The Story of Tracy Beaker (franchise)

Last updated

The Story of Tracy Beaker (franchise)
Created by Jacqueline Wilson
Owner BBC
Print publications
Book(s)
  • The Story of Tracy Beaker (1991)
  • The Dare Game (2000)
  • Starring Tracy Beaker (2006)
  • Tracy Beaker's Thumping Heart (2009)
  • Ask Tracy Beaker and Friends (2010)
  • My Mum Tracy Beaker (2018)
  • We are The Beaker Girls (2019)
Magazine(s)Totally Tracy Beaker
The Story of Tracy Beaker: The DVD Collection
Films and television
Television series
Television special(s)Tracy Beaker Parties with Pudsey (2004)
Children's Party at the Palace (2006)
Television film(s) Tracy Beaker: The Movie of Me (2004)
Theatrical presentations
Musical(s)Tracy Beaker Gets Real
Official website

The Story of Tracy Beaker is a British children's drama media franchise that focuses on the lives and experiences of young people and their care workers in care. The franchise began with the publication of The Story of Tracy Beaker on 14 February 1991. Since then, the franchise has had six further books, three television series and their spin-offs, a television movie, a Children In Need special, a musical and two magazine collections. The Story of Tracy Beaker merchandise has also been released. [1] [2]

Contents

Publications

The Story of Tracy Beaker franchise currently has seven books. The books are The Story of Tracy Beaker , The Dare Game (reissued in 2018 as I Dare You, Tracy Beaker) Starring Tracy Beaker, My Mum Tracy Beaker, We Are The Beaker Girls, Tracy Beaker's Thumping Heart and Ask Tracy Beaker and Friends. [3] [4]

The Story of Tracy Beaker also had two magazine collections. Totally Tracy Beaker came with free art and craft supplies, which the reader collected, and the second magazine released, The Story of Tracy Beaker: The DVD collection, came with a DVD with episodes from the series and the reader would eventually have all five series. [5]

Television

Sasha's Contact Meeting title card Sasha's Contact Meeting Title Card.jpg
Sasha's Contact Meeting title card
Overview of The Story of Tracy Beaker TV series
SeriesSeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast airedNetwork
The Story of Tracy Beaker 1 268 January 2002 (2002-01-08)4 April 2002 (2002-04-04) CBBC
2 267 January 2003 (2003-01-07)3 April 2003 (2003-04-03)
3 2625 September 2003 (2003-09-25)1 April 2004 (2004-04-01)
TV Film 21 February 2004 (2004-02-21)
4 227 October 2004 (2004-10-07)5 April 2005 (2005-04-05)
5 2028 November 2005 (2005-11-28)9 December 2005 (2005-12-09)
Tracy Beaker Returns 1 138 January 2010 (2010-01-08)26 March 2010 (2010-03-26)
2 137 January 2011 (2011-01-07)25 March 2011 (2011-03-25)
3 136 January 2012 (2012-01-06)23 March 2012 (2012-03-23)
The Dumping Ground 1 134 January 2013 (2013-01-04)15 March 2013 (2013-03-15)
2 1310 January 2014 (2014-01-10)28 March 2014 (2014-03-28)
3 201016 January 2015 (2015-01-16)13 March 2015 (2015-03-13)
106 October 2015 (2015-10-06)8 December 2015 (2015-12-08)
4 201029 January 2016 (2016-01-29)25 March 2016 (2016-03-25)
1030 September 2016 (2016-09-30)2 December 2016 (2016-12-02)
5 221220 January 2017 (2017-01-20)31 March 2017 (2017-03-31)
1013 October 2017 (2017-10-13)15 December 2017 (2017-12-15)
6 241212 January 2018 (2018-01-12)30 March 2018 (2018-03-30)
1221 September 2018 (2018-09-21)7 December 2018 (2018-12-07)
7 24124 January 2019 (2019-01-04)15 March 2019 (2019-03-15)
1227 September 2019 (2019-09-27)6 December 2019 (2019-12-06)
8 241210 January 2020 (2020-01-10)27 March 2020 (2020-03-27)
1225 September 2020 (2020-09-25)5 February 2021 (2021-02-05)
9 201011 June 2021 (2021-06-11)13 August 2021 (2021-08-13)
1021 January 2022 (2022-01-21)25 March 2022 (2022-03-25)
10 201030 September 2022 (2022-09-30)2 December 2022 (2022-12-02)
1021 April 2023 (2023-04-21)23 June 2023 (2023-06-23)
My Mum Tracy Beaker 1312 February 2021 (2021-02-12)14 February 2021 (2021-02-14)
The Beaker Girls 1 513 December 2021 (2021-12-13)17 December 2021 (2021-12-17)
2 1213 January 2023 (2023-01-13)31 March 2023 (2023-03-31)

