Tracy Beaker Returns is a BAFTA winning British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 children's television series

Children's television series

Children's television series, are commercial television programs designed for, and marketed to children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run in the early evening, for the children that go to school...

, which premiered on 8 January 2010 on CBBC

CBBC Channel

CBBC is a BBC television channel aimed at 6 to 12 year olds. It complements the CBBC programming that continues to air on BBC One and BBC Two. Launched on 11 February 2002, it broadcasts from 7am to 7pm on Freeview, cable, IPTV and digital satellite, occupying the same bandwidth as, but a different...

 and BBC HD

BBC HD

BBC HD is a high-definition television network provided by the BBC. The service was initially run as a trial from 15 May 2006 until becoming a full service on 1 December 2007...

. Based upon the novels by Jacqueline Wilson

Jacqueline Wilson

Dame Jacqueline Wilson, DBE, FRSL is an award-winning English author, known for her vast and diverse work in children's literature. Her novels have been adapted numerous times for television, and commonly deal with such challenging themes as adoption, divorce and mental illness...

, It is the spin-off series to The Story of Tracy Beaker

The Story of Tracy Beaker (TV series)

The Story of Tracy Beaker was a television programme adapted from the book of the same name by Jacqueline Wilson. It ran on CBBC for five series, from 2002 to 2006 and also contained a feature length episode, Tracy Beaker's Movie of Me, broadcast in 2004, as well as a week of interactive episodes...

. Two series have already aired, with a third currently in production and due for broadcast in January 2012.

Premise

When Tracy is arrested for using Cam's credit card to publish her autobiography, Tracy seeks refuge at a Dumping Ground. She meets the children who are intrigued by her and her story. Needing to pay Cam back, Tracy asks Mike for a job. As Mike is short-staffed, he agrees to make her an assistant care worker since she knows so much about life in care. Tracy then sets about getting to know the many children and their cases.

