Louise Redknapp returns to stage as she joins cast of Friends musical

Louise Redknapp has joined the cast of Friends the musical, over 25 years after she originally turned down a role in the original US sitcom.

The 47-year-old star is due to appear for three nights on stage in Southampton for a musical that condenses all ten seasons into one energic performance.

Titled Friendsical, Redknapp will reportedly make a guest appearance in a musical number called Richard’s Moustache.

Her onstage appearance comes 25 years after she was approached by the producers of Friends and asked to play Ross Geller’s wife Emily Waltham.

However, the Eternal singer turned down the opportunity at the time in order to perform on Top Of The Pops. The role was later given to Helen Baxendale instead.

Speaking to the Standard at a 2020 event, Redknapp explained that she chose Top of the Pops over Friends because it felt like a bigger opportunity.

“Top of the Pops was a big opportunity for me. I didn’t have a lot of time and a lot of people were investing money into the album,” she said at the time.

She added: “To be on Top Of The Pops with that single meant a lot to me. Back in the day Top Of The Pops was huge so yes I did turn it down to go on Top of the Pops.”

Redknapp split from her husband Jamie Redknapp in 2017, before divorcing the following year. However, the mum-of-two has certainly taken the last few years in her stride and picked up lots of successful work projects along the way.

As well as preparing for her latest stage performance, the former Strictly Come Dancing contestant released a book in 2021 and has also partnered with Nivea to raise awareness of a pigmentation issue she struggles with.

Speaking to the Standard about her journey with skincare: “I’ve spoken quite openly about suffering with pigmentation long before Nivea approached me about this. It’s in my book and I just think over the years I have always been quite open about it. You know, I haven’t just out of the blue gone, ‘Oh! I get that!’”