Mel B is set to star in what is being billed as the world’s biggest pantomime production of Snow White.
The former Spice Girl will play the Scary Queen and co-produce the show, while starring alongside Take Me Out’s Paddy McGuinness and ITV presenter Rylan Clark-Neal.
The production will be staged over the Christmas period and will be performed at the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham and the SSE Arena at Wembley.
Mel B will play the Scary Queen (Dave Thompson/PA Archive/Press Association Images)
Strictly Come Dancing stars Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace will also be in the pantomime.
The £2 million production will feature a 45ft (14m) castle, water and fire effects and a cast of 100 performers with a 30-piece marching band.
Mel B said: “I love panto and always take my kids, but I want to change the slightly cheesy image people have of the genre and present something on a spectacular scale whilst still retaining the traditional values.
“I am so excited by the show that I am hoping to have my daughter, nine-year-old Angel Murphy Brown, play a version of mini-me in the mirror.”
Paddy will star alongside Rylan and Mel B (Ian West/PA)
The singer, dubbed Scary Spice, added that it would be “like a movie on stage” and revealed plans to take the show to New York next year.
Paddy will play a court jester and Clark-Neal’s character is Fleshcreep, a henchman, while the Strictly duo will play Snow White’s parents.
Rylan said: “Can’t wait to work with Mel B as the henchman to her Wicked Queen. She’ll be scary, the dwarfs will be happy and it will be wicked!”
Rylan Clark-Neal will star in the show as Mel B’s henchman (Philip Toscano/PA)
The pantomime sees Mel B reunited with co-producer Jon Conway, who gave her her first big break in a pantomime in her home town of Leeds, before she found fame with the Spice Girls.
Conway said: “Mel auditioned for me when she was 18 and I recognised her as having been one of Bernie Clifton’s little ostriches when she was just seven.
“Mel spent three years with me before directly joining the Spice Girls. When we met up again recently, she is just the same genuine, funny person but now a world superstar.”
He added: “Together we have huge plans for the show, but firstly we want to deliver the most amazing arena experience this Christmas in Birmingham and Wembley.”
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