THE Nineties might have been ruled by boybands and girl-bands, but life at the top of pop could be tough.
And it was probably worse for the girls, as putting on extra pounds, dating the wrong guy or, heaven forbid, having a baby were hugely frowned upon by management teams.
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
New BBC documentary Girlbands Forever delves into the girlband era, pictured the girls of All SaintsCredit: GettyAll Saints founding member Melanie Blatt informed managers that she and bandmate Nicole Appleton were pregnant, both were told to abort their babiesCredit: PA:Press Association
New BBC documentary Girlbands Forever, the follow-up to last year’s three-parter about boybands, delves into an era where record companies had less regard for duty of care, days off or mental health.
It features members of Atomic Kitten, Eternal, Sugababes, Mis-teeq and Little Mix, providing insight into what it was like being in an all-female group in the Nineties and early Noughties.
The dream was to replicate the success of the Spice Girls, the all-conquering icons who sparked the girlband explosion.
And record labels invested millions in a bid to find the next big thing.
But as the Spice Girls’ rivals All Saints found out, the pressure became unbearable.
So much so that when founding member Melanie Blatt informed managers that she and bandmate Nicole Appleton were pregnant, both were told to abort their babies.
The reason? They had just cracked America with No1 hit Never Ever and momentum could be lost.
Melanie, 50, explains: “I hadn’t been with my partner for very long, it was definitely a bit of a surprise It wasn’t people congratulating us. It was more like this look of dread and worry and the realisation that things are going to change.
“We flew to LA and at [airport] LAX our manager, he was behind us, was telling us to abort our babies.”
She added that her bosses told them they were “going to ruin everything” and “it was the end of the band”.
Melanie ended up having her baby with her partner, Stuart Zender, the bassist for band Jamiroquai.
‘Vomiting in toilets’
But Nicole, who fell pregnant with then boyfriend Robbie Williams, did not, which Melanie admits caused issues with their relationship.
She explains: “Nic and I had been best friends since we were 11. We took pregnancy tests in a hotel in Canada and spent that whole night discussing bringing our kids up together. It was one of the best nights ever.
“And it’s not really my place to talk about it, but unfortunately . . . it was a very uncomfortable situation because I kept mine, she didn’t. That was a really tricky part of my and our existence.”
All Saints, which consisted of Melanie, sisters Nicole and Natalie and main songwriter Shaznay Lewis, were always deemed a “cool version” of the Spice Girls and were far more rock ‘n’ roll.
Star Melanie opens up more on BBC show Girlbands ForeverCredit: SuppliedAll Saints’ Nicole Appleton with then-boyfriend Robbie Williams in 2004Credit: Michael Melia
Whereas Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton and Mel B found love with a footballer, an R&B singer and a dancer respectively, the All Saints girls dated rock stars, with Nicole marrying and having a son with Liam Gallagher.
Melanie says: “We were turning up to kids’ TV shows on a Saturday morning without having one wink of sleep. We looked fine, just a bit of vomiting in the toilets prior to CD:UK.”
After two albums, All Saints split in 2001, a disparity in earnings between Shaznay and the rest of the band being a major factor.
By the end of their existence as a group, Melanie says they “hated each other”.
She adds: “We’d fallen out, it was hell, it was ‘separate’ everything.
“It was just ridiculous but literally one of the proudest moments of being in that band was calling it quits because we didn’t stay for the money. We wanted to be done, we didn’t want to be with each other any more and we made that decision.
“We were in control. We were supposed to go on tour and we gave the money back and I’m so proud of that. That’s one of the only decisions we were all happy to make together, telling each other to f*** off.”
Girlbands Forever begins on Saturday at 9.20pm on BBC Two.
Little Mix
Little Mix were one of the first girl groups forced to contend with social mediaCredit: Neil HallBand member Perrie Edwards bore the brunt of online abuse due to her relationship with Zayn MalikCredit: Supplied
AS girlbands moved into the 2010s, life did not get any easier, with social media now to contend with.
She explains: “Social media was dark, especially back in the day.
“Me and the girls used to get a lot of stick. Things we would wear or how we would look, people would pick us apart.
“You’re hurting enough as it is, never mind everybody having an opinion on it. Everyone wants to know your business and everyone feels like they have ownership in that.
“You can’t escape it. So you may as well sing about it.”
Life in girlbands was relentless, so Little Mix lasting ten years was a monumental achievement.
But Perrie, below, admits she almost quit when she was at her lowest ebb ahead of a gig in Las Vegas.
She says: “I didn’t want to go, I was so exhausted. I tried getting out of the trip and when I got there, I started experiencing panic attacks.
“I didn’t know what was happening at the time, I’d never experienced a panic attack.
“I ended up in a hospital. I didn’t want to let the girls down. They had to do it without me and I hated it and I really resented myself for it.”
