Chaos overshadowed the opening night of I’m Every Woman: The Musical after the highly anticipated production was delayed by 40 minutes while organisers waited for music icon Chaka Khan to arrive and take her seat, leaving a packed theatre growing increasingly frustrated before the curtain could finally rise.

The new stage show, starring Alexandra Burke in the leading role, was due to begin promptly at 7pm at London’s Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre. Instead, audience members were left sitting in confusion as the minutes ticked by with no explanation beyond repeated requests to remain seated.

The delay was reportedly caused by guest of honour Chaka Khan, whose arrival was held up while she completed a lengthy series of interviews on the red carpet outside the venue.

Only after the legendary singer entered the auditorium and settled into her seat at around 7.40pm did organisers finally begin the performance, more than half an hour behind schedule.

The unexpected hold-up quickly became the biggest talking point of the evening, with several attendees describing the atmosphere inside the theatre as increasingly tense while staff attempted to manage an impatient audience.

One guest claimed organisers had little choice but to wait for Chaka before starting because of the significance of her attendance at the premiere of a production based on her extraordinary life.

According to the attendee, theatre-goers were instructed to be seated before 7pm, expecting the performance to begin on time.

Instead, people reportedly spent the next 40 minutes wondering what was happening as the auditorium remained in darkness.

As frustration mounted, some audience members reportedly gave up waiting and headed back into the foyer, with others leaving their seats to visit the bar or restrooms while organisers continued delaying the start.

The guest described the evening as “chaotic” and suggested the lengthy delay was unfair on the cast and crew, who had spent months preparing for the major opening night.

The production marks one of Alexandra Burke’s biggest theatre roles to date, portraying the remarkable life and career of Chaka Khan, whose decades-long success transformed her into one of the world’s most celebrated soul singers.

The musical explores the untold story behind the voice that produced classics including I’m Every Woman, tracing her rise to international fame alongside the personal struggles that shaped her life.

Tickets for the production range between £28 and £65, with the opening performance attracting a packed audience that included several well-known faces from television and entertainment.

However, the disruption before the curtain rose appeared to overshadow much of the excitement surrounding the show’s launch.

Adding another twist to the evening, BBC presenter Naga Munchetty was seen leaving during the interval and did not return for the second half of the performance.

Witnesses said the BBC Breakfast star quietly exited the theatre midway through the evening alongside her husband, James Haggar.

Video reportedly showed the couple walking hand in hand towards Wembley Park Underground station after Naga was seen smoking a cigarette outside the venue.

Her departure attracted attention because invited celebrity guests had been carefully selected for the high-profile premiere.

Sources claimed publicity organisers had hoped many of the invited stars would remain throughout the performance and help generate positive attention for the production following its launch.

Naga had also reportedly bypassed the red carpet upon arrival, despite organisers encouraging celebrity guests to stop for photographs before entering the theatre.

Her early exit inevitably fuelled speculation among attendees, although there has been no suggestion that she left because of the performance itself or because of any disagreement with organisers.

Instead, the reasons behind her departure remain unknown.

The difficult opening night comes at a particularly significant moment in Naga’s own broadcasting career.

Only days earlier, the veteran presenter announced she would be leaving BBC Breakfast after spending 17 years on the flagship morning programme.

Beginning next year, she is expected to front BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast, taking over the station’s flagship breakfast slot after Rachel Burden and Rick Edwards step down.

The appointment has been viewed by many insiders as a major promotion, allowing Munchetty to concentrate fully on live radio after years balancing television and broadcasting commitments.

Her departure from BBC Breakfast also follows more than a year of headlines surrounding workplace allegations that attracted significant public attention.

Last year she became the subject of an internal investigation after complaints concerning her conduct were raised, including claims relating to workplace behaviour and remarks allegedly made both on and off air.

She consistently remained on screen throughout the process, while reports later suggested the investigation had concluded without formal disciplinary action being taken.

The allegations emerged during a wider period of upheaval surrounding BBC Breakfast, after editor Richard Frediani also faced separate accusations of bullying and misconduct before later returning to work.

According to reports published this week, people close to Munchetty believe she was unfairly portrayed throughout the controversy and viewed her move to Radio 5 Live as a fresh start after an exceptionally difficult period.

The theatre premiere therefore became one of her first public appearances since announcing the career move.

Meanwhile, attention inevitably returned to Chaka Khan herself, whose arrival had delayed proceedings.

The 73-year-old singer remains one of the most influential voices in soul and funk music, winning ten Grammy Awards across a career spanning more than five decades.

Her catalogue includes timeless hits that have inspired generations of performers, making a musical celebrating her life a significant theatrical event.

Alexandra Burke has spoken enthusiastically about taking on the challenging lead role, describing the opportunity as both inspiring and demanding given Chaka’s remarkable vocal legacy.

Despite the opening night difficulties, the production still received an enthusiastic reception from many audience members once the performance finally got underway.

However, critical reviews have proved more mixed.

One early review awarded the musical just a single star, suggesting the production struggled to match the extraordinary story it sought to tell.

Whether audience reaction over the coming weeks differs from the initial critical response remains to be seen.

For organisers, though, the opening evening will likely be remembered as much for what happened before the first scene as for the musical itself.

What should have been a seamless celebration of one of music’s greatest performers instead became dominated by conversations about delays, restless audiences and celebrity departures.

While the cast eventually took to the stage and delivered the performance they had spent months preparing, the unusual circumstances surrounding the delayed curtain ensured the premiere generated headlines for reasons few involved could have anticipated.

With Alexandra Burke leading the production and Chaka Khan’s extraordinary story at its heart, the musical still has every opportunity to find its audience over the coming months.

But its first night served as a reminder that even the most carefully planned theatrical events can be thrown into unexpected turmoil, especially when timing, celebrity appearances and opening-night expectations collide before a single note has been sung.