One Direction 'nothing compared to the Beatles'
The premiere of a documentary about the lives of One Direction takes place in London's Leicester Square on Tuesday evening.
The Today programme's Sima Kotecha has been meeting fans who have been camping there to catch a glimpse of Harry, Louis, Niall, Zayn and Liam.
Hunter Davies, who wrote the only authorised biography of The Beatles, told the Today programme: "Several hundred fans in Leicester Square is nothing.
"When the Beatles went in and out from London Airport there were 10,000 screaming fans every time."
Ruth Barnes, music reporter for BBC 6 Music, says fans feel they have a connection the band because they can contact them via Twitter.
"That's maybe the shift in the fan role, they are so much more part of it. Some may call them crazy, others may call them dedicated."
First broadcast on the Today programme on Tuesday 20 August.
20 Aug 2013
- From the section Entertainment & Arts