Sister act

Way ahead of the Spice Girls, The Beverley Sisters were in fact the first British girl group to break into the American top ten charts. The 'devoted' sisters (as their famous song says) hold a special place in the hearts of the British public, arguably the most successful sister act ever to appear on television. Teddie, Babs and Joy, like many of the best harmony acts, almost knew what the other two were thinking before they themselves did, such was their cohesion and unity. This, of course, was reinforced by the fact that the three blondes were almost identical.

Having started as singers for Ovaltine ads, in 1956 they were invited to sing in America where their records flew up the charts. Following a 7-year TV series and a string of successful Royal Command performances, they became Britain’s highest paid female act with songs including 'Sisters', 'I Saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus' and 'Drummer Boy'. In true rock and roll fashion, they abandoned their singing at the top of their careers to look after their children, who themselves continued the tradition to form a group called the Little Foxes, breaking out of the whiter-than-white Beverley mould by eventually finding fame at the infamous Stringfellow’s night club in central London.