"It Wasn't a Happy Divorce"

http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,533167,00.html

Agnetha Fältskog talks about ABBA in a new TV documentary

LONDON

Agnetha Fältskog, 54, has given an interview for British TV for the first time in 20 years.

In the ITV documentary "Super Trouper - 30 years of ABBA", the timid star talks about how the ABBA success ruined her marriage with Björn Ulvaeus, 59. The program will be shown in Great Britain this coming Tuesday.

Amongst other things, Agnetha says: "We always told the media that it was a happy divorce. But it was only to keep up appearances." "There are no happy divorces. They are painful, especially when children are involved." Agnetha and Björn, who divorced in 1979, have two children together - Linda and Christian.

In the upcoming TV documentary, the two [former ABBA] members admit they had totally different views on how family life should be looked after when ABBA was in its heyday.

Split in two

"We didn't have the same priorities. Other female artists with children have surely experienced the same as I did - you are split in two parts. One half really wants to be successful on stage, while the other half only wants to be at home and take care of her children," Agnetha says.

Björn admits it was he that constantly had to press on Agnetha: "As a matter of fact, Agnetha didn't want to travel anywhere. She wanted to be at home. But I thought it was absolutely necessary, that we simply had to... we couldn't miss our big chance out there in the world."

Frida jibes at Björn

"I thought that we could get a babysitter when we were away for only a few days, what difference would that make? But Agnetha didn't want it that way."

According to the newspaper Daily Express, which has previewed the interview, Anni-Frid Lyngstad taunts Björn Ulvaeus. Frida, who divorced from Benny Andersson, implies that Björn used the broken marriage to create songs, including "The Winner Takes It All." "Björn took advantage of what was happening in our private lives," Frida Thunders.

By Peter Wenmann

Caption under photo: DIVORCED IN 1979 In her first British TV interview in 20 years, Agnetha Fältskog talks about the years with ABBA.

Thanks to ABBAMAILers Paul Carter in the UK, Robin Andersson in Sweden and Gabriel Zubowski in Poland