Nineties boy band Boyzone gets candid in 'atypical' documentary

Thirty years after its creation, the Irish boy band Boyzone members reunite to recount their journey to fame in a new documentary series.

The three-part "Boyzone: No Matter What" tracks the group's beginnings, from open auditions in Dublin in 1993 to the extreme highs and lows over the next three decades.

"We didn't have social media in the '90s. This is our way of showing people what our life was like behind the scenes," said lead singer Ronan Keating as he attended the documentary's premiere in London alongside members Keith Duffy and Shane Lynch.

"Any story needs a start, a middle, and an end. After 30 years, we have that now. That's why this was the time for us to tell this story. It's not an easy watch. It's harrowing, it's difficult, it's upsetting. There are times when it's fun, and there's laughter. It's not a typical boy band watch," Keating said.

Pop impresario Louis Walsh assembled the five-member group, which used newspaper adverts to find Ireland's first boy band.

Boyzone enjoyed worldwide success, selling more than 25 million records worldwide. Its hit songs included "Love Me for a Reason," "Words," and "Picture of You." The group split up in 2000 when Keating began a solo career but later reunited.

Band member Stephen Gately, who caused a sensation in the pop world in 1999 when he announced he was gay, died while on holiday in Spain in 2009, aged 33.

The documentary combines archive material and fresh footage with candid interviews with the band members, Gately's sister, Walsh, and journalists. It reveals strained relationships, resentment, and the toll of Gately's passing. Member Michael Graham, who did not attend Monday's premiere, also shares his experience.

"It was like therapy," said Keating. "I think we did 12 hours each in front of the camera. It took two years. We went through a lot of old footage. It was pretty magical at times, to see all that old footage, but at times it was heartbreaking."

"It was like a counseling session," added Duffy. "I felt like it was a weight off my shoulders to be able to talk about it."

"Boyzone: No Matter What" is out on Sky Documentaries and NOW on February 2.