The BBC adapted the book for television and The Story of Tracy Beaker ran for five series on CBBC from 8 January 2002 to 9 December 2005, featuring Dani Harmer as Tracy Beaker. [6] In 2009, a sequel series to The Story of Tracy Beaker was announced, titled Beaker's Back but eventually retitled Tracy Beaker Returns . This series aired on CBBC for three series, from 8 January 2010 to 23 March 2012. [7] [8] [9] [10] In 2012, a spin-off series titled The Dumping Ground was announced, but without Harmer, as the latter chose to quit her role as Tracy. The Dumping Ground has aired on CBBC since 4 January 2013 and is still ongoing; it is currently in its eleventh series. [11] [12]

On 21 February 2004, Tracy Beaker: The Movie of Me aired on CBBC. For Children In Need that year, a The Story of Tracy Beaker special aired on CBBC titled Tracy Beaker Parties With Pudsey. [13] Tracy Beaker Returns aired one spin-off, Tracy Beaker Survival Files , which aired for one series from 16 December 2011 to 6 January 2012. [14] The Dumping Ground currently has had five spin-off's: The Dumping Ground Survival Files aired for two series from 6 January to 12 December 2014, [15] a webisode miniseries Liam's Story aired from 17 January to 14 March 2018 and the series aired as a full episode on CBBC on 23 March 2014, [16] a five-part miniseries called The Dumping Ground Dish Up aired in November 2015, [17] The Dumping Ground: I'm... , another webisode series where young people and staff describe living and working in care, aired for two series from 25 January 2016 to 9 February 2017. [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] A five-part mini webisode series, Sasha's Contact Meetings , was released on 6 April 2018. [28]

Musicals

In 2006, The Story of Tracy Beaker was adapted into a musical, featuring Sarah Churm as Tracy Beaker. [29] [30] [31] Suzie McGrath played Justine Littlewood, Jessica Martin played Tracy's mum and Louise, Alice Redmond played Tracy's foster mother Cam, Gemma Page played social worker Elaine, and Andy Steed played Peter. [30]

Cast

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacqueline Wilson</span> English novelist (born 1945)

Dame Jacqueline Wilson is an English novelist known for her popular children's literature. Her novels have been notable for tackling realistic topics such as adoption and divorce without alienating her large readership. Since her debut novel in 1969, Wilson has written over 100 books.

<i>The Story of Tracy Beaker</i> 1991 novel by Jacqueline Wilson

The Story of Tracy Beaker is a British children's book first published in 1991, written by Jacqueline Wilson and illustrated by Nick Sharratt.

Danielle Jane Harmer is an English actress, television personality, and former singer. She is best known for her lead role as Tracy Beaker in the CBBC series The Story of Tracy Beaker (2002–2006), Tracy Beaker Returns (2010–2012), for which she was nominated for a BAFTA in 2010, The Tracy Beaker Survival Files (2011–2012), My Mum Tracy Beaker (2021), and The Beaker Girls (2021–2023).

<i>The Story of Tracy Beaker</i> (TV series) British television series

The Story of Tracy Beaker is a British television programme series adapted from the book of the same name by Jacqueline Wilson. It ran on CBBC for five series, from January 2002 to December 2005 and also contained a feature-length episode, Tracy Beaker: The Movie of Me, broadcast in February 2004, as well as a week of interactive episodes for Children in Need. The theme song was written and produced by Brian Harris and Nigel Lowis and performed by Keisha White.

