Life As A Rolling Stone | Preview (BBC Two)

This Summer, the BBC will celebrate sixty glorious years of The Rolling Stones with a star-studded season of programming across television, radio and digital platforms.

The centrepiece is a world-exclusive four-part series of films, My Life as a Rolling Stone, to premiere on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer this summer, produced by Mercury Studios.

It tells the story of one of the world’s greatest rock ‘n’ roll bands in a way that has never been done before - by viewing the band through the musical lens of each member, delving deep into their personalities, passions and memories from the past sixty years.

Four hour-long films, each an intimate portrait of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts, show how these individual musical geniuses came together to make the music that has provided the soundtrack to the lives of millions.

The films feature unrivalled access to and newly-filmed interviews with the band members, and from a stellar cast of artists who’ve loved and been inspired by the band, including P.P. Arnold, Chrissie Hynde, Slash, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner and Steven Tyler.

The landmark series, produced by Mercury Studios for the BBC, will include unseen footage and exclusive stories from Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood interwoven with new and archive interviews and performance.

The story of Charlie Watts, who sadly passed away in August 2021, will be told via tributes from his fellow band members and his musical peers and admirers along with archive interviews of Charlie.

The Rolling Stones created the blueprint for every budding rock band. They have overcome tragedy and controversy to record some of the most instantly recognisable and beloved songs.

They have embraced the full spectrum of popular music from gritty blues to heartrending ballads, from pure pop to hard-edged rock selling millions of records along the way. Since their live debut on 12 July 1962 at London’s Marquee Club, the Stones made stadiums and arenas their home with spectacular global tours over the last six decades.

Each of the four episodes will put one of the Stones in the spotlight, featuring their own personal take on the band, with added contributions about them from each of the other Stones and a cast of incredible contributors.

The four films are:

Mick Jagger

Mick’s creative and commercial vision has been instrumental to The Rolling Stones’ success. He’s steered the band to incredible musical heights, striving to keep them unified through difficulties such fallouts, changing fashions and attitudes. Jagger’s continued fame at the heart of rock and roll is without parallel, and with fellow ‘Glimmer Twin’ Keith Richards he has written and produced many of the greatest rock anthems of all time. How on earth does he do it?

Keith Richards

This is a film about how important his unbridled passion has been to The Rolling Stones, and how the sheer power of playing live keeps them on the road. Keith’s uncompromising passion for the music he loves has driven the band to experiment with varying sounds and genres. And how important has his image of transgression and rebellion been to the legend of the Stones?

Ronnie Wood

Nobody represents fun - and what happens when it isn’t anymore - more than the irrepressible Ronnie Wood. As the godfather of a very British sound and style, he was the one who helped the band regain their mojo through hard times when they needed it most. But, looking back, did the excesses go too far?

Charlie Watts

Watts was a true musician to the core with a lifetime love of jazz, often cited by Mick and Keith as the rock and the glue that held the Stones together. For six decades he was the quiet force and swinging backbeat of the Stones and the least showy drummer in rock history. How did Charlie maintain his reputation as “the drummer’s drummer”, the unruffled mainstay and linchpin of the band, oblivious to the temptations of fame, but crucial to the band’s success?

Begins Saturday 2nd July on BBC Two.