Channel 4 look at the life of Paula Yates
Paula Yates, TV presenter, author and journalist, was one of the most famous British women of the 1980s and 1990s. Appearing on some of the most iconic TV shows of the era, presenting both The Tube and star interviews via The Big Breakfast on Channel 4, Yates redefined what it was to be a woman onscreen.
Fiercely intelligent, outrageously flirtatious and effortlessly cool, Paula also had her personal life played out daily in the tabloid press – and would experience the full impact of what it means to be a woman in the public eye.
Yates was famous for her rockstar partners – married first to Bob Geldof and then in a relationship with Michael Hutchence, the lead singer of Australian rock band INXS. Now a two-part series re-examines Paula on her own terms, exploring the huge influence she had, and the difficulties she faced as a result of her fame. After the tragic death of Michael Hutchence in 1997, Paula recorded a series of interviews that have never been broadcast until now.
Jools Holland and Paula Yates, The Tube. TTTV/Channel 4
Using these audio tapes, as well as contributions from many of those who were close to her, Paula both celebrates Yates but also explores the pressures she faced, and gives her a voice in the telling of her story. Paula’s close friend Belinda Brewin was the executor of her estate after Paula’s death in 2000. Brewin was at her side for many of the happiest moments in Paula’s life, as well as the most challenging times she faced, including the revelation by the press that Paula’s dad was not who she thought he was.
Robbie Williams talks candidly about their friendship for the first time. Sananda Maitreya, who at the time was known as popstar Terence Trent D’Arby, discusses the affair he had with Paula – and what happened when they were found out.
Part One, which begins on Monday (March 13th), focuses on Paula’s rise to fame, her ground-breaking appearances on The Tube, (Tyne Tees Television for Channel 4, 1982-87). This music and comedy showcase saw Yates interviewing some of the biggest popstars in the world, and the huge fame she and her husband Bob Geldof experienced after the success of global charity Live Aid.
Celebrity stylist and friend Nicky Clarke explores the relationship Paula had with the press and how she made herself into a brand. Fellow Big Breakfast presenter Vanessa Feltz discusses the impact Paula had in her notorious ‘on-the-bed’ interviews. And Michael Hutchence’s sister Tina examines what it was like when Paula and Michael became even more sought after by the tabloids after they had a child together.
Jools Holland and Paula Yates, The Tube. TTTV/Channel 4
The second episode, which airs on Tuesday (March 14th), looks at Yate’s career as a writer, the importance of motherhood to her persona, the criticisms she faced, and how she coped in the immediate aftermath of Michael Hutchence’s death. Martin Townsend, editor of OK Magazine at the time, knew Paula from her first job as a music journalist; he recounts how she trusted him enough to interview her at the most difficult time of her life.
In their recorded interviews, Paula opens up about her grief for Michael, the impact of discovering her real father was Hughie Green, as well as her efforts to get help. Although Paula tragically died in 2000 as a result of an accidental heroin overdose, this film shows that she had made huge strides in conquering her demons and planning for the future. With access to an extensive unearthed archive from across Paula’s career, much of it rarely seen, Paula aims to introduce Paula Yates to a new generation and remind everyone just how brilliant she was.
A documentary on Hughie Green, who was revealed to be her father rather than Yorkshire Television personality Jess Yates, airs tonight on Channel 5.
Paula, Channel 4 Monday and Tuesday, March 13th and 14th, at 9pm on Channel 4. The two episodes for this series will be available on All 4 following the transmission of episode one.
Paula Yates, The Tube. TTTV/Channel 4