<i>Tracy Beaker Returns</i> British television series

Tracy Beaker Returns is a British television programme. Based upon the novels by Jacqueline Wilson, it is the sequel series to The Story of Tracy Beaker. The series stars Dani Harmer reprising her role as protagonist Tracy Beaker. The third and final series ended on 23 March 2012. A sequel spin-off entitled The Dumping Ground started airing on 4 January 2013.

Richard David Kevin Wisker is an English actor and television presenter, best known for his role as Liam O'Donovan in Tracy Beaker Returns (2010–2012). He also portrayed Rich in the CBBC series Dani's Castle (2013–2015) and Declan in Millie Inbetween (2017–2018) and its spin-off Flatmates (2019–2021). Between 2011 and 2015, he was a presenter on Friday Download.

Amy-Leigh Hickman is an English actress. Hickman made her television debut as Carmen Howle in the CBBC series Tracy Beaker Returns, a role she reprised in the sequel series The Dumping Ground. She then went onto appear as Linzi Bragg in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, before being cast as Nasreen Paracha in the Channel 4 drama Ackley Bridge, a role for which she won the Actor award for at the RTS Yorkshire Awards. Her other roles include Ester Kamali in Strike Back (2013), Sia Marshall in Safe (2018), Mimi Saunders in Our Girl (2020) and Bethany in Innocent (2021). Hickman also stars in the fourth series of the Netflix drama You (2023).

<i>The Dumping Ground</i> British childrens television drama series

The Dumping Ground is a British children's television drama series that focuses on the lives and experiences of young people who live in a children's home with their care workers in care. The series has broadcast ten series, the show has continuously aired on CBBC since its inception in 2013. The series is a continuation of Tracy Beaker Returns, which aired from 2010 to 2012, and is the third television series in the Tracy Beaker franchise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mia McKenna-Bruce</span> English actress (born 1997)

Mia Sasha McKenna-Bruce is an English actress. She gained prominence through her role as Tee Taylor in Tracy Beaker Returns and The Dumping Ground. Her films include Persuasion and How to Have Sex. For the latter, she won a British Independent Film Award, the BAFTA Rising Star Award and was nominated for the European Film Award for Best Actress.

<i>The Dumping Ground</i> series 4 Season of television series

The fourth series of the British children's television series The Dumping Ground began broadcasting on 29 January 2016 on CBBC and ended on 2 December 2016. The series follows the lives of the children living in the fictional children's care home of Ashdene Ridge, nicknamed by them "The Dumping Ground". It consists of twenty, thirty-minute episodes, airing in two halves in January and October 2016. It is the twelfth series in The Story of Tracy Beaker franchise.

Jessica Revell is an English actress and singer, best known for her TV role as Mandy "Elektra" Perkins in Tracy Beaker Returns and in the BBC spin-off series The Dumping Ground.

The Dumping Ground: I'm... is a television spin-off of British children television series The Dumping Ground. It is a webisode series that began airing prior to series 4. The series consisted of 10 episodes.

Annabelle Davis is a British actress. She portrayed Sasha Bellman in the CBBC series The Dumping Ground from 2015 to 2022, and from 2023, she began to play Lacey Lloyd in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. She is the daughter of Warwick Davis and Samantha Davis.

<i>The Dumping Ground</i> series 6 Season of television series

The sixth series of the British children's television series The Dumping Ground began broadcasting on 12 January 2018 on CBBC and ended on 7 December 2018. The series follows the lives of the children living in the fictional children's care home of Ashdene Ridge, nicknamed by them "The Dumping Ground". It consisted of twenty-four, thirty-minute episodes, airing in two halves in January and September; ten episodes for the second half premiered a week early on BBC iPlayer. It is the fourteenth series in The Story of Tracy Beaker franchise.

