The opening night of "I’m Every Woman: The Musical" at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre in London experienced a significant delay on Tuesday evening, with the performance commencing 40 minutes later than scheduled.
The delay was attributed to the late arrival of the show's guest of honor, music legend Chaka Khan, who was reportedly held up by red carpet interviews. Organizers waited for the ten-time Grammy winner to arrive and be seated before starting the performance, which stars Alexandra Burke in the lead role.
One attendee described the situation as "chaotic" and "insulting to the cast and crew," noting that the audience became "restless" and "annoyed" by the extended wait.
During the show's interval, BBC presenter Naga Munchetty was observed leaving the theatre and did not return for the second half. She was seen smoking a cigarette before departing with her husband, James Haggar, towards the Tube station.
Munchetty's appearance at the event came shortly after it was announced she would be leaving BBC Breakfast after 17 years to join Radio 5 Live's flagship breakfast program in the new year. The notes also mention past controversies involving Munchetty, including a probe into allegations of bullying a junior staffer and a reported "sex jibe" made during a radio ad break, though she remained in her BBC role.
The musical, which aims to tell the untold story of Chaka Khan's life, has reportedly received poor reviews, including a one-star rating from The Standard. The production has a running time of two hours and 30 minutes, with ticket prices ranging from £28 to £65.