Pop Life

An exploration of these musical band of brothers from the inside out. How do boy bands work and what is it like to be in one? And what is the secret of their popularity? A star-packed, cross-generational cast - from pioneering Motown legends like the Four Tops and the Jackson 5 to 21st-century boys like One Direction and JLS - speak frankly about what it is really like to follow the boy band dream.

It is as true today as it was in the early days of rock 'n' roll - a girl group in full sway is an irresistible and uplifting force of nature, while life within the group is a heady and combustible mix of talent, ambition and hairspray. Members of legendary girl groups Bananarama, the Bangles, Sister Sledge, the Ronettes, the Supremes, the Spice Girls and Girls Aloud discuss what it is really like inside these mysterious sisterhoods.

The final part of the series is all about the solo artists as we delve into the psyche of the men and women who go it alone. What drives them into pop single combat, braving the baying hordes armed with just a microphone, some songs and an unquenchable belief that what they have got to say is worth hearing? From pioneers like Sir Cliff Richard to pop's Prince Charming Adam Ant to contemporary leading lights like Will Young and Kelly Clarkson, this is the pop life from the inside looking out.