Cheryl and Kelly Rowland surprise Manchester gay bar with impromptu performance

Cheryl and Kelly Rowland treated punters at Manchester gay bar Via to an impromptu performance on Sunday night, belting out their hits while filming The Voice UK.

Cheryl and Kelly Rowland surprised fans at Manchester gay bar Via with an impromptu performance on Sunday night, as the pair film the upcoming series of The Voice UK in the city.

Via, which describes itself as "your friendly local LGBTQ+ bar in Manchester", is located on Canal Street in the heart of the city's Gay Village. Videos posted on social media show the pop stars joining the crowd on the dancefloor and belting out their solo hits. The surprise appearance brought a touch of pop royalty to the venue during what appeared to be a night out between filming commitments.

Cheryl and Kelly Rowland are both coaches on the 15th series of The Voice UK, which will air in 2027, alongside Manchester rapper Aitch and long-standing coach will.i.am. Kelly Rowland is returning for her second series as a coach, while Cheryl is making her debut on the ITV singing competition. Alesha Dixon and Stacey Solomon will take over as hosts, replacing Emma Willis.

The appearance marks another full-circle moment for both stars. Kelly Rowland previously served as a judge on The X Factor UK in 2011, while Cheryl spent five years on the same show's panel between 2008 and 2014. Cheryl has also long been a supporter of LGBTQ+ causes, performing at Manchester Pride earlier this year wearing a rainbow flag adorned with trans flag stripes.

Kelly Rowland rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups. Her solo career produced hits including "Dilemma" with Nelly, which spent weeks at number one in the UK, and "When Love Takes Over" with David Guetta. She's no stranger to coaching talent competitions either, having previously appeared on The Voice Australia across multiple series, where she won twice.

Cheryl is best known as a member of Girls Aloud, the pop group that formed on Popstars: The Rivals in 2002 and went on to score 20 consecutive top-ten singles. Her solo career launched in 2009 and produced five UK number-one singles. Her previous experience on The X Factor saw her mentor acts including Cher Lloyd and One Direction during the show's peak years.

Via has been part of Manchester's LGBTQ+ nightlife scene since it opened in 1995, making it one of the longest-standing venues in the Gay Village. Often described as the "grande dame" of Canal Street, the venue is known as Manchester's best live cabaret venue. Via operates as a bar, club and restaurant, with live cabaret shows running throughout the week under general manager Mike Mitchell, who has been in charge since 2018.

The venue celebrated its 30th anniversary earlier this year and has hosted numerous celebrity guests over the decades, cementing its status as an institution on the city's LGBTQ+ scene. Canal Street itself is the centre of Manchester's gay village, a pedestrianised street lined with gay bars and restaurants.