BBC Two is to air a new series on the boyband craze of the 1990s and 2000s, featuring interviews with Take That's Robbie Williams, Westlife's Brian McFadden and music mogul Simon Cowell.
Boyband Forevera three-episode series, will air later in 2024. Produced by Mindhouse Productions (Interviews with Louis Theroux, Lockerbie) and husband-and-wife producers Louis Theroux and Nancy Strang, the show will delve into 90s and 00s pop culture, examining the success of some of the UK and Ireland's most celebrated pop stars.
Each episode will delve into the reality of finding fame at a young age, while also revealing some of the pivotal behind-the-scenes moments. Boyband Forever will feature interviews with the artists themselves, including Williams, McFadden, as well as members of East 17, Blue, Five, 911 and Damage.
The series will also hear from record label executives and band managers who oversaw their rise to fame, including Cowell (RCA Records), Nigel Martin-Smith (Take That), Louis Walsh (Westlife), Daniel Glatman (Blue), Chris Herbert (Five) and Steve Gilmour (911), as well as people close to the band members, music industry insiders, presenters and journalists.
“I couldn't be more excited about this series,” said Louis Theroux, who is executive producer. “An epic story with an all-star cast and star-makers, spanning three decades, involving some of the icons of modern British pop. We see them through their highs and lows, hearing from key players, as we trace the golden years of boy bands. How they came together, the experience of sudden fame, the opportunities and temptations that arose, the conflicts within the groups, between the groups and between the boys and their managers.”
The British journalist and presenter continued: “It's a gripping tale of achieving everything you dreamed of that isn't what you imagined, centred on a generation of young men and their managers who have been wildly successful and also immensely vulnerable, who have had great moments and sometimes burst out laughing. Those guys we saw singing and dancing in tight formation – Take That, East 17, Westlife, Blue, Five, Damage, 911 and so many more – are now middle-aged men who have the time and maturity to look back and reflect on what they've been through. The series has been over a year in the making. Now I'm just excited for people to see it.”
Boyband Forever is a Mindhouse production for BBC Pop Music TV and BBC Two. It was commissioned by Jonathan Rothery, head of Popular Music TV. The commissioning editor for BBC Popular Music TV is Rachel Davies. The executive producers are Strang and Theroux for Mindhouse.