Behind the razzle dazzle of Hollywood, stars lives are marked by dizzying highs and devastating lows, drug and alcohol abuse, triumph and tragedy, all played out in the glare of global fame. In this series six 20th icons come under the spotlight: we revisit their key roles, reveal what was happening off camera and re-examine their lives with fresh perspectives, with extraordinary access to their friends, family and those who know them best.

We feature tragic trailblazer Marilyn Monroe, diamond-studded survivor of multiple addictions, Elizabeth Taylor, and Jackie Kennedy Onassis, who hid private pain under a glacial exterior. Then there is John Travolta, King of Cool, whose life has been a rollercoaster of public success and private tragedy, Patrick Swayze, haunted cowboy come ballet dancer, and Clint Eastwood.