Melanie Jayne Chisholm, professionally known as Melanie C, is an English singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, actress and television personality. She is one of the five members of the Spice Girls, in which she was nicknamed Sporty Spice. Chisholm began her solo career in late 1998 by singing with Canadian rock singer Bryan Adams on the worldwide hit "When You're Gone". Melanie was born in Whiston, Merseyside, as the only child in the family. She later moved to Widnes, Cheshire, at a young age. Her parents married on 12 January 1971 and separated in 1978, when young Chisholm was four-and-a-half years old. Her father, Alan Chisholm, worked as a fitter at the Otis Elevator Company. Her mother, Joan O'Neill, worked as a secretary and PA and has been singing in music bands since she was 14. Chisholm was raised at Widnes, Cheshire, where she attended Brookvale Junior School and Fairfield High School. Following school, she studied for a diploma course in dance, singing, drama, and musical theatre at the Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts in Sidcup, Southeast London. During college, she replied to an advert in The Stage by Chris and Bob Herbert, who were looking to form a new girl group, later to become the Spice Girls. She left college just short of completing her three-year course and gained teaching qualifications in tap and modern theatre dance with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing.
Movie | The Spice Girls | 2025 | |
Movie | Sounds of Liverpool at the BBC | Self (archive footage) | 2023-05-06 |
Movie | Spice Girls: 25 ans déjà, qui sont-elles vraiment? | Self (archive footage) | 2022-03-05 |
Series | Queens for the Night | Self - Judge | 2022-11-05 |
Movie | Sam Ryder Rocks New Year’s Eve | Self | 2022-12-31 |
Series | Spice Girls: How Girl Power Changed Britain | Self - Sporty Spice | 2021-10-28 |
Movie | Spice Girls at the BBC | Self - Sporty Spice | 2021-10-02 |
Movie | Melanie C: Colour and Light Stream | Self | 2020-10-01 |
Series | Royal Variety Performance 2020 | Self | 2020-12-08 |
Movie | Melanie C ft. Sink The Pink - Live At The Troxy | Self | 2019-12-26 |
Series | John Bishop: In Conversation With... | Herself | 2016-09-01 |
Series | Asia's Got Talent | Judge | 2015-03-12 |
Movie | The 90s: Ten Years That Changed the World | Self - Sporty Spice (archive footage) (uncredited) | 2015-06-13 |
Series | Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled | Unknown | 2014-06-16 |
Movie | Melanie C: Sporty's 40 - Live At Shepherds Bush | Self | 2014-10-18 |
Movie | The Sarah Millican Television Programme - Best of Series 1-2 | Self | 2013-11-11 |
Movie | Melanie C: The Sea Live | Self | 2012-02-27 |
Movie | London 2012 Olympic Closing Ceremony: A Symphony of British Music | Self - Sporty Spice | 2012-08-12 |
Movie | The Spice Girls Story: Viva Forever! | Self - Sporty Spice | 2012-12-24 |
Movie | Jesus Christ Superstar - Live Arena Tour | Mary Magdalane | 2012-11-19 |
Movie | Keith Lemon: The Film | Mel C | 2012-08-24 |
Movie | Melanie C: Live at the Hard Rock Cafe | Self | 2009-06-29 |
Series | Keith Lemon's Very Brilliant World Tour | Herself | 2008-03-11 |
Series | The Graham Norton Show | Herself | 2007-02-22 |
Movie | Spice Girls: Greatest Hits | Self - Sporty Spice | 2007-11-07 |
Movie | Spice Girls: Giving You Everything | Self - Sporty Spice | 2007-12-31 |
Movie | Spice Girls: The Return of the Spice Girls Tour | Self - Sporty Spice | 2007-12-02 |
Movie | Spice Girls: Zig-A-Zig-Ahhh Interviews | Self - Sporty Spice | 2007-11-27 |
Movie | Melanie C: Live Hits | Self | 2006-10-29 |
Series | The Friday Night Project | Unknown | 2005-02-04 |
Series | 8 Out of 10 Cats | Herself | 2005-06-03 |
Movie | Spice Girls: Unauthorized | Self - Sporty Spice | 2005-02-15 |
Series | The Paul O'Grady Show | Unknown | 2004-10-11 |
Series | The Games | Self | 2003-09-01 |
Series | Top of the Pops Saturday | Unknown | 2003-09-20 |
Movie | Power Girls | Self (archive footage) | 2002-08-12 |
Series | V Graham Norton | Unknown | 2002-05-06 |
Movie | Bryan Adams: Live at Slane Castle | Self - Guest | 2001-12-11 |
Movie | Raw Spice | Self - Sporty Spice | 2001-03-23 |
Series | The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn | Unknown | 1999-03-30 |
Movie | Melanie C: Liverpool To Leicester Square Tour - Live in Munich | Self | 1999-10-20 |
Movie | Spice Girls: Live at Earls Court - Christmas in Spiceworld | Self - Sporty Spice | 1999-12-15 |
Movie | Melanie C: Northern Star Documentary | Self | 1999-10-18 |
Movie | Spice Girls: Girls Talk! | Self - Sporty Spice | 1998-01-27 |
Movie | Spice Girls: Live In Concert - Wild! | Self | 1998-01-17 |
Movie | Spice Girls: Spiceworld Tour Live in Madrid | Self - Sporty Spice | 1998-03-16 |
Movie | Spice Exposed | Self - Sporty Spice (archive footage) | 1998-01-26 |
Movie | Spice Girls in America: A Tour Story | Self - Sporty Spice | 1998-08-10 |
Movie | Spice Girls: Live at Wembley Stadium | Self - Sporty Spice | 1998-11-24 |
Movie | Spice Girls: Back In Britain! | Self - Sporty Spice | 1998-11-24 |
Series | CD:UK | Unknown | 1998-08-29 |
Movie | An Audience with Elton John | Self | 1997-09-27 |
Movie | Girl Power! Live in Istanbul | Self - Sporty Spice | 1997-10-13 |
Movie | Spice Power | Self - Sporty Spice (archive footage) | 1997-01-01 |
Movie | Spice World | Melanie C - Sporty Spice | 1997-12-18 |
Movie | An Audience with the Spice Girls | Self | 1997-11-29 |
Movie | Spice Girls: One Hour of Girl Power! | Self - Sporty Spice | 1997-10-27 |
Series | Victoria's Secret Fashion Show | Herself - Performer (Spice Girls) | 1995-02-10 |
Series | The Frank Skinner Show | Unknown | 1995-09-10 |
Series | Soccer AM | Unknown | 1995-08-12 |
Series | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno | Unknown | 1992-05-25 |
Series | Wetten, dass..? | Unknown | 1981-02-14 |
Series | An Audience with... | Herself | 1978-01-08 |
Series | Bambi Awards | herself | 1948-01-01 |