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Girlbands Forever Revisits UK Girl Groups in Candid, Critically Praised BBC Series

Critics call it nostalgic yet unsparing, foregrounding allegations of industry control, pregnancy pressure, press misconduct.

Overview

  • The three-part BBC Two series, executive produced by Louis Theroux, charts British girl groups from the 1990s through the 2010s.
  • Interviewees describe heavy-handed oversight, including Kéllé Bryan’s claim of a countryside diet camp, which the then head of EMI UK is reported to deny.
  • Melanie Blatt recounts being pressured by a manager to have an abortion, reflecting a wider pattern of punitive treatment when members became pregnant.
  • The documentary highlights racial disparities, noting that Mis-Teeq received limited press support and were later abandoned despite major hits.
  • Reviewers praise the show’s mix of bangers and hard truths, citing segments on tabloid coercion and branding tactics such as Sugababes’ revolving lineup.