Sophie Monk’s former Bardot bandmate Belinda Chapple on new TV series about a fictional girl group

Belinda Chapple is set to expose the inner workings of the music industry as the producer of a new television series, Paper Dolls. 

The show will document the rise of a fictional, manufactured pop group called Indigo – and considering her explosive time in Bardot, art may imitate life. 

Speaking to Stellar Magazine, the 47-year-old say the show is ‘equal parts gritty and aspirational, while shining a revealing light on the behind-the-scenes [world] of the music business’. 

Incoming: Belinda Chapple (pictured) is set to expose the inner workings of the music industry as the producer of a new television series, Paper Dolls

Sophie Monk left Bardot in 2002 amid rumours of bitter feuding in the band, and Belinda admits that the group dramatically imploded. 

‘Bardot was buried, as we all know, very suddenly,’ she told the magazine, and says it’s a different world for musicians these days. 

‘I think it’s wonderful that women feel empowered to have more of a voice now. Having been in the industry for so long, it’s been incredibly exciting to see the lens shift, with the #MeToo movement, for example’ she said. 

Talking: Speaking to Stellar Magazine , the 47-year-old say the show is ‘equal parts gritty and aspirational, while shining a revealing light on the behind-the-scenes [world] of the music business’. Pictured in 2006

While the series may be fiction, there are several parallels in the plot to Belinda’s time in Bardot. 

Indigo has five members, as Bardot did, and they were manufactured on a reality show, again just like Bardot, who rose to fame on the Channel 7 series Popstars in 1999. 

Paper Dolls also features a character described as an ‘extra ambitious member’ who tears the band apart. 

Past: While the show may be fiction, there are several parallels in the plot to Belinda’s time in Bardot. Pictured (L-R): Katie Underwood, Sally Polihronas, Sophie Monk, Tiffani Wood and Belinda Chapple in Bardot in 2001

Sophie left Bardot in 2002 in pursuit of a solo music career, before heading to Hollywood where she landed work in the hit show Entourage, as well as films such as Adam Sandler’s Click. 

Ainslie Clouston, who is the show’s creator, said of the series: ‘We are so thrilled to bring the very exciting story of Paper Dolls to life. We can’t wait to unleash the glitter, grit, and all things pop-stardom from the year 2000 back on to screens.’ 

Filming on the Paper Dolls will begin in Sydney later this year, with the series set to hit TV screens in 2023 on Channel Ten and Paramount+.

Memories: Indigo has five members, as Bardot did, and they were manufactured on a reality show, again just like Bardot, who rose to fame on the Channel 7 series Popstars in 1999

Bardot, consisting of members Katie Underwood, Sally Polihronas, Sophie Monk, Tiffani Wood and Belinda Chapple, was the biggest girl band in Australia after forming on Popstars in 1999.

Despite having success with hit singles such as Poison, the group fell apart after just a few years and disbanded in early 2002.

Former members Katie Underwood and Belinda Chapple have both denied claims by the band’s former manager David Caplice that ‘infighting’ led to the break up. 

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Plot: Paper Dolls also features a character described as an ‘extra ambitious member’ who tears the band apart. Pictured: Sophie Monk and Sally Polihronas in their Bardot days 

Exit: Sophie left Bardot in 2002 in pursuit of a solo music career, before heading to Hollywood. Pictured recently

‘I thought it was quite interesting, because I’ve found that it completely conflicted with my experience,’ Belinda told News Corp.

Belinda acknowledged that sometimes the singers would get stressed due to their commitments to the band, but said: ‘As far as infighting between us girls… it’s just not true.’

Katie added that women in the music industry are expected to be ‘smiles and rainbows’ all the time, while the men are allowed to have mood swings.

‘Now, do those same managers apply the same things to the proliferation of male bands?’ she said.

End: Despite having success with hit singles such as Poison, the group fell apart after just a few years and disbanded in early 2002

Bardot was set to reunite in 2020, minus Sophie Monk, but it didn’t end up happening.

Katie explained it was hard because ‘everyone is at different stages of their life’ and have families and other commitments.

However she told Stellar this week, ‘we’re considering performing together again and will see where it goes.’ 

Denied: Former members Katie Underwood (pictured) and Belinda Chapple have both denied claims by the band’s former manager David Caplice that ‘infighting’ led to the break up

Also in 2020, former manager David Caplice claimed Bardot split following an ‘explosive’ backstage bust-up before their Mardi Gras performance in 2002.

The manager told News Corp at the time that things became ‘adversarial’.

‘I remember the girls became very adversarial to each other towards the end, when envy and infighting was out of control,’ he said.

‘That explosive encounter was the death blow for the band. Bardot could have been the biggest girl band in the world’.

Doing her own thing: Bardot was set to reunite in 2020, minus Sophie Monk, but it didn’t end up happening