New BBC 'imagine...' documentary on Pet Shop Boys confirmed for Spring 2024

[vincenzosz]

I wish they would just push out the album…. if memory serves me correct hotspot leaked onto YouTube just a few days before release. I suspect the same thing will happen in a few days. Why not head it off at the pass and release it now I say.

People will just buy it… Whereas a lot of people can’t contain themselves and will download it from YouTube and maybe never get around to buying it

That’s not how it works with streaming platforms. There’s a lead time of several weeks. You can’t just change the release date.

I agree with you glenn. I actually got the dates mixed up and I somehow convinced myself it was coming out this week. I opened up Spotify Thursday night in Canada and was so disappointed at my foolish oversight.
Now I’m dying to have to wait another week!

[Parkol]

I didn't understand the role of the man in the glasses. Like he's a famous journalist in England or something? First of all, he's very old, he hardly knows anything about music, design, electronic music, etc.
It looked ridiculous, he sat there and asked hardly any questions. What was the point of calling him for an interview?
He looked like he was called to interview people he knew nothing about, but there was nowhere to go - they were paying him money.

I can't understand the point of him being in the movie.

[Straight_Talker]

I didn't understand the role of the man in the glasses. Like he's a famous journalist in England or something? First of all, he's very old, he hardly knows anything about music, design, electronic music, etc.
It looked ridiculous, he sat there and asked hardly any questions. What was the point of calling him for an interview?
He looked like he was called to interview people he knew nothing about, but there was nowhere to go - they were paying him money.

I can't understand the point of him being in the movie.

He’s the series editor. Basically he made the programme. His name is Alan Yentob.

[Parkol]

He’s the series editor. Basically he made the programme. His name is Alan Yentob.

Thank you. For some reason I thought he was more into politics or movies.
The movie was very good, the only thing is that it wasn't consistent chronologically.

[telys]

I didn't understand the role of the man in the glasses. Like he's a famous journalist in England or something? First of all, he's very old, he hardly knows anything about music, design, electronic music, etc.
It looked ridiculous, he sat there and asked hardly any questions. What was the point of calling him for an interview?
He looked like he was called to interview people he knew nothing about, but there was nowhere to go - they were paying him money.

I can't understand the point of him being in the movie.

He’s the series editor. Basically he made the programme. His name is Alan Yentob.

Well we only hear the answers, not the questions. It's not an interviewer's job to appear "smart", the job is to get info out to the public.

[Remark]

I didn't understand the role of the man in the glasses. Like he's a famous journalist in England or something? First of all, he's very old, he hardly knows anything about music, design, electronic music, etc.
It looked ridiculous, he sat there and asked hardly any questions. What was the point of calling him for an interview?
He looked like he was called to interview people he knew nothing about, but there was nowhere to go - they were paying him money.

I can't understand the point of him being in the movie.

He’s the series editor. Basically he made the programme. His name is Alan Yentob.

It's good to know that he's the editor, because I too was underwhelmed with his presence. I agree that it appeared as though he was intending to interview them in the traditional sense but in fact he asked hardly anything and didn't even probe the answers to explore them further. Also I felt the screen time and footage of that interview portion, in that very cool room with the camera setup, was disproportionately used.

BUT this was an epic documentary. It was missing some substantial parts of their career (which have been mentioned already) and I agree it spent too much time on their origin story / imperial phase, but overall it was great to see so much new footage and our Boys just being themselves. Could have used another 30 minutes to an hour of such a wonderful show! So excited for the rest of this week...Monday night's stream, Thursday with Jo Whiley, FRIDAY (!!), and then I'm doing a 3 hour DJ livestream release party on my Twitch channel on Sunday the 28th. So giddy!

[King1968]

I think you have to remember the programme wasn't just made for us ardent fans ,being on BBC1 the bbc are hoping non ardent or causal fans would have watched it

[TallThinMan]

I didn't understand the role of the man in the glasses. Like he's a famous journalist in England or something? First of all, he's very old, he hardly knows anything about music, design, electronic music, etc.

How do you know what Alan Yentob knows about when you didn’t know who he is?

[Harry]

I didn't understand the role of the man in the glasses. Like he's a famous journalist in England or something? First of all, he's very old, he hardly knows anything about music, design, electronic music, etc.
It looked ridiculous, he sat there and asked hardly any questions. What was the point of calling him for an interview?
He looked like he was called to interview people he knew nothing about, but there was nowhere to go - they were paying him money.

I can't understand the point of him being in the movie.

‘imagine…’ is Alan Yentob’s show. This film is part his series on the BBC. They didn’t “bring him in”, rather he brought them in. He has been making high-profile arts documentaries for the BBC for decades. He is particularly famous for the film about David Bowie called ‘Cracked Actor’.

His interviewing style is to let his subjects speak, and not to show a lot of his conversation with them. The film being by Alan Yentob is probably a large part of why the Pets agreed to do it. He is a prestige documentary-maker.

Given his career, including being the BBC’s Head of Music and Arts, I imagine he knows a huge amount about music, art, design and culture in general.

[Nickname]

Listening the first recorded version of West End Girls was a highlight for everyone (fans and a wider audience).

[Parkol]

How do you know what Alan Yentob knows about when you didn’t know who he is?

He didn't seem very interested in the Pet Shop Boys.

[TallThinMan]

How do you know what Alan Yentob knows about when you didn’t know who he is?

He didn't seem very interested in the Pet Shop Boys.

Well he was interested enough to commission an 88 minute documentary about them…

[Parkol]

Well he was interested enough to commission an 88 minute documentary about them…

I thought it was not his idea but the BBC management's, as I think the PSBs are a national treasure in England. And in the run up to the album they decided to release a movie.

[Spittingcat]

Yentob is in the privileged position of doing whatever he wants... he's been the boss of just about everyone currently in "BBC management" on the programming side at some point.

[daveid]

How do you know what Alan Yentob knows about when you didn’t know who he is?

He didn't seem very interested in the Pet Shop Boys.

Because he wasn't gurning and fawning like a t***? He's a highly experienced veteran of the business with his career largely behind him, not some bright-eyed and bushy-tailed young pop fan.

Love the bit where he looks at the box with Neil's hat inside and just stares at the camera.