The stories of the biggest artists in the world. We delve deep into the BBC archive and speak to the people who were there, as we look back on their most iconic eras.
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In the final part of Eras: Phil Collins, Zoe Ball sits down with the man himself for a new and exclusive conversation, encompassing everything from Phil’s earliest aspirations as a kid with a drum set to his poignant reflections at the other end of an incredible career. Featuring special appearances from Robert Plant, Mike Rutherford and Phil’s son, Nic Collins, it’s an emotional grand finale – with Phil reflecting on the private price he paid for so much success, and the health struggles that h...
In the 1990s, Phil Collins’ status as rock and roll’s resident nice guy is thrown into question after the collapse of his second marriage, the leak of a certain fax, and a subsequent tabloid frenzy. Bruised by the experience, Phil begins a gradual retreat from the industry – moving to Switzerland, then quitting Genesis, and ultimately announcing his own ‘Final Farewell Tour’ in 2004. But retirement is easier said than done. Zoe Ball follows Phil Collins through an epic and emotional final act, a...
In 1985, after a couple of massive singles and an Oscar nomination, Phil Collins stands on the precipice of global megastardom. Then comes No Jacket Required, Live Aid, a red hot hit streak with Genesis – and he’s hurled over the edge. From time zone defying Concorde operatics to soundtracking – and starring in – Miami Vice, Zoe Ball charts Phil’s imperial era. The critics might be giving him a hard time, but in stadiums all over the world legions of fans sing every word to his constantly expand...
It’s the dawn of the 1980s, and Phil’s life has been thrown into turmoil by the breakdown of his marriage – but amidst the heartbreak, he finds a new drive to create. Zoe Ball follows Phil Collins as he steps away from Genesis and makes his first, unforgettable statement as a solo artist. The album – and a certain drum fill in its opening track – propel Phil to the status of Britain’s most unassuming popstar. With it comes his first taste of both the highs and lows of so much exposure. Opportuni...
Who’s that cherubic lad, beaming out from the cover of a 9 penny knitting pattern? Meet young Philip Collins – a boy born with two distinct paths laid out before him. Follow his dad into the world of office work and suburban domesticity? Or listen to that voice that tells him to climb onto stage, any stage, and perform? In episode one of Eras: Phil Collins – Zoe follows Phil as he receives his first toy drum, age three, and discovers a lifelong obsession. One that will ultimately lead him to his...
Hosted by comedian and lifelong Queen super fan Bill Bailey, this latest installment of the ERAS series dives deep into the story of the band told through the prism of their operatic masterpiece, Bohemian Rhapsody, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025. Bill sits down for brand-new conversations with Brian May and Roger Taylor, Queen’s legendary guitarist and drummer, who look back on their extraordinary journey, and the legacy of their most famous song. Photo Credit: Mick Rock 1974, 202...
In this episode of Eras: Queen, Bill Bailey tells the story of the band's most poignant and powerful chapter. By the start of the 90s, Queen knew time was running short as Freddie Mercury was gravely ill. Instead of slowing down, they pushed forward, making another album, Innuendo, and creating the video for "These Are The Days Of Our Lives," Freddie’s final on-camera appearance. This episode explores the profound impact of Freddie's public announcement of his AIDS diagnosis, followed by his pas...
This episode of Eras: Queen, Bill Bailey explores the emotional and creative toll of fame on the band. After a breakneck pace in the previous decade, Queen quietly disappear from the spotlight in the early 80s, each member pursuing solo projects. They return sharper with renewed clarity for their next album, The Works, culminating in their iconic Live Aid performance in 1985. A year later, Queen continue their role as global icons, performing behind the Iron Curtain in Budapest. Now fully back i...
Bill Bailey tells the story of Queen and in the second episode it's 1975, and Queen are on the brink of failure. With financial issues they are exhausted and overlooked, but take a huge gamble on something long, weird, and radio-unfriendly: Bohemian Rhapsody. As the world turns to Queen we explore their evolution into stadium-shaking titans throughout the late 1970s. Through archive and new interviews, including journalist David Quantick and singer Adam Lambert, we see how Queen were on a roll w...
Bill Bailey tells the story of rock's most flamboyant and iconic band. In the first episode of Eras: Queen, it's the late 60s, and four outsiders with academic brains collide in London. We find out how Freddie, Brian, Roger, and John were drawn together through college friendships and a shared creative vision. In the first half of the 70s, they played college gigs and support tours, started to refine their live show and build an audience proving they could command the attention of their growing ...
This episode chronicles Bob Marley's final years, highlighting his unwavering commitment to music and activism despite his cancer diagnosis. It delves into his passionate love for football, his defiant stance against his illness, and the significant political impact of his "Survival" and "Uprising" albums, including his legendary performance at Zimbabwe's independence celebration. The episode also explores the creation of the posthumous "Legend" album, which cemented his status as a global icon and reggae's mightiest ambassador, whose message of "one love" continues to inspire generations worldwide.
Trevor Nelson tells the story of Reggae’s first and greatest superstar. In Episode 3 of Eras: Bob Marley, it’s an election year - and Jamaica is rocked by political turmoil. Bob is living peacefully at his home in Kingston, but when violence comes to 56 Hope Road, his days in the city are numbered. The next chapter of his story will cement his legacy as the King of Reggae - an icon whose impact goes far beyond music alone. Featuring brand new interviews with friends, fans and collaborators, plus...
Trevor Nelson tells the story of Reggae’s first and greatest superstar. In the second episode of Eras: Bob Marley, it’s 1972, and The Wailers find themselves in London. When a strange twist of fate puts them in front of Island Records’ Chris Blackwell, a new chapter begins for Bob, Peter and Bunny. But under the pressure of life on the road, tensions grow between the old friends - and something has to give. As the eyes of the world turn to Bob Marley, a golden age of Reggae begins. Featuring bra...
Rock Star. Poet. Visionary. Peacemaker. Trevor Nelson tells the story of Reggae’s first and greatest superstar, Bob Marley. In the years since his death in 1981, Bob Marley has become an icon unlike any other. In Episode One of Eras: Bob Marley, you’ll discover where his story began. From the rural village of Nine Mile to the yards of Kingston, follow Bob’s first steps into the music industry, and his earliest encounters with the band that would make him famous - The Wailers. Featuring brand new...
Rock Star. Poet. Visionary. Peacemaker. He’s sold tens of millions of records - but his influence goes far beyond music. He’s one of the most recognisable faces on Earth - but how much do you know the man behind the smile? As the world celebrates 80 years of Bob Marley, Trevor Nelson sits down with Cedella and Skip Marley to hear their personal takes on the enduring legend of Reggae’s first and greatest superstar.
Storyteller. Activist. Superstar. This is the story of Sting. Vernon Kay is your guide to one of British music’s most individual artists. In Episode One, you’ll hear the stories, and the music, that shaped Sting’s early life. From the terraces of Wallsend to Punk-era London, where a single phone call changed his destiny forever. Told in Sting’s own words through the BBC archive, and featuring brand new interviews with friends, fans and collaborators, you’ll get to know the man behind the name. A...
When Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers formed the Police, none of them could have predicted the phenomenon that they would become. In Episode Two, we follow the band from the start of that journey to their world-dominating peak. In 5 years, they’ll go from grubby bars to the home of arena rock - Shea Stadium. Along the way, they’ll produce some of the defining hits of a generation. But as Sting asserts himself as a songwriter, tensions brew… and something has to give. Featuring rare BBC a...
The Police are no more. But Sting never rests on his laurels. In Episode Three, Vernon Kay follows the first stages in a solo career spanning four decades. Embracing his origins in Jazz, and his magpie instinct for melody, Sting joins the ranks of the great British soloists. At the same time, he’ll help to forge the bond between pop music and philanthropy that still exists today. Through the BBC archive and brand new interviews, you’ll hear how Sting embraced the new, honed his craft, and fought...
When you’ve been in the game for as long as Sting has, it’s tempting to just keep giving the people what they want. But that’s just not him, is it? In Episode Four, Vernon Kay finds Sting in a place in which inspiration is everything. Whether it’s a lute album, a turn on Broadway, traditional folk or Reggae, Sting refuses to be pinned down. That’s the attitude that’s won him millions of fans, the respect of his peers, and a musical legacy that only a handful of stars can match. And in his eighth...
They’re famous for their marriages, divorces, and impossibly perfect pop songs. But how much do you really know about ABBA? In this series, Sara Cox is your guide to Sweden’s biggest musical export. When Benny, Bjorn, Agnetha and Anni-Frid won the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, their lives changed forever. But that win didn’t come easy. Because the road to Waterloo is a long one. It took years of hard work, and the combination of four world-class talents - each of them already successful in their...
