If we'd talked about how we felt, maybe Robbie would not have left

Band on glory days and their fans

- SARA WALLIS

My fingertips once brushed the hand of Mark Owen and I swear to God if my friend hadn't been there to catch me, I might have passed out.

Like millions of others, I spent the 90s in a haze of Take That adoration, and although I didn't quite call the helpline when the band split up, I was bereft.

Being a Take That fan is not just a teen memory, it lasts a lifetime. I may have stalked Robbie Williams at the Mirror's Pride of Britain Awards (sorry, boss) and my friends and I still scrabble for concert tickets and scream crazily.

And in return the band Gary Barlow, 52, Mark Owen, 51, and Howard Donald, 55 - have a unique love for their fans.

ITVX today airs an exclusive documentary, 30 Years in the Making, in which Take That delve into their special relationship with their faithful followers.

"They're the best in the world. They've been with us all their lives," says Gary.

As well as following the band's journey, and featuring gushing commentary from stars including Alesha Dixon and Sue Perkins, the show also tells the story of the making of the film Greatest Days, released in cinemas on Friday.