She adds: “When you’re in a group dynamic, even though you’re going through stuff individually, you can’t just be selfish so I kind of put a brave face on a lot of time.
“I didn’t want to let the team down.”
Eternal
Eternal had a No1 smash hit with I Wanna Be The Only One in 1997Credit: Rex‘People were always voicing concerns about my weight and about our weight as a band’, says founding member Kelle BryanCredit: Supplied
ETERNAL had a No1 smash hit with I Wanna Be The Only One in 1997, but their looks soon became a concern.
Founding member Kelle Bryan, 50, reveals: “People were always voicing concerns about my weight and about our weight as a band. Stylists would come along and say, ‘This doesn’t fit you, this doesn’t fit you’.
“We’re talking about an era where being a size zero was popular, so they sent us away to this place in the countryside where they were able to control what we ate.”
Atomic Kitten
Atomic Kitten’s Kerry Katona fell for Westlife singer Brian McFadden, but was ordered not to date him by managementCredit: Dave HoganKerry also had an unpleasant interaction with music mogul Louis WalshCredit: Supplied
WHILE on the 1999 Smash Hits Tour, Atomic Kitten’s Kerry Katona fell for Westlife singer Brian McFadden, but was ordered not to date him by management.
Kerry, 45, says: “They all went absolutely f*ing apes**t. I remember [Westlife manager] Louis Walsh saying, ‘I don’t like you, you’re trouble’.
Bandmate and best pal Natasha Hamilton, 43, adds: “It was definitely bad for the brand. Not from my point of view but from the label and management. They said girls can’t be seen with one of the boys in the biggest boyband in the UK because fan jealousy is a thing.”
Mis-Teeq
Mis-Teeq felt they were discriminated against and given fewer opportunitiesCredit: Alamy‘We weren’t invited to the same premieres. Some magazines wouldn’t consider us for the cover because they didn’t think three black girls would sell’, says Su-Elise NashCredit: Supplied
BEING an all-black group who rose up from the “underground scene” in 1999, Mis-Teeq felt they were discriminated against and given fewer opportunities.
Su-Elise Nash, 44, says: “We weren’t invited to the same premieres. Some magazines wouldn’t consider us for the cover because they didn’t think three black girls would sell.
“Our struggle to get there was definitely not as easy as it would have been if we had one white member or we’d all-white.”
Sugababes
When Sugababes founding member Mutya Buena gave birth to her first child aged 19, there was no let-upCredit: Dave HoganMutya quit the group in 2005 and was later diagnosed with post-natal depressionCredit: Getty
WHEN Sugababes founding member Mutya Buena gave birth to her first child aged 19 – while the band were working on their fourth album – there was no let-up.
Record label exec Darcus Beese says: “I remember standing in my kitchen trying to talk her down. I had no concept of post-natal depression. I would ask questions now like, ‘How’s your mental health?’.”
COMIC Michael McIntyre has admitted turning to fat jabs after his doctor told him he was obese.
The 5ft 5ins star said wife Kitty ordered him to start after the medic ticked him off for being 100kg (15st 10lbs).
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
Michael McIntyre, pictured in May, has admitted turning to fat jabs after his doctor told him he was obeseCredit: GettyThe comedian looked thinner this monthCredit: Splash
McIntyre, 49, said he first used Ozempic before switching to Mounjaro and the weight dropped off in only three weeks of injections.
The dad of two, who has long struggled with his weight, made the admission to an audience in London.
He joked: “Have you noticed how tiny I am? I have lost weight.
“Don’t applaud it because there is a little bit of cheating that has gone on.”
McIntyre who once lost 7kg (14lbs) at a £2,000-a-week clinic, confessed that he did not want to use appetite suppressants but Kitty insisted.
He also blamed his problem on eating his kids’ leftovers.
On his trip to the GP, he told fans: “The doctor told me I weighed 100kg.
“He told me I was ‘obese’. How rude. He said, ‘It’s a medical term’.”
McIntyre, whose new series of The Wheel started last night on BBC One, also declared that his weight-loss success will “fall apart” if he ever eats something sweet again.
FORMER Sugababes star Amelle Berrabah has confirmed she’ll “reveal secrets” about the band after being ousted from the reunion.
The popstar, now 41, joined the girl group in December 2005 as a replacement for Mutya Buena and stayed with the band until they went on hiatus at the end of 2011.
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
Amelle Berrebah says she’ll ‘reveal secrets’ about the Sugababes in a new BBC documentaryCredit: BBCAmelle joined the group in 2005, replacing MutyaCredit: GettyJade, Amelle and Heidi performing in the group for two years before the original three reunitedCredit: GettyThe original line-up have seen a resurgence over the past few yearsCredit: Getty
When the Sugababes came to end, Amelle was singing alongside Heidi Range, who joined the group in 2001, and last recruit Jade Ewen, who came on board in 2009.
