LONDON - Talk of a Spice Girls reunion has swirled for weeks?- boosted by Sporty Spice herself?- and on Friday the vivacious five said they would make "an announcement to the world" next week.

A Feb 24, 1997 photo from files showing the Spice Girls performing
at the Brit Awards in London. [AP]

Gossip took a major leap, and suddenly old film clips of the 1990s pop sensations were all over British television.

The statement issued by the quintet's management company seemed designed to move the rumors up a notch and stretch them out for a good week.

"Following weeks of speculation, the Spice Girls are set to make an official announcement to the world regarding future plans on Thursday, June 28," said the statement from 19 Entertainment. "Details regarding the announcement will be released in the coming days."

Victoria (Adams) Beckham (Posh Spice), Melanie Chisholm (Sporty Spice), Geri Halliwell (Ginger Spice), Emma Bunton (Baby Spice) and Melanie Brown (Scary Spice) formed the Spice Girls in 1994. They became a global hit before splitting in 2001.

Chisholm, who had opposed a reunion, recently told the British Broadcasting Corp. she had changed her mind.

"For the first time ever, there is some truth in the rumors. We've been discussing it and it could possibly happen," the 33-year-old singer told BBC radio last week.

"I've always said, `I don't want to do it, the past is the past. It was amazing, it was magical. We could never recreate it,'" Chisholm said. "But this year people have been talking about it and some of the girls have expressed an interest in doing it."

The Spice Girls' 2000 album, "Forever," had weak sales, and they began concentrating on their solo careers.