Andrew Lloyd Webber gives thumbs up to Viva?

Andrew Lloyd Webber has given the Spice Girls’ musical Viva Forever! the seal of approval in the wake of its recent launch.

Speaking to the Metro, Lloyd Webber said that writer Jennifer Saunders has been keeping him posted on the show, and that he thinks it’s got what it takes to succeed.

“I’ve known Jennifer for years. She’s shown me parts of it and it looks terrific. It’s really difficult to get the right formula in translating pop hits into the right stage show. There were several attempts to make Abba the musical before Judy Craymer finally nailed it with Mamma Mia!“

The tidbit comes days before Spice Girl Mel C joins Lloyd-Webber as a judge for his new ITV show Superstar, which begins this Saturday (7 July 2012). She has been tasked with helping Lloyd-Webber find a new star for his Jesus Christ Superstar arena tour.

“She was great in Blood Brothers,” he said. The singer will be joined on the TV panel by Jason Donovan and Dawn French.

Superstar begins broadcasting on Saturday (7 July 2012) at 7.25pm. The tour kicks off at London’s O2 Arena on 21/22 September, before visiting: Glasgow SECC (25 September), Newcastle Metro Radio Arena (28 September), Manchester Arena (30 September), Cardiff Motorpoint (2 October), Birmingham NIA (4 October), Belfast Odyssey (9 October), Dublin O2 (12 October), Liverpool Echo Arena (16 October), Nottingham Capital FM Arena (19 October) and Sheffield Motorpoint (21 October).