The BBC today announced a new documentary on the Spice Girls - and revealed that the group could be set to record this year's Children In Need single.

Posh, Sporty, Scary, Baby and Ginger will appear and sing one of their new songs on Children In Need.

Whether they release this year's charity song is still to be decided.

The Spice Girls announced their comeback tour, for which they are reportedly pocketing £10 million each, last month.

They will play 11 concerts on six continents, kicking off in Los Angeles on December 7.

Speaking at BBC1's autumn season launch, the channel's controller Peter Fincham said: "The Spice Girls will appear and sing one of their new songs on Children In Need.

"There will be a 90-minute documentary about them. We've got full involvement from all of them.

"They are all keen to get involved with Children In Need. They are recording two new songs and one of them might be a single."

Emma Bunton, Baby Spice, recorded a Children In Need single in 2006 - a cover of Downtown.

Meanwhile, Friar Tuck will not be making his debut in the second series of Robin Hood, it emerged today.

Robin Hood's rotund sidekick Tuck, an old favourite, was dispensed with from the first BBC comeback series on the grounds that he was viewed as a "laughing stock".

Critics believed that "laughing stock" was code for Tuck being too fat and a poor role model for kids.

The BBC revealed a change of heart last year, saying they want Little Britain star Matt Lucas in the role.

But today BBC1 controller Peter Fincham admitted: "Friar Tuck will not be in the second series."

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