Filmed: Thursday 25 March 1999
Location: London, UK
Broadcast: Thursday 25 March 1999, LIVE, ITV1, UK
Release status: Unreleased
Shown in: UK
Björn was a guest on this programme two days after the first preview opened for Mamma Mia! and was interviewed by Fiona Phillips and Eamonn Holmes in the first part of the programme, GMTV. Other guests in the studio (though not on screen at the same time as Björn) were RAF Navigator (held hostage in Iraq in 1991) John Nicholl and singer Jayne McDonald.
Earlier in the programme, ABBA fan Kathryn Courtney-O'Neill showed off her ABBA collection to reporter Kathleen Wood. From the studio, Fiona asked Kathryn four questions:
As Kathryn obviously got the simple questions correct, she was told she could talk to Björn later on in the programme.
At 7:34, Björn's section began with a montage of clips: Waterloo from Top of the Pops, Dancing Queen (1992), Super Trouper PROMO and Take a Chance on Me PROMO.
Björn came across as quite shy and tired and much was made of the fact it was early in the morning. Björn mentioned that the show originally had 27 ABBA songs in it but were now down to 25 (presumably the two missing were Summer Night City which WAS included in the first Preview night and Just Like That which wasn't in the first Preview but it WAS in the printed programme for the Previews).
One viewer's question - from a certain Sara Barnes - was put to Björn, "Why was the song Just Like That left out of the preview performances of Mamma Mia! when it was in the programme?" The answer was that it was decided at the last minute that it "didn't move the story along".
As promised, Kathryn got to ask her question to Björn: "What do you consider the highlight of your career?" Björn mentioned there were several but particularly mentioned winning the Eurovision Song Contest because it was the "only chance we had to be seen outside of Sweden". Björn then invited Kathryn to the opening night party on 6 April!
Eamonn Holmes then asked Björn whether he'd seen any of the tribute bands but he hadn't, although he'd heard of them.
In the second part of the programme, Lorraine Live, Björn talked to Lorraine Kelly and got to meet three fans, Teresa, Sharon and Peter (surnames were not given), two of whom were in ABBA costumes. These fans all got to ask Björn a question:
Teresa asked what he thought of the tribute bands and Björn replied that he was very flattered (he obviously hadn't SEEN some of them then!)
Sharon asked out of all the songs he'd written, which was his favourite? Björn said it was impossible to answer.
Peter asked whether they'd ever been tempted to re-group? Björn answered with a strong, "No!", adding that "we're the group that never came back!"
Finally, Björn presented Teresa, Sharon and Peter each with a gift of the ABBA Singles Collection box (the biscuit tin) and a copy of the ABBA Gold Signatures (1992) CD.
YouTube link c/o Teresa Phillips