Mel B Leaves TV Judging Behind To Perform As Roxie Hart In Broadway’s ‘Chicago’

Mel B, a prominent former member of the Spice Girls and now a celebrity in her own right, was in the news recently when Spice Girls’ fans eagerly anticipated an exciting reunion of the former members to celebrate the 20th anniversary of “Wannabe,” the band’s iconic hit single that was released in 1996.

Mel B, Geri Halliwell, and Emma Bunton got together and released a video in which they hinted at a possible reunion of the Spice Girls’ band members. The last reunion of the members occurred in 2012 during the closing ceremony of the London Olympics. However, much to the disappointment of their fans, the reunion might not take place after all because Victoria Beckham and Mel C are busy focusing on their individual careers.

Popularly known as Scary Spice, Mel B has also pursued a solo singing career after the Spice Girls broke up in 1998, releasing singles including “I Want You” and “L.A. State of Mind,” in addition to featuring in a number of television movies and programs.

Mel B has featured as a judge on the Australian version of The X Factor and had also recently replaced Nicole Scherzinger in the U.K. version of the same program. An experienced talent show judge, Mel B is also the judge of NBC’s America’s Got Talent and has also hosted the U.K. version of Lip Sync Battle.

The multitalented Mel B has also shown tremendous stage confidence while acting in plays like The Vagina Monologues and featuring in Broadway musicals like Rent. Now, Mel B is again returning to the stage to feature in Chicago, the Broadway musical. Performing in the musical that will be staged for just eight weeks, Mel B has landed the coveted role of Roxie Hart, a jail inmate who gains publicity due to the tragic story she has concocted to justify murdering her lover.

Mel B loves to challenge herself by getting out of her comfort zone, and playing Roxie Hart in Chicago could well be the perfect role to enable her to stretch her acting abilities. According to News Australia, Mel B spoke about the astonishment of Angel, her nine-year-old daughter with Eddie Murphy, who wondered if her mother will be able to play Roxie Hart.

“My nine-year-old said, ‘Why did you choose that part? It’s such a big part.’ And I’m like, ‘Cause it’s good to challenge yourself.’ And then I’m thinking, ‘Why did I choose that one?'”

However, Mel B knows that her passion and interest ultimately lie in music, and she has expressed her excitement to once again take to the stage to perform. In fact, Mel B has admitted that she has no hesitation in taking a break from her role as a television judge to perform on the stage. According to News Australia, Mel B revealed that she is thrilled to get the opportunity to perform in the Broadway musical.

“I’m always going to be the one to go, ‘Yes, I just want to get back into singing.’ I’m constantly singing and vocalizing so it’s nice to be able to get the chance to do it all at once.”

Mel B has been judging other people’s performances in her various TV judging roles for years, and now it is her turn to have her performance judges by fans and critics alike.

On the personal front, Mel B has expressed her delight at repairing her formerly strained relationship with her mother and sister. Earlier, the singer’s mother and sister disapproved of the former Spice Girl’s decision to marry Stephen Belafonte, whom they felt had taken Mel B away from her family.

However, Mel B and her family members now look ready to bury the hatchet and attempt to repair their fractured relationship. According to News Australia, Mel B revealed that her mother came to visit her on the set of Lip Sync Battle U.K.

“She came down yesterday, saw the kids and watched the show. Then we hung out and went for dinner with the kids.”

Mel B also mentioned that her sister accompanied her mother during the visit.

[Featured Image by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images]