ABBA‘s Björn Ulvaeus surprised fans as he attended Mamma Mia’s 25th West End anniversary and the band’s 50th on Saturday.
The Swedish musician, 78, looked smart in a teal blazer with matching trousers and a black T-shirt for the event.
Posing for photos with Jane Moore, he was also joined by Zoe Ball, her daughter Nelly and the show’s producer Judy Craymer.
Zoe presented ITV competition Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream, which saw 14 West End hopefuls battle it out for leading roles in the stage show.
Mamma Mia tells the Sophie of bride-to-be Sophie, who invite’s her mother Donna’s three exes to her wedding in the hope of discovering which of the men are her father.
ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus surprised fans as he attended Mamma Mia’s 25th West End anniversary on Saturday
The Swedish musician looked smart in a teal blazer with matching trousers and a black T-shirt for the event as he joined Jane Moore
Set on an idyllic Greek island, the heartwarming tale is accompanied by a plethora of Abba’s biggest hits including Waterloo, Dancing Queen, The Winner Takes It All and of course Mamma Mia.
The musical was adapted into a film in 2008, which starred Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth and Julie Walters.
Meanwhile, the London stage show has been watched by more than nine million people throughout 440 cities around the world.
It originally opened at the Prince Edward Theatre on 6 April 1999, before transferring to the Prince of Wales Theatre in 2004, before finally settling into its current home in 2012.
It comes after ABBA thanked fans in a rare statement as the band celebrated the 50th anniversary of their Eurovision Song Contest victory.
The iconic 70s pop group – made up of Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad – remain the show’s most famous and successful exports after they were crowned winners in April 1974 with their song, Waterloo.
Reflecting on the milestone, the group, who later split in 1982, issued a joint statement as they expressed their gratitude for fans ‘steadfast loyalty and support through the years’.
To mark the anniversary, several pianos across Europe will play a pre-recorded by Benny simultaneously to make it sound as though he is playing live.
Posing for photos he was also joined by Zoe Ball, her daughter Nelly and the show’s producer Judy Craymer
Stevie Doc (left), who plays Sophie in the Abba-inspired show, and Mazz Murray (right), who plays Donna were also present
Sharing a picture of the foursome winning the accolade, they wrote: ‘It’s slightly dizzying and deeply humbling to think that millions of you who saw us for the first time in the Eurovision final 1974 have passed our music on not only to one generation, but to several.
‘We see evidence of that every time one of us visits Abba Voyage in London, and it’s because of this we can celebrate the 50th anniversary of that event in the knowledge that our songs still resonate around the world.’
They continued: ‘It’s difficult to comprehend that 50 years have gone by since the four of us waited backstage for the verdicts of all the juries around Europe at the Dome in Brighton.
‘So what were out dreams during those suspenseful moments or in the chaos in the aftermath of the victory we had secured with the smallest margin in Eurovision history?
‘Four different dreams, no doubt, but whatever they were, however grand, reality has surpassed them, that’s for sure.’
The group went on to have a huge repertoire of hits including Dancing Queen (1976), Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (1979) and Super Trouper (1976) to name a few.
Since their split their catalogue of music has inspired the Mamma Mia! film franchise and theatre show, and more recently the incredible ABBA Voyage.
The iconic hologram show has pumped £322million into the British economy – with more than a million tickets bought at up to £181.50 each.
The gig five years in the making takes the audience back to Abba’s 1970s and 1980s prime and allows fans to experience them in concert, despite their split back in December 1982.
It comes after ABBA released a rare statement as they thank fans for their ‘steadfast loyalty and support through the years’ to celebrate 50 years since they won Eurovision in 1974
The iconic 70s pop group – made up of Bjorn Ulvaeus, Agnetha Faltskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson (L-R) – remain the show’s most famous and successful exports after they were crowned winners in April 1974 with their song, Waterloo (pictured 2022)
To mark the anniversary, several pianos across Europe will play a pre-recorded by Benny simultaneously to make it sound as though he is playing live
Since their split in 1982 their catalogue of music has inspired the Mamma Mia! film franchise and theatre show, and more recently the incredible ABBA Voyage.
The lengthy statement thanked fans for their continued support they added: ‘Many of you were there from the very start and have followed us ever since – for over half a century!
Thanking fans for their continued support they added: ‘Many of you were there from the very start and have followed us ever since – for over half a century!
‘Music you discover and learn to love when you grow up or even later in life has a way of staying with you forever.
‘We share that experience with you and to know that our music has become a constant in your lives is a wonderful thing.’
They concluded: ‘Throughout the years we have been blessed with the outpouring of love from you, our fans.
‘We feel it and we want to know that hardly a day goes by when we’re not reminded of it. To say thank you for what you’re giving us without sounding trivial is not easy and this is not a moment of triviality.
‘It is a happy and, at the same time, solemn moment and we can only hope that you understand how deeply grateful we are for a long, successful career and for your steadfast loyalty and support through the years. Thank you!’
As part of the celebrations, fans will be able to listen to the ‘piano moment’ in major cities, including at London’s Waterloo station and in Berlin, Warsaw and Stockholm.
Every hour the instrument will play short piece pre-recorded by Benny.
The band have also reissued a limited edition box set of their album Waterloo, which was first released in March 1974 with songs including My Mama Said and Honey, Honey.
Meanwhile the BBC will broadcast a host of programmes for a dedicated Saturday night of ABBA specials in early April, one of which is called More ABBA at the BBC.
As part of the celebrations, fans will be able to listen to the ‘piano moment’ in major cities, including at London’s Waterloo station and in Berlin, Warsaw and Stockholm (pictured in 1974)
Despite this year’s song contest being held in ABBA’s home country of Sweden , ABBA have refused to reunite for the show’s halftime show in May (pictured 1977)
While the band have refused to reunite at this years Eurovision in ABBA’s home country of Sweden, show organisers are hoping to secure the next best thing—ABBAtars—London’s ABBA Voyage hologram figures.
An insider told The Sun: ‘It is 50 years since ABBA won in Brighton with Waterloo and they are going to be celebrated big time when the contest returns to Sweden.
‘The group have made it clear they have no interest in performing again but ABBA’s music will be a major part of the event with a chunk of time put aside for a tribute after all the acts have performed.
‘Bringing part of their ABBA Voyage show to Sweden is really complex because the tech is very expensive and complicated, which is why they had to build an arena for it in East London.
‘Organisers are racing to try and make it possible but otherwise, a selection of stars, likely all from Sweden, will be singing ABBA’s music instead. It will be a memorable moment.’
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