Beautiful People characters

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Revision as of 20:55, 4 November 2009

Beautiful People is British comedy series, following the life of Simon Doonan, a 13 year old schoolboy living in Reading, England in 1997. Simon is also seen in present day New York using short prologues and epilogues in the show. Alongside Simon, are his mother, Debbie, his father, Andy, his older sister Ashlene and his best friend, Kyle "Kylie" Parkinson.

Simon Doonan

Simon Doonan (Luke Ward-Wilkinson/Samuel Barnett) is the main character and narrater of Beautiful People. He is based on the Barneys window dresser Simon Doonan, who grew up in the 1960's, however, the character grows up in the 1990's. In 1997, Simon, aged 13, lived in Reading with his parents, sister, and his mother's best friend, Hayley. However in the present day he lives in New York City with his boyfriend, Sacha. Simon is known by his camp, effeminte behaviour. His best friend is Kyle "Kylie" Parkinson, an equally camp boy who lived across the road in Reading, they are close friends and have only once fallen out, when Simon dyed his hair wrong, causing him to look like "Ronald McDonald". In 1997 Simon had curtained hair, a haircut very popular in the 1990's. Simon became an acomplished football player after he discovered his idol, Victoria Beckham, was to marry David Beckham. Simon was a big fan of Steps when he wa younger. Simon and Kylie ran away from home to London, but his parents realise and call the police after seeing him on Live & Kicking. Simon, who hoped to be on the stage, wanted to be eductated at Madame Darcy's School of Theatre, but his parents refused. After qualifying at school Simon became a set dresser on Live With Loretta. He then becomes a window dresser at Barneys in New York.

Debbie Doonan

Debbie Doonan attending the funeral of Tameka

Debbie Doonan (Olivia Colman) is Simon's mother, who lives with him, Andy, Ashlene and best friend Hayley at 19 Melody Crescent. Debbie Doonan is described by Simon as "the most glamourous woman in Reading", however, her glamourous reputation is temporarily tarnished when her hairdresser, Tameka, dies half way through her haircut. She has peroxide blonde bleached hair and hair extensions. Debbie is a heavy drinker, and won years free supply of gin in a poetry competetion. Debbie and Andy drank so heavily when they married that they cannot remember the date (either June 14 or May 8). Debbie quits drinking for a week to prove to Simon that she is not "Reading's answer to Oliver Reed", however Debbie eventually succumbs to Andy's homemade gherkin and cucumber wine after being called a "moody bitch" when sober. Debbie is outspoken and at times opinionated, but always loving to her children. A barmaid at the local pub, Debbie attacks Simon's teacher, after discovering she allowed him to drink with her in the pub. She also charges people to read their tea leaves, despite her possessing no pyschic ability. Debