I was told to abort my baby...

Shocking secrets of the 90s girl bands

- SHELLEY SPADONI

The highs and the shocking lows of some of the biggest girl bands of the 1990s are revealed in a documentary that lays bare body-shaming, abortions and secrets.

The BBC2 two-parter Girlbands Forever explores not only the hordes of adoring fans, swanky hotels and sold-out stadiums, but also a darker underbelly of what was considered necessary to hit the big-time.

Featuring powerful insights from members of Sugababes, Atomic Kitten, Eternal, Mis-teeq and Little Mix, the film lifts the veil on what it meant to be in a successful girl band in the nineties and early noughties.

Created by acclaimed broadcaster Louis Theroux, 55, and following last year's eye-opening three-part documentary about boy bands, one of its most incredible testimonies comes from Melanie Blatt, of All Saints.

Melanie claims she was pressured into getting an abortion at the height of the band's fame alongside her bandmate Nicole Appleton, now both 50. The Never Ever singer, who was expecting a baby with Jamiroquai bassist Stuart Zender at the time, maintains she was told having a baby would ruin the band.