The BBC has announced a new three-part documentary series called Boybands Forever, which will look at the inside story of boy band mania during the '90s and '00s.
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The series, which will be broadcast in autumn 2024 on BBC Two, comes from Louis Theroux's Mindhouse Productions, and is produced by Theroux and Nancy Strang.
The synopsis for the show says that it will "dive into pop culture in the '90s and '00s, telling the tales behind the success of some of the UK and Ireland’s most celebrated popstars, who were idolised by millions of pop fans around the world".
The synopsis continues: "Each episode will follow the life-changing reality of new-found fame at a young age, from their early beginnings to hitting the top of the charts, whilst revealing some of the pivotal behind-the-scenes moments that shaped their careers and reflecting on those times decades later."
Brian McFadden and Robbie Williams for Boybands Forever. BBC & Mindhouse Productions
Among those being interviewed for the series are Robbie Williams and Brian McFadden, as well as members of East 17, Blue, Five, 911 and Damage.
Meanwhile, music label bosses and band managers will also be interviewed, including Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh, as well as Nigel Martin-Smith (Take That), Daniel Glatman (Blue), Chris Herbert (Five) and Steve Gilmour (911).
Theroux said: "I couldn’t be more thrilled about this series. An epic story featuring a cast of stars and star-makers, spanning three decades, it involves some of the icons of modern British pop.
"We see them through their highs and lows, hearing from the key players, as we chart the golden years of boy bands. How they came together, the experience of sudden fame, the opportunity and temptations that came their way, conflicts within the groups, between the groups, and between the boys and their managers.
"It’s a gripping fable about getting everything you dreamed of, and it not being what you imagined, centred on a generation of young men, and their managers, who were wildly successful and also immensely vulnerable, having the times of their lives and also, in some cases, cracking up.
"Those boys we all watched singing and dancing in tight formation - Take That, East 17, Westlife, Blue, Five, Damage, 911 and so many others - are now middle-aged men who have the time and the maturity to look back and reflect on what they went through.
"It’s taken us more than a year to make the series. Now I’m just excited for people to see it."
Boybands Forever will air on BBC Two in autumn 2024.
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
