Mel C promised a thrilling performance as she headlined ABC’s New Year’s Eve coverage on Wednesday night.
The former Spice Girl took the stage in Sydney to ring in 2026 ahead of the midnight fireworks.
Mel – real name Melanie Chisholm – churned through her hits such as Never Be the Same Again and new single, Sweat.
She then treated the crowd to a medley of Spice Girls songs, including 2 Become 1 and Spice Up Your Life.
While the audience appeared to enjoy the energetic performance, many viewers tuning in at home were unmoved.
Several were disappointed that the taxpayer-funded network forked out big bucks for the British pop star to headline the event.
Mel C promised (pictured) a thrilling performance as she headlined ABC’s New Year’s Eve coverage on Wednesday night. The former Spice Girl took the stage in Sydney to ring in 2026 ahead of the midnight fireworks
Mel – real name Melanie Chisholm – churned through her hits such as Never Be the Same Again and new single, Sweat. She then treated the crowd to a medley of Spice Girls songs, including 2 Become 1 and Spice Up Your Life
‘How much have #abc spent on 20 minutes of Mel C performing, 20 f***ing minutes. We want our taxpayer money back,’ wrote one person on X.
‘A washed up Spice Girl Mel C sums up the @ABCaustralia perfectly… the taxpayer had to fork out a mozza for her. Pretty fit for 52 though…’ someone else said.
Another said: ‘This is just bad karaoke by Sporty Spice, how much did our taxes pay for this crap?’
‘I really had hope for Mel. How can you ruin your own song?’ complained someone else.
‘So everyone waits for Mel C to knock out some bangers and she chooses, ‘Never be the same again’….Sums up my will to live after this rubbish,’ said one more.
‘Nup. Sporty has not saved this s**t show. Weak vocals,’ someone else said.
Several viewers felt that Mel’s performance, for which she wore a sporty athletic ensemble, reminded them of the retro workout show, Aerobics Oz Style, which aired on Australian television between the 1980s and 2000s.
‘Let’s see in the new year with… Aerobics Oz Style,’ said one person.
While the audience appeared to enjoy the energetic performance, many viewers tuning in at home were unmoved
‘Feel like I’m in a 90s aerobics class. Aaaaaaand GRAPEVINE LADIES!!!’ joked another viewer.
‘Oz Style Aerobics wasn’t on my bingo card but it’s the same venue,’ said someone else.
Some tuning in at home enjoyed Mel’s efforts, however.
‘Well Mel C is still amazing. That is all,’ posted one person, while another said, ‘Still better than Robbie Williams last year!!’
Prior to her performance, Mel teased that a long-awaited reunion of the beloved Britpop girl group Spice Girls is underway.
The 51-year-old made the comments in an interview ahead of her New Year’s Eve performance on the Sydney Harbour foreshore on Thursday.
Mel said she was ‘really proud’ of being a Spice Girl and the group’s legacy, which includes a staggering nine number ones in the UK.
Speaking to Zan Rowe during the ABC’s NYE coverage, Mel was asked about the Spice Girls’ 30th anniversary in 2026.
Several viewers felt that Mel’s performance, for which she wore a sporty athletic ensemble, reminded them of the retro workout show, Aerobics Oz Style (pictured), which aired on Australian television between the 1980s and 2000s
‘Let’s see in the new year with… Aerobics Oz Style,’ said one person
‘I feel really proud of everything that we did,’ she gushed and continued:
‘[And of] the legacy that we created – and we find young people all the time discovering the Spice Girls. It’s a wonderful thing – I’m so proud to be a Spice Girl and it would be lovely to celebrate that in some way.’
Elsewhere in the chat, Mel C said she was ‘honoured’ to help usher in the New Year Down Under.
‘I can’t think of anywhere better to be,’ she said, adding she would ‘pull out all stops’ for her show.
‘It’s an honour, it really, really is and being British, we are just so aware of how you guys celebrate. You are one of the first places to welcome in the New Year [around the world].’
