The life and times of the Chippendales troupe at first glance seems pretty clear-cut: a group of oiled-up, ripped men who strip off for hen parties and take over the globe. But diving into the true story is far more shocking and murkier: a tale of bitter rivalry and jealousy resulting in arson, hitmen and murder.

There’s previously been a podcast devoted to the history behind the strippers (Welcome To Your Fantasy, 2021), two movies (The Chippendales Murder in 2000 and Just Can’t Get Enough in 2002), a TV series (Curse of The Chippendales, 2022) and a docu-series (Secrets of the Chippendales Murders, 2022). Think you’re all Chippendaled out? Think again.

From the same makers of Pam & Tommy, a new eight-part series, Welcome To Chippendales - on Hulu in the US and Disney+ in the UK - will dramatise the action once again. Set against the backdrop of the sleazy ‘80s Los Angeles, this retelling features a stellar cast including Kumail Nanjiani, Juliette Lewis, Dan Stevens, Murray Bartlett (fresh from shitting in a suitcase in The White Lotus) and the new Mrs Brooklyn Beckham, Nicola Peltz:

What is the true story behind the Chippendales?

Ironically, the Chippendales were set up as a female-friendly strip club that side-stepped the common criminal escapades that usually went on behind them: gangland owners, violence and money-laundering.

Back in 1975, Somen “Steve” Banerjee (played by Najiani in the new series) bought an ailing bar in West Los Angeles called Destiny II. As an entrepreneur, he was looking for a concept that would make him rich, so he toyed around with several ideas for him to amass his own fortune: a mud-wrestling bar, perhaps, or on the other end of the scale, a backgammon bar. But he was apparently inspired by a rival bar who flipped the idea of stripping on its head for the time, and Banerjee eventually settled on a similar concept of a “classy” burlesque show for women.

Lara Solanki

The hunks would be topless, apart from cuffs, a bow-tie and collar, before writhing around and stripping on stage. Banerjee called the bar Chippendales and it launched officially in 1979 with its “Male Exotic Dance Night for Ladies Only”. The concept was a total smash and Banerjee soon launched clubs in New York, Dallas and Denver and sent troupes across the world.

Enter the Emmy-award-winning producer Nick de Noia. De Noia (Bartlett’s character) was brought on to take the Chippendales to even further heights, however Banerjee became jealous. Speaking with The Independent, Candace Mayeron, an associate producer for the revue from 1981 to 1987, said: “Nick was getting the credit for Chippendales and was getting half of the door. He was jealous of Nick’s ability to handle all the attention.”

Though de Noia eventually stopped working for Banerjee, a fight about licensing over the Chippendales name kicked off. Banerjee was unhappy with an arrangement - which had been scribbled on a cocktail napkin - that gave de Noia the rights to the tour. He hired a hitman - through an associate and former policeman, Ray Colon (Robin de Jesús) - to kill de Noia. The paid gunman walked into de Noia’s office and shot him in his face in 1987.

While de Noia’s murder went unsolved for several years, Banerjee became even more unhinged. He arranged to firebomb rival clubs, and then his sights turned on to the UK, and a copycat band of men called Adonis.

Erin Simkin

In 1990, a hitman known as “Strawberry” was given cyanide-filled syringes and sent to Blackpool to take out three beefcake nemesis, however Strawberry ended up confessing the plan to the FBI.

Banerjee pleaded guilty to attempted arson, racketeering, and murder for hire, and after accepting a plea deal was looking at up to 26 years in jail. However, on October 23, 1994, hours before he was due to be sentenced, he died by suicide.

Despite all the shocking drama, the Chippendales are still going strong now - “a whirlwind of sexy goodness”, according to their website - and are apparently seen by an almost unbelievable two million people a year in tour dates across the globe.

‘Welcome To Chippendales’ streams on Disney+ in the UK from January 11

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