With Waterloo, ABBA became an international act. But in the aftermath, they were almost written off as one-hit wonders. In Episode 2 of ABBA: Eras, Sara Cox tells the story of how the group pulled themselves back from the brink of obscurity - and found legions of new fans a very long way from Sweden. Featuring rare BBC archive, expert interviews and lashings of ABBA’s indelible pop, this is your window into the musical genius and sheer perseverance that brought ABBA to their rightful place at th...
It’s 1979, and ABBA are one of the world’s most famous bands. But beneath their successful surface, things are changing. In Episode 3, Sara Cox follows the band to the peak of their career. As ABBA release some of their most iconic and sophisticated music, their personal relationships come under incredible strain. The band play on - but how long can they really last? Through the BBC Archive and brand new interviews, we chronicle the beginning of the end for the masters of the scene....
After a wildly successful but grueling decade, ABBA were no more. Their ‘indefinite hiatus’ allowed each member of the group to follow their own path. But nothing lasts forever - not even endings. In Episode 4, Sara Cox tells the story of a comeback like no other. From pop history’s greatest Greatest Hits, to theatrical smashes, Hollywood acclaim and futuristic entertainment experiences, ABBA have achieved a truly timeless legacy. Through the BBC Archive and brand new interviews, you’ll understa...
After establishing themselves as one of music’s pop giants, the ABBA legacy continues in an exciting new chapter - ABBA Voyage. The futuristic and visually groundbreaking show ignites a new love for ABBA, once again. In Episode 5, Sara Cox sits down with the producers of ABBA Voyage - Svana Gisla and Ludvig Andersson (who is also Benny from the band’s son) to discuss how the concept came about, and what really went into creating one of the most talked about shows of the last decade. As Svana and...
Martin Freeman tells the story of the Fab Four’s rise, fall and rebirth - and how they changed the world along the way. In the space of just 8 years, their journey took them from the smoky clubs of Hamburg and Liverpool, to Abbey Road and unprecedented global fame. And when their time together came to an end, each Beatle began anew - creating a body of work that’s still growing today. As the world welcomes Now and Then - the first new music from the Beatles since 1995 - hear a fresh retelling of...
It’s 1964. British Beatlemania is in full swing but, this summer, the Fab Four are about to go global - and nothing can stand in their way. In Part 2 of Eras: The Beatles the band scales new heights as they enter the pop stratosphere on both sides of the Atlantic. From silver-screen adventures to the invention of Stadium Rock, the BBC Archive team have scoured their collection for the interviews that put you right at the heart of those manic months on the road - including an exclusive find that ...
No high lasts forever. And in 1966, the pressures of fame begin to weigh on the globetrotting lives of John, Paul, George and Ringo. From a close-call with military police in the Philippines, to an all-out religious backlash in the United States, the band starts to question whether being a Beatle is quite so fab after all. Maybe it’s time for something new. To become a different band entirely. In Part 3 of Eras: The Beatles, Martin Freeman finds the band at a critical juncture in their story - t...
When tragedy strikes at the end of 1967, the Beatles are faced with an uncertain future. In the months and years to come, cracks begin to show in the foundations of the world’s most powerful musical unit. As each member matured and developed as artists, the end became inevitable. In Part 4 of Eras: The Beatles, Martin Freeman explores the pressures that broke the biggest band on the planet, and the incredible music that this turbulent era produced. From the high-minded psychedelia of Magical Mys...
If you’re in the biggest band there ever was, how do you cope when it all comes crashing down? That’s the question John, Paul, George and Ringo were asking themselves in the spring of 1970, when it was announced that the Beatles were breaking up for good. In Part 5, Martin Freeman arrives at the end of an era - and the start of four more. In the aftermath of the split, recriminations give way to new beginnings - and each individual Beatle embarks on a successful solo career. Rumours of a reunion...
In the final episode of Eras: The Beatles we hear the story behind The Beatles final single ‘Now and Then’, including new interviews with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. Narrated by Martin Freeman, the episode also features insight on the new track from Sean Ono Lennon, Olivia Harrison and Peter Jackson. In 1994, Yoko Ono gave Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr a selection of unfinished demo tapes, recorded by John Lennon in the 1970s. Two of those songs, Free as a Bird and Real Lov...
