BAZ BAMIGBOYE: Mamma Mia 3? I do, I do, I do, declares Cher! 

Cher wants to be in the Mamma Mia 3 movie — sharing a duet with Meryl Streep.

The stars, who’ve been friends since they made Silkwood in 1983, played mother and daughter in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again three years ago. Just to clarify: Cher (74) played Ruby Sheridan — mother of 71-year-old Streep’s Donna.

Cher recently told Mamma Mia! film and stage producer Judy Craymer ‘no one wants to see us old people on the screen again’. 

To which Craymer responded that she wanted to see her. And in particular, she wanted to see her and Streep, singing Slipping Through My Fingers.

That’s the same poignant number Meryl sang to her own screen daughter (played by Amanda Seyfried) in the first film… 13 years ago.

Cher wants to be in the Mamma Mia 3 movie — sharing a duet with Meryl Streep

The stars, who've been friends since they made Silkwood in 1983, played mother and daughter in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again three years ago

The stars, who’ve been friends since they made Silkwood in 1983, played mother and daughter in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again three years ago

Upon hearing that, Cher, who made a cover album of Abba hits, retorted: ‘I’m there! When do we start shooting?’

It would have to be some sort of flashback moment, though, because — spoiler alert — Meryl’s character, Donna, has died. ‘Oh well, you can do anything these days in a film,’ Craymer said.

The project is ‘sizzling’ in development while she awaits a tranche of new songs which Abba plan to release later this year. Plus, a script has to be written. So don’t expect filming to begin until next year at the earliest.

But Craymer noted that the cast, including Julie Walters, Lily James, Colin Firth — as well as Ms Seyfried — have all publicly expressed their desire to be in MM!3. 

Just to clarify: Cher (74) played Ruby Sheridan — mother of 71-year-old Streep's Donna

Just to clarify: Cher (74) played Ruby Sheridan — mother of 71-year-old Streep’s Donna

‘Julie said she’d come out of retirement!’ Craymer exclaimed, adding: ‘I’ve always said it would be a trilogy.’

In the meantime, the Mamma Mia! mothership, which began life 22 years ago this week, will resume performances at the Novello Theatre on August 25, subject to government guidelines allowing shows to run without social distancing.

‘It’s about singing and dancing and having a good time,’ Craymer said. ‘People definitely want escapism, and this is fun to go to with your friends.’

Mazz Murray, as Donna, and Emma Mullen, as Sophie, will star in the show, which will now have Tuesday as a rest day so that there can be a matinee performance on Sundays. 

Cher recently told Mamma Mia! film and stage producer Judy Craymer 'no one wants to see us old people on the screen again'

Cher recently told Mamma Mia! film and stage producer Judy Craymer ‘no one wants to see us old people on the screen again’

Tickets for the new booking period, through until April 2 next year, will be on sale from noon today.

To ensure fans get into the mood for dancing, there’s the summer spectacular Mamma Mia! production, starring Sara Poyzer and Richard Standing, in the grounds of Harewood House in Leeds, with public shows from August 13-30.

A performance on August 12 will be an invitation-only event for NHS and key workers.

  • For more information, visit mamma-mia.com

From Aladdin to a marriage scandal 

Naomi Scott reckons we all have voices in our head. 

The actress and singer, who starred as Princess Jasmine in Disney’s live-action movie musical Aladdin, says her ‘dark voice’ urges her to ‘get the vegan chocolate loaf’.

We were discussing matters philosophical (and gastronomical) over Zoom, in relation to a dark narrative podcast called Soft Voice, which Scott stars in, and which has me hooked on its weekly instalments. 

Scott plays Lydia, an estate agent who puts her success down to the little voice in her head. That ‘soft voice’ advises her on everything from how to react to misogynist clients, to who to date, and even what yoghurt to buy. 

‘It helps her navigate her world,’ Scott said. But then a new ‘dark voice’ turns up.

Naomi Scott, who starred as Princess Jasmine in Disney's live-action movie musical Aladdin, says her 'dark voice' urges her to 'get the vegan chocolate loaf'

Naomi Scott, who starred as Princess Jasmine in Disney’s live-action movie musical Aladdin, says her ‘dark voice’ urges her to ‘get the vegan chocolate loaf’

The idea of the podcast which also features Bel Powley and Olivia Cooke (and is produced by its three stars) was to start conversations about the twin engines of fear of failure and the pursuit of perfection. Other issues are raised, too.

I was struck by a comment from Lydia’s grandmother, who asks, only half in jest: ‘Does anyone under 40 have a sense of humour any more?!’

Scott, who is 27, nodded. ‘There’s something generational that is happening … I think it’s about having an open dialogue, and having grace in understanding where each person comes from — but also understanding what the generation before us went through.’

Then there’s cancel culture, and being woke, terms usually banned from these pages. 

Scott shook her head and said: ‘I am not the spokesperson for cancel culture. Or woke!’ Before adding: ‘I can only speak of my personal experiences, navigating what conversations to engage in … and what ones not to.’

We were discussing matters philosophical (and gastronomical) over Zoom, in relation to a dark narrative podcast called Soft Voice, which Scott stars in, and which has me hooked on its weekly instalments

We were discussing matters philosophical (and gastronomical) over Zoom, in relation to a dark narrative podcast called Soft Voice, which Scott stars in, and which has me hooked on its weekly instalments

Kristen Stewart, Ella Balinska and Naomi Scott in the 2019 film remake of 'Charlie's Angels'

Kristen Stewart, Ella Balinska and Naomi Scott in the 2019 film remake of ‘Charlie’s Angels’

I remember meeting her for the first time two years ago. She was on the cover of that month’s Vogue, and I was a tad trepidatious. 

But there she was, barefoot, in a hotel suite — an East End vicar’s daughter, married to a footballer (Jordan Spence). And frankly, she was a hoot.

She and Spence started a production company last year, in the middle of the pandemic. I can see him in the background of their socially distanced offices, toiling away at a terminal.

I asked Scott whether he fancied appearing in any of the TV shows or films they have started to develop. No, apparently. But he’d jump at the chance of a part in Ted Lasso, the award-winning football comedy on Apple TV+, of which both are big fans.

Scott is in the middle of filming the six-part courtroom thriller Anatomy Of A Scandal, based on Sarah Vaughan’s best-selling book. 

It’s the story of a privileged junior Home Office minister (Rupert Friend), married to a wife he met at Oxford (Sienna Miller), who is accused of raping his high-flying parliamentary researcher (Scott).

Michelle Dockery plays the prosecuting QC who takes on the case in the Netflix drama, written by David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies and The Undoing) and Melissa James Gibson (House Of Cards).

Scott added sadly: ‘You don’t have to look too far within your own world for people who have gone through something similar.’