Spice Girl Mel C to Star in West End's Blood Brothers

Melanie Chisholm, who found fame as Mel C or “Sporty Spice” in the popular 1990s pop group the Spice Girls, has signed on to star as Mrs. Johnstone in the London production of Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers. Chisholm will begin performances on October 26 at the Phoenix Theatre, making her the first Spice Girl to appear in a West End musical. (Former bandmate Melanie Brown, known as Mel B, appeared on Broadway in Rent and in the Las Vegas production of Peep Show.)

The Liverpool-born Chisholm follows in the footsteps of Barbara Dickson (who created the role), Kiki Dee, Carole King, Helen Reddy and Lindsay Paul as a pop singers who has also played the role. Blood Brothers, which opened in London in 1991, tells the moving tale of twins who, separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with tragic consequences.

After achieving worldwide fame as a member of the Spice Girls, Chisholm went on to release four solo albums and is working on a fifth solo CD. She holds the record for most U.K. No. 1 singles by a female co-writer and ranks third (after the Beatles’ Lennon and McCartney) for the most U.K. No. 1 singles by a British co-writer. In February 2009, she became a mother to baby Scarlett with her longtime partner, Thomas Starr.