Last year's Steps Reunion was our guilty pleasure TV pick of 2011. In fact, it was pretty much everyone's guilty pleasure TV pick.
The '90s all-singing (and miming), all-dancing, shiny-teethed pop collective split acrimoniously in 2001. After much persuasion and cajoling (and presumably the lack of a phone call from Strictly or I'm a Celebrity), the gang got back together and filmed all the tears and tantrums of their reunion over what appeared to be the longest (and most awkward) dinner party of all time.
Revelations and glaring evils flashed across the dinner table, as well as awkward moments where everyone had to pretend they hadn't noticed Claire's weight gain. It was part TV comedy, part fascinating insight into the behind-the-scenes dramas and ridiculous behaviours of popstars. Bickering about who sings what line, secret affairs with managers, more bickering about lines.
The success of the show and a healthy dose of nostalgia meant that Steps sold out a monster-sized arena tour, they returned to the No.1 spot on the album charts and they've got a second series. Hurrah!
In fact, there's so much love for the Steps that there were over 500 auditioning dancers for the tour. "Steps are my all-time favourite band," says one chap, without a whiff of irony. "I always wanted to be Lisa," says one girl. Another super-fan ends up performing her routine in tears as she discovers that her height (5ft2) doesn't meet the requirements (5ft6). Her hysterics and wonky elbow dance moves are what can only be described as a 'tragedy' (sorry, we couldn't resist).
On the Road Again follows the strict - but brilliant - format of series one and the end product is the same. Hilariously silly telly.
Lisa Scott-Lee weeps every two minutes, even at one point bordering on tears when she remembering former tears. Meanwhile, Lee Latchford-Evans does a cracking David Brent ("That's where I shine - on stage. That's what people have always told me").
Faye Tozer plays mumsy of the group, clearly annoying the rest senseless by taking everything so bloody seriously. H remains the most likely candidate to get punched by one of his bandmates, but Claire Richards is pushing him close for that accolade.
Whether banging on about her weight ("Some people can go on a treadmill for an hour and feel better. I like to eat pizza"), talking about her weight some more ("I've spent most of the last four years losing loads of weight, putting back it on") or having to deal with stares and glares from Faye and Lisa over decade old tensions over who gets the first verse in 'One For Sorrow', she remains the centre point for most of the show's funniest moments.
Claire's decision to release an autobiography potentially spilling the beans on the rest of the group's worst behaviour looks the most likely skewer to the group's big tour plans. The fact that she still hasn't even told the group that she's doing it makes her literary debut the likely blue touch paper for future tantrums in the series.
Throw in Lee's engagement, H starting a family, Faye putting off her family and the fact that Lisa can't even be bothered to get off her arse in Dubai and join the rehearsals and you've got a whole new web of storylines, inter-band hatred and blubbering bust-ups to look forward to.
"At the moment... I want to say goodbye," said H at the end of tonight's episode. Bring on the tears!
