Melanie Brown, better known as Mel B, took a night off from being a judge on the X Factor to spend some quality time with her children at the special first birthday performance of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in London. The 39-year-old, who traded her red carpet X Factor outfits for a casual look, arrived at the West End show with her three children, including daughter Madison, pictured.
Mel B and her daughter Madison
Also present were guests Ben Forster, Rebecca Front, Dani Harmer, Charlotte Jaconelli, Hannah Reid, Adrian Scarborough, Helen Skelton and Richie Myler. Beverley Knight, who will star in West End's MEMPHIS this autumn, was also in attendance and told HELLO! Online she "can't wait" for her show to open.
Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has quickly become one of the West End’s most popular and successful stage musicals. It won two Olivier Awards in April 2014, and has broken records at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, where it has been seen by over 750,000 people since it opened in June 2013. It is currently taking bookings until 30 May 2015.
Simon Cowell recently announced that former Spice Girl Mel would be joining him and fellow judges Cheryl Cole and Louis Walsh on the X Factor judging panel. The singer has since been busy filming the new series of the talent show, starting off with the Manchester auditions. Cheryl recently revealed what it was like to work with Mel, saying, "I admit we are very different characters and very different people. But it works. She actually makes me laugh. Sometimes I have to stop myself laughing at her because it's really rude - the contestants think I'm laughing at them."
The pop star also described what the mother-of-three was like as a judge. "She's quick and she's very direct," admitted Cheryl. "A lot of stuff she says I couldn't bring myself to say. But I love that - it's a good dynamic for the panel."