Whilst with Heidi and Jade, Amelle released the Suagbabes seventh album Sweet 7 before the band “fizzled out”.
At the same time, the band’s original line-up, Mutya, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhan Donaghy began performing together again and by 2019 won a legal battle to re-gain the band name Sugababes – essentially preventing the other three from ever reuniting.
Now Amelle is getting her own back on being ousted from the band’s reunion.
The new BBC documentary dives into the ‘truth of being a young woman thrust into the spotlight’
Little Mix’s Perrie Edwards is set to feature in the BBC documentary centred on iconic girl groups(Image: BBC)
Perrie Edwards is set to reveal what it’s really like being part of a girl band.
After the success of last year’s Boybands Forever, BBC Two is launching its female equivalent, Girlbands Forever. The three-part documentary will explore ‘girl band fever throughout the 90s and beyond,’ featuring personal contributions from the Little Mix star, along with singers from Atomic Kitten, Sugababes and All Saints.
A preview for the upcoming programme provides a taste of what audiences can anticipate, with interview clips from some of the celebrity participants scheduled to appear. It delves into the nostalgic 90s and noughties period when ‘girl band fever’ was rampant, reports OK!
Presenter Sara Cox describes the period as an “era of young women suddenly having a voice,” before noting: “But it was a small window”.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
The brief 25-second trailer also shows Perrie discussing the backstage challenges of Little Mix, who rose to stardom after triumphing on The X Factor. She disclosed: “We battled the social media trolls together.”
The girl group entered the limelight during the early 2010s, so their journey provides a unique viewpoint on the difficulties female bands encountered in the social media era.
According to the BBC, audiences can anticipate hearing from Heidi Range (Sugababes), Kelle Bryan (Eternal), Kerry Katona (Atomic Kitten), Melanie Blatt (All Saints), Perrie and Su-Elise Nash (Mis-Teeq).
The programme will also feature chats with industry names such as Andy McCluskey, Clara Amfo, Darcus Beese OBE, Lucie Cave, MNEK, Nicki Chapman, Pete Tong, Pete Waterman, Scott Mills and Tulisa.
Girlbands Forever is a product of Louis Theroux’s production house, Mindhouse. Ahead of the show’s debut, Louis expressed: “I couldn’t be more thrilled to be part of making this wonderful series.
“I well remember when the Spice Girls, Eternal and All Saints burst on the scene in the 90s. It was a special time in pop music and British culture generally.”
He added: “Then in their wake came a parade of girl bands, made up of girls who were all in different ways beautiful, talented and often very funny.
“Going back and rediscovering all that music and those videos and the interviews they did has been an absolute pleasure.”
Girlbands Forever debuts on BBC Two and iPlayer on November 1.
Martin Clunes is making an unlikely return to the Doc Martin universe – three years after the ITV drama ended with fans devastated over the news
12:34, 15 Oct 2025Updated 12:34, 15 Oct 2025
Martin Clunes is making an unlikely return to the Doc Martin universe (Image: ITV)
Martin Clunes is making an unlikely return to the Doc Martin universe. The actor, 63, played Doc Martin in the ITV show from 2004 and 2022, where he starred as the rather awkward GP of a small British village.
The show wrapped in 2022, with fans up and down the country devastated. At the time, ahead of the UK show’s final season, Martin and Philippa Braithwaite released a joint statement, which read: “We have loved making nine series of Doc Martin.
“When we launched the series in 2004 we could never have imagined how much our loyal viewers would take to the grumpy Doc like they have. The series has avid fans both in the UK and throughout the world and we are thrilled that Doc Martin has topped the ratings every time. However, after sixteen years we now feel that the time has come to say goodbye to Portwenn.
“We will be making the tenth and final series in 2021 and we are very much looking forward to returning to Cornwall to film it.”
At the time, Martin insisted there was no bad ratings that caused the end of the series – but they just felt it was time.
He said: “All good things have to come to an end. And I’m sure there are lots of people who aren’t fans of the show who think it’s terribly repetitive anyway, but we’re at huge pains not to repeat ourselves. I just think we’ve sort of done everything. I mean, it would be so great to just sort of carry on, but I don’t think we can keep it as good.”
However, Martin is back in the world of Port Wenn once more – but in a very different capacity. Martin will be returning to the show as the father of Dr Martin Best is the United States reboot of the show, titled Best Medicine.
Josh Charles, 54, will star as Dr Martin, who has left his career as a surgeon in Boston and heads to the East Coast fishing village of Port Wenn, but with a few secrets up his sleeve. Martin’s wife Philippa Braithwaite will also serve as executive producer on the new show.
The synopsis for Best Medicine teases drama ahead, as it reads: “A brilliant surgeon leaves Boston to become a small-town doctor where he spent childhood summers. Despite his medical skills, his rude manner alienates locals as he battles hidden phobias and struggles with personal connections.”
