stumbled into the audition room by accident. "Melanie wasn't there to attend the audition," said their other ex-manager Chris Herbert. "I think she was there to audition for a cruise ship. She was a brash northerner and definitely quite an obvious choice."

However Mel C admitted the girl group was her ideal job after she struggled to get work in theatre. "I was unemployed and I was scanning The Stage (magazine) trying to get work in the theatre when this audition came up for a pop group and I thought this is exactly what I want to do," she said.

Geri Halliwell joined the band after blagging her way into the final five. "I think I blagged it a little bit," she admitted."I was a bit loud and I basically pretended to be Mariah Carey."

With four girls in place Chris Herbert was on the lookout for a fifth member and the girls' vocal coach Pepe Lemer brought her ex-student Emma Bunton to the next audition. Bowled over by her cute look and soft voice, Herbert added her to the final line up. But two years after they formed, the girls wanted more than their manager could offer.

Unable to agree on songs and their look, the documentary, The Birth of the Spice Girls, on Living TV, reveals how the band ditched Herbert and launched themselves as Ginger, Posh, Scary, Sporty and Baby - also known as the Spice Girls - and girl power was born.