Saunders dedicates musical to girls

Jennifer Saunders has dedicated the Spice Girls musical to her daughters, after revealing they inspired her to write it.

The Absolutely Fabulous star said she could not bear to let anybody else do it and “mess it up” because she and her daughters were such massive Spice Girls fans.

Saunders, who has three daughters Ella, 26 Beattie, 24 and Freya 21, with comedian husband Ade Edmondson, spoke about the musical during an interview for Radio 4’s Chain Reaction to be aired this summer.

“I got the call and I said: Yes, I’d quite like to do that; because I’d hate someone else to do it and mess it up,” she said.

“I did it for my girls because it meant so much to them growing up, and were all such big Spice Girls fans. I did it for them.”

The musical, Viva Forever, is co-written by Mamma Mia! Producer Judy Craymer and follows a mother and daughter, with the backdrop of a TV talent show and using all the Spice Girls’ hits to tell the story.

Saunders has now finished writing the show and has done two workshops of the script. It is due to open in London’s West End in December. Auditions begin later this month.

The Bafta-winning comedian was being interviewed by writer Caitlin Moran for a new series of Chain Reaction, due to begin on Radio 4 on July 27.