Cheryl wants to ‘reinvent herself’ and West End show is ‘last chance to relaunch career’

2023-01-18

She’s set to make her West End debut this weekend – and we can reveal that Cheryl Tweedy is looking forward to reinventing herself after three years out of the spotlight.

The former Girls Aloud star will step into TV presenter Laura Whitmore’s shoes as she plays the role of Jenny in spooky play 2.22 A Ghost Story, and friends told us Cheryl is thrilled to be back on the scene.

A source said: “Cheryl wants to reinvent herself in 2023. She was on TV all of the time, she was the sweetheart of the nation. But she stepped back for a while to focus on being a mother.

“She’s excited to be coming back. Some things haven’t worked out in the past that she’s tried, but this is a very exciting time for her. She’s wanted to get back on the scene for a while.”

Cheryl – who shares five-year-old son Bear with her ex-boyfriend Liam Payne – has been out of the limelight for three years after the BBC One Saturday night dance show she was a judge on, The Greatest Dancer, got axed in 2020. Her most recent single, Let You, peaked at just number 57 in the charts in 2019.

In September 2021, Cheryl’s former bandmate Sarah Harding passed away from breast cancer and Cheryl cancelled music performances, telling fans: “My heart is heavy.

"Grief is such a harsh experience and an absolute roller-coaster of emotions. Questions without answers and pain without resolve. So tumultuous and constant.”

Now, 39-year-old Cheryl is looking forward to trying out a new career venture as she follows in the footsteps of her best friend, Kimberley Walsh, who has starred in West End shows including Shrek The Musical and Elf The Musical.

The source added that Cheryl – who has had five No1 hits as a solo artist – thinks this could be the last chance she has
to reinvent herself.

“Her new venture on stage will relaunch her into a theatre star, similar to the path Kimberley took,” they said. “She’s hoping more TV work will come up in the future as she loved it before. This is a way of testing the water.

“She’s realised life is short after Sarah and she wants to prove herself by performing this way, and something big will come her way.

"It’s a new chapter she’s been longing for. It’s her last chance at something new in order to reinvent herself.”

Other celebs who have starred in 2.22 A Ghost Story – which is at London’s Lyric Theatre – include Lily Allen, Giovanna Fletcher, Busted singer Matt Willis, Harry Potter's Tom Felton and The Inbetweeners actor James Buckley.

Cheryl announced the news she will be starring in the play on Instagram in December.

She said she was “SO excited” for her role, adding, “It is a totally new and exciting experience for me.”

Of the play’s writer Danny Robins, Newcastle-born Cheryl said: “His style of writing has an odd sense of familiarity to me, being a fellow Geordie. It is a brilliant role and subject matter with a very interesting plot.”

The singer also said she was looking forward to working with her fellow cast members. “[I] can’t wait to get going,” she revealed.

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