Geri Halliwell is battling the slimmer’s disease bulimia. The former Spice Girl checked into a rehab clinic last week in Arizona in the US to keep her condition in check.

A friend of Geri’s told all that her condition recurs every few months. It can be sparked by all manner of issues and usually results in binge eating. The problem never develops any further because Geri is so aware of the warning signs and always acts quickly to sort herself out again.

Geri checked out of the clinic after a brief stay because she didn’t agree with the clinic’s cafeteria regime which offered a wide array of foods. The star also had her four suitcases of designer clothes confiscated and had to share a spartan room with two other women.

In her autobiography, If Only, Geri spoke openly of her illness. “I’d binge my way into the new year,” she wrote. “I cleaned out the cupboards and the fridge and the contents were flushed down the toilet via my stomach. Then I went to the supermarket.”