Evita: The Making of a Superstar – BBC2

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Evita: The Making of a Superstar - shows Elaine Paige in 1992 as Evita in the musical
(Image credit: Bill Cross/Daily Mail/REX/Shutte)

Suzy Klein travels into the world of musical theatre and the colourful landscapes of Argentina, to discover the story behind one of the West End's most celebrated characters - Evita

In June 1978 a new musical opened in London’s West End that was unlike anything that had gone before.

Evita, starring Elaine Paige and written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, made Eva Perón, the first lady of Argentina in the 1940s, a global icon.

Now, 40 years on, writer and broadcaster Suzy Klein wants to know who the real Eva Perón was.

President Juan Peron and his wife Evita wave from a balcony

Argentina's President Juan Peron and his wife Evita wave from a balcony

She talks to Tim Rice and Elaine Paige about their interpretation of the glamorous woman who rose to power despite her impoverished roots, and travels to Argentina to discover more about the real Eva, a controversial figure even today.

Suzy also reveals the bizarre story of what happened to Eva’s body after she died at just 33.

TV Times rating: ****

Mandy Cooper
Mandy Cooper
TV Times Highlights Editor

As TV Times Highlights Editor I get to hear about all the latest TV shows coming soon. Here at TVT HQ we are in the privileged position of selecting the best programmes from across all the channels and streaming platforms. Our mission is to make it easier for our readers to decide what to watch - and give them lots of choice of genres - all the latest shows, plus some nostalgic choices we call hidden gems, too. My career began with a postgraduate degree in periodical journalism (ahem, yes old school!) in 1991 and I’ve worked in TV media since 2000.