Cast and characters

Character	Actor	Duration	Biography
Tracy Beaker	Dani Harmer Dani Harmer Danielle Jane "Dani" Harmer is an English television actress and singer. Harmer is best known as the title character in the UK television programme The Story of Tracy Beaker/Tracy Beaker Returns, and as Molly Venables in the BBC sitcom After You've Gone...	2010-	Tracy grew up in the Dumping Ground as her mother suddenly left her without warning. Eventually, she was adopted by Cam Lawson. She used Cam's credit card to publish her autobiography, but Cam didn't realise it. In order to help pay it back, Tracy returned to the Dumping Ground as an assistant care-worker. At first, she always let the kids down, but eventually she found her feet. Things often get complicated because Tracy often feels she understands the kids better than the adults. Tracy is determined and bold as ever, but tries her best to do what she thinks is right.
Michael "Mike" Milligan	Connor Byrne	2010-	Mike is the head care worker and has known Tracy since she was a kid. He's friendly and easy-going, but will lay down the law if he has to! Mike always tries to see the best in people and will do anything to help the kids. Tracy can make things tricky for Mike sometimes, especially when she bends the rules, but they are good friends.
Gina Conway	Kay Purcell Kay Purcell Kay Purcell is a British actress. She is widely known for her role as Cynthia Daggert in Emmerdale, as well as for Candice Smilie in Waterloo Road, and as Gina Conway in Tracy Beaker Returns.-Television Roles:...	2010-	Gina is the deputy head care-worker in Tracy Beaker Returns. She is quite strict, but is very fond of the children and cares deeply about all of them. She and Tracy often argue, usually about Tracy's 'amazing' plans. To break up arguments between the kids, she often screams very loudly... it usually works!
Lily Kettle	Jessie Williams	2010-	Lily was 10 years old when we first met her. She probably has the most complicated journey throughout the 2 series. At the start of series 1, Lily was always looking after her younger sisters, Rosie and Poppy. Often, she got a bit too overprotective, and this became evident when she was fostered with her sisters by the Perrys. She had to return to the Dumping Ground after she refused to let her foster parents take over the care of her sisters. It took her a while to get over the fact that her sisters could grow up without her. By the start of the second series, the Perrys said she could move back in with them, but Lily wasn't sure whether or not she was ready. During a protest to save the Dumping Ground from closure, Lily went to the roof when Christie Perry came to take her home. But she fell off the roof, breaking her leg in the process. Afterwards, she was fostered by Cam and Tracy. Although it took Tracy a while to get used to, she grew to love Lily as a little sister. But everything fell apart when her alcoholic father suddenly reappeared. Although he only came to say sorry, Lily was determined to get back together with him. She went back to her dad, but occasionally came back to the Dumping Ground for respite care. Her best friend is Carmen Howle. Although they sometimes fall out, they usually stick up for each other.
Carmen Howle	Amy-Leigh Hickman Amy Leigh Hickman Amy Leigh Hickman is an English teen actress from St Leonards-On-Sea, East Sussex, best known for her role in the CBBC television series Tracy Beaker Returns, as Carmen Howle.-Career:...	2010-	Carmen was 10 when first seen. She is Lily's best friend. She likes magic, fairies, pink clothes and reading aloud. She also enjoys dressing up, and experimenting with make up. She is a drama queen, and often overreacts. She is devastated when Lily and her sisters get fostered in Series 1. Also, she feels very let down when her mother breaks her promise and so she can't move to Spain with her. In the second series Carmen becomes a lot more bitter after being bullied at Burneywood. She briefly terminates her friendship with Lily, who she blames for her ordeal, but later forgives her. She then tried to befriend Elektra after Lily is fostered by Cam and then moves in with her dad. But when Lily returns to the dumping ground, her relationship with Elektra breaks down. After breaking up with Elektra, Carmen makes friends with her again after saying sorry to her.
Frank Matthews	Chris Slater	2010-	Liam's 14-year-old best friend and sidekick, who has Cerebral Palsy Cerebral palsy Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement.... . Before he was in care, he lived with his granddad, but was taken into care when his granddad became too frail and sick to look after him. However he still sees his granddad regularly and hopes to look after him some day. He cares for him a great deal and Liam stands by him in this. Later on, Frank is devastated when his Granddad dies and he misses the funeral. However, the others build a bench in his memory.
Harry Mason	Philip Graham Scott	2010-	Harry is six years old and will not be separated from best friend Jeff, his toy giraffe. He likes to join in and be included in the bigger kids' games, but he is also quiet and shy, living in his own world. Other than Jeff the giraffe, Harry most enjoys Sapphire's company – he always wants to play with her or find out what she's doing. Sapphire is like a big sister to him and she makes him feel safe.
Gus Carmichael	Noah Marullo Noah Marullo Noah Marullo is a British child actor from Flax Bourton, Somerset. Marullo is best known as his role in CBBC's Tracy Beaker Returns as Gus Carmichael, a character with Asperger syndrome, but has also appeared in Channel Four's Free Agents and the film Last Chance Harvey...	2010-	A 9-year-old boy with Asperger's Syndrome. Gus remembers everything he sees, and writes it all in his notebook, which is full of people's secrets. He enjoys playing the piano and in episode 8 of the first series was accepted into an orchestra. He has a lot of rules and when people break them he isn't to happy about it. He is a perfectionist and when things don't go to plan he gets upset.
Sapphire Fox	Saffron Coomber	2010-	A 14 year old older girl who can't wait to leave. She likes her privacy but the other kids tend to break it. Sapphire seems to hate the other kids, but at the same time often stands up for them. She secretly cares a lot for all of them, especially Harry, who looks up to Sapphire like a sister and she always looks after him and protects him. In episode 7 of the first series, she dumps her boyfriend after he frames her for shoplifting. In episode 11, her brother Riff turns up, having run away from home because he is about to be taken into care. She initially hides him, but with Tracy's help, he finds the courage to go back home. In the second series, she joins the gang's plans to save their care home from the council, after originally being reluctant. When Electra cuts Harry's toy giraffe's (Jeff) leg off, Sapphire finds out and runs for Elektra and fights with her. In further episodes, Sapphire appears to be getting along with Elektra.
Elektra	Jessica Revell	2011-	Arriving midway through the second series, Elektra is a troublemaker, in a more criminal sense than Liam. She gets the others to steal from the staff, before being tricked into confessing. She also nearly gets Carmen killed by leading her to a damaged bridge. However, living at the Dumping Ground changes Elektra for the better. She rejects her old gang, especially after they mug Toby, who has a secret crush on her. Then, by the end of the series, she realises her horrible personality won't get her anywhere, so she apologises to Carmen for bullying her earlier in the series finale. She has a love/hate relationship with Liam, whom she adores but her love is unrequited.
Tee Taylor	Mia Mckenna Bruce	2010-	Tee was 9 when we first meet her. She is Johnny's little sister. She is a lively, friendly, quirky, free spirited girl who loves to experiment with clothes. She loves her brother Johnny but wishes he'd worry less. In series 2 she gets fostered, but, her foster family disapproves of her seeing her brother and want her to forget him entirely. She refuses to abandon her brother and moves back to the Dumping Ground.
Toby Coleman	John Bell John Bell - Law and politics :* John Bell , English barrister* John Bell , professor of law and Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge* John Bell , Member of Parliament from Thirsk...	2010-	Toby is the worrier. He is 13. After losing his parents in a car crash, which he believes he caused, Toby always thinks he was jinxed. That is, until Tracy helped him to believe more in himself. Now, he fights more for what he thinks is right. He has a pet hamster called Mr Hamster. In series 2, he has a crush on a girl called Sara, but falls out with her when he realises she lies about not having a mum. He has a secret crush on Elektra, which may or may not become important in series 3. It is unknown if his crush on her was a one off.
Johnny Taylor	Joe Maw	2010-	Johnny was 11 when we first meet him. He is Tee's protective older brother. Since he arrived at the Dumping Ground he has often tried too hard to get himself and Tee fostered. Circumstances at the home mean he loses his temper very easily, especially on Liam.
Liam O'Donavan	Richard Wisker	2010-	unerstands and cares about all the other kids especially Frank. He is one of the most mature kids in the Dumping Ground and is the one they all look up too. He was fostered at the start of the first series, but returned to the Dumping Ground in episode 2 of the first series after first getting arrested then he blew up his foster parent's bed with a fizzy drink, the explosive called "Liamade". He seems to act like he doesn't care but secretly he does he just doesn't show it. During the second series, Liam lives on the streets for a week after the council briefly close the care home. The care home reopens and everything goes back to normal, or so he thinks until the new girl Elektra arrives. All the others become friendly with her except Liam. He could see behind her clever ruse to the other kids. He and Elektra have a hateful relationship and are sworn enemies, they do their very best to stay out of each others way.
Jade White	Charlotte Jones	2012-	Tori is a 14-year-old girl that loves anything pink. She has been in loads of differnet care homes. She already knows the gang from Burnywood. Liam thinks that she is just like Elektra, but she replies by saying "That's what got us into this mess in the first place."