<i>My Mum Tracy Beaker</i> British television series

My Mum Tracy Beaker is a British children's television miniseries that premiered on CBBC and BBC iPlayer on 12 February 2021. The show was aired the week after The Dumping Ground's eighth series concluded. The series follows on from the events of its predecessors, The Story of Tracy Beaker, Tracy Beaker Returns and The Dumping Ground. My Mum Tracy Beaker saw Dani Harmer reprise her role as Tracy Beaker and included original cast members Lisa Coleman, Ruth Gemmell and Montanna Thompson, as well as new cast members Emma Maggie Davies and Jordan Duvigneau.

<i>The Dumping Ground</i> series 9 Season of television series

The ninth series of the British children's television series The Dumping Ground began broadcasting on 11 June 2021 on CBBC and concluded on 25 March 2022. The series follows the lives of the children living in the fictional children's care home of Ashdene Ridge, nicknamed by them "The Dumping Ground". It consists of twenty, thirty-minute episodes. It is the 18th series in The Story of Tracy Beaker franchise. This series is shorter than usual due to the COVID-19 pandemic and substantial delays in filming. This marked the last regular appearance of Annabelle Davis as Sasha Bellman prior to her new acting role in Hollyoaks as Lacey Lloyd.

Emma Jane Reeves is a Welsh screenwriter and playwright, best known for her extensive work in children's television series such as the Tracy Beaker franchise. She is currently Chair of the Writers' Guild of Great Britain.

References

  1. "Tracy Beaker Stationary Set". Home Bargains. 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  2. "Tracy Beaker wins for Portmeirion". Housewares. 3 October 2007. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  3. "The Story of Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson- review". The Guardian. 16 September 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  4. "The Dare Game". Penguin. 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  5. "totally tracey beaker magazine – art editor". Susannah Hart. 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  6. Harmer, Dani (14 March 2018). "My character Tracy Beaker changed the world. I hope she will again". Guardian. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  7. "Tracy Beaker will be back on CBBC". Newsround. 26 March 2009. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  8. "Tyneside return for Tracy Beaker". BBC Tyne. 2 October 2009. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  9. "Tracy Beaker Returns – introduction". BBC Press Office. 24 December 2010. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  10. "Tracy Beaker Returns to CBBC". BBC Media Centre. 22 December 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  11. "CBBC's The Dumping Ground in production in Newcastle". BBC Media Centre. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  12. "The Dumping Ground show to replace Tracy Beaker on CBBC". Newsround. 27 March 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  13. "Tracy Beaker Movie Of Me credits". BBC. 21 February 2004. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  14. "Tracy Beaker Survival Files episode guide". Radio Times. 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  15. "The Dumping Ground Survival Files CBBC Website". BBC. 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  16. "The Dumping Ground Liam's Story CBBC Website". BBC. 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  17. "The Dumping Ground Dish Up CBBC Website". BBC. 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  18. "The Dumping Ground I'm...Floss". Radio Times. 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  19. "The Dumping Ground I'm...Sasha". Radio Times. 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  20. "The Dumping Ground I'm...Mo". Radio Times. 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  21. "The Dumping Ground I'm...Tee". Radio Times. 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  22. "The Dumping Ground I'm...Bailey". Radio Times. 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  23. "The Dumping Ground I'm...Jody". Radio Times. 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  24. "The Dumping Ground I'm...Carmen". Radio Times. 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  25. "The Dumping Ground I'm...Ryan". Radio Times. 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  26. "The Dumping Ground I'm...Kazima". Radio Times. 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  27. "The Dumping Ground I'm...Tyler". Radio Times. 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  28. "The Dumping Ground Sasha's Contact Meeting". BBC. 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  29. Hickling, Alfred (31 August 2006). "Tracy Beaker Gets Real". Guardian. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  30. 1 2 Connor, Sheila (2006). "Theatre review:Tracy Beaker Gets Real". British Theatre Guide. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  31. "Tracy Beaker Gets Real - review". BBC Nottingham. 1 September 2006. Retrieved 2 April 2018.