Girlbands Forever review – a thrillingly gobby slice of must-watch TV

<p>With big reveals from All Saints, Sugababes, Eternal and more, this funny and sometimes horrifically frank documentary is super juicy … especially when they slate Spice Girls</p><p>As a pop-cultural moment, the turn-of-the-millennium girl group boom hasn’t exactly been flooded with solemn appraisal and analysis. Wisely, this fantastically entertaining three-part documentary doesn’t attempt to rectify that. Instead, Girlbands Forever reminisces in a manner that is equal parts meaty and frothy. And, yes, often about as stomach-churning as that combination sounds.</p><p>At the heart of this series – the female-focused follow-up to 2024’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/nov/16/boybands-forever-review-take-that-east-17-bbc-documentary">Boybands Forever</a> – is a lot of old ground. Viewers of a certain age will know the trajectories retraced here (the head-spinning arrival of Spice Girls, the scrappy ascent of Atomic Kitten, the existentially challenging lineup rotation of Sugababes, the talent-show conception of Little Mix) and the dominant themes (tabloid hell, merciless management, relentless touring, intraband resentments) like the backs of their faintly wrinkled hands.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/nov/01/girlbands-forever-review-bbc-all-saints-sugababes-eternal">Continue reading...</a>