On the evening of 13 February 2007, many of the great and the good in the art world gathered in Christchurch Spitalfields, in London’s East End. They were there to celebrate the opening of a major retrospective of the work of British artists Gilbert and George earlier that evening at Tate Modern. Tonight, in the first programme of a new series of the arts and culture strand, Alan Yentob enters the strange world of Gilbert and George to discover what this unlikely congregation was there to worship.

Since their first appearance as “living sculptures” in the late Sixties, Gilbert and George have persistently taken a provocative, often uncomfortable, look at both their own lives, and the life of the city that continues to inspire their art – London. Alan Yentob is invited into their East End home, where the couple have lived together for the last 40 years – as two people, but one artist – for a truly private view of their lives and their art.

The film also follows the installation and opening of Gilbert and George’s Tate Modern retrospective – the first time British artists have been allowed to exhibit there – and the subsequent press reaction.

As the most productive and long-standing partnership in contemporary art, this unique duo has fascinated, outraged, delighted and confounded the art establishment for four decades. Now they’re both in their sixties, and this intimate portrait reveals why they’re not about to change.

Finally, the film itself offers a first: Gilbert and George will be creating a new artwork unique to Imagine, which audiences can download and print for themselves – for 48 hours after transmission only.

At the end of Imagine, digital viewers can press their Red button and see a specially shot performance by Gilbert and George of their “Bend It” dance. Viewers can play DJ and change the music to which they dance.

Tuesday 8 May
10.35-11.35pm BBC ONE