Development and production

In March 2009, the BBC

BBC

The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...

 announced the new 13-part series under the working title Beaker's Back!. The series was filmed in an old La Sagesse

La Sagesse

La Sagesse was a Roman Catholic private school in the suburb of Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The school closed in 2008.-History:In 1715, in La Rochelle, France, Marie Louise Trichet co-founded the Filles de la Sagesse which, after a rather rapid expansion, is now 300 years old and...

 school in Jesmond

Jesmond

Jesmond is a residential suburb and is split into two electoral wards just north of the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The population is about 12,000. It is adjacent to, and to the east of, the Town Moor, providing pedestrian and cycle paths to Spital Tongues and the city's two Universities...

, Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...

 in the summer of 2009, with Neasa Hardiman as Lead Director, casting the drama and setting the look. Craig Lines and Michael Davies directed the second and third blocks respectively.

In February 2010, it was announced that Tracy Beaker Returns would be renewed for a second series for the 2011 television schedule. Filming took place throughout summer and autumn of 2010 and premiered on 7 January 2011.

It was announced on 12 March 2011 that a third series has been commissioned to be filmed entirely in the North East. The filming of the third series has ended, and Series three of Tracy Beaker Returns will premiere in January 2012.

Awards and nominations

It won Children's BAFTA on 28 November 2010 for best drama. On the same night, Dani Harmer and Richard Wisker received nominations in the performer category. It was also nominated for a Royal Television Award in 2011, in the Children's Drama Category, but lost out to The Sarah Jane Adventures

The Sarah Jane Adventures

The Sarah Jane Adventures is a British science fiction television series, produced by BBC Cymru Wales for CBBC, created by Russell T Davies and starring Elisabeth Sladen...

.

DVD distribution

Series one of Tracy Beaker Returns was released on DVD on 21 March 2011. The exact release date of the Series 2 DVD is currently unknown, although is expected to be released after the third series finale.