BBC Two to explore celebrity culture in new documentary series

BBC Two is to explore the rise of celebrity culture in a brand new documentary series.

Celebrity: A 21st Century Story will air over four, hour long episodes.

The BBC say: “The world of celebrity has, in just 20 years, gone through a set of seismic changes driven by some of the most dramatic technological and cultural developments in recent times.

“From the early days of reality television through the rise of social media stars to the phenomenon of the celebrity politician, our complicated obsession with fame now impacts every aspect of our lives from the things we read, watch and buy to who we vote for.

“Today, celebrity is currency. It has made some in the industry millions of pounds, but for others fame has come at a terrible cost. The people pulling the strings and the celebrities themselves are ready to lift the lid on the realities of the fame machine.”

Those appearing in the series include Katie Price, Charlotte Church, Ed Balls, Kerry Katona, Spencer Matthews, Rachel Johnson, Rebecca Loos, Jamie Genevieve, Georgia Toffolo, Amy Childs, Stanley Johnson, Omarosa Manigault Newman & Lord Sugar alongside a host of industry figures and journalists including Matt Frei, Perez Hilton and former newspaper editors David Yelland, Dawn Neesom & Martin Townsend.

Abigail Priddle, Commissioning Editor said: “With famous faces and household names offering us their candid reflections on the price and power of fame, this series is a fascinating exploration into the cult of celebrity, which has become such a defining feature of the past 20 years, and offers a tantalising glimpse ‘behind the curtain’ at how the celebrity machine actually works.”

Celebrity: A 21st Century Story will start BBC Two at 9PM on Tuesday 29 December.