Have you got a date with a Spice Girl this weekend? Former Sporty Spice, Mel C, will be teaming up with all-round good egg Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra along with fellow vocalists Ruby Turner and Marc Almond for a sell-out concert.

After the 1990s glory days of the Spice Girls, Sporty – whose real name is Melanie Chisholm – found success with her debut album Northern Star in 1999, which featured duets with Bryan Adams and the late Lisa Lopes from TLC.

Most recently she appeared on stage as Mary Magdelene in an arena tour of Jesus Christ Superstar.

Star of this weekend’s show in the county, Jools could play the piano fluently by ear at the age of eight, and by 15 he had met up with Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford.

Together they formed Squeeze, and shortly afterwards they were joined by Gilson Lavis, who had already played with BB King, Chuck Berry and Max Wall, and who still drums with Jools today.

Ruby Turner is a regular guest and audience favourite on TV show Jools Holland’s Hootenanny, and Marc Almond was responsible for the huge 1981 hit Tainted Love as part of 1980s pop duo Soft Cell.

Jools Holland and His Rhythm and Blues Orchestra play at Tunbridge Wells’ Assembly Hall Theatre on Friday, May 9, and at Canterbury’s Marlowe Theatre on Thursday, May 15.

Tickets for these shows are sold out but you can catch them at Margate’s Winter Gardens in August.

DETAILS

Jools and friends appear at Margate’s Winter Gardens on Friday, August 29. Tickets still available priced from £32. Call 01843 292795.