Geri Halliwell was sent death threats by nail-bomb killer for friendship with George Michael

Singer was warned by police not to perform at 2000 Brits following threats from neo-Nazi David Copeland

Geri Halliwell has revealed that she was threatened by a dangerous killer who wanted to shoot her during her 2000 Brit Awards performance.

The Spice Girls star was due to make her debut solo performance at the award ceremony, when she was threatened by David Copeland for being friends with gay artists such as George Michael.

The singer was formally warned by police not to perform, but refused to pull out of the show.

“He threatened to shoot me, and hated the fact I hung out with the gays, and was friends with George Michael,” Halliwell, 48, told The Sun.

“He hated me for camping it up, for loving the gays and for being friends with George. I told him to do one.”

Halliwell still performed at the Brits (Rex Features)

Describing how Scotland Yard officers came around to her house to officially warn her about the threat, she continued: “They said they had to give me the freedom to choose whether I performed or not, but that they advised me to pull out of the ceremony.

“But I said ‘I’m sorry, I’m not going to be bullied by this.’ We are judged by what we do, not what we say, and I will always stand with my friends. It’s about spirit, not sexuality – I feel so protective of any person who has had prejudice against them.”

Copeland killed three people, including a pregnant woman, and injured 140 by setting off nail bomb explosions in London in April 1999, the last being detonated at the Soho gay pub, the Admiral Duncan.

Copeland, a neo-Nazi and homophobe, was given six concurrent life sentences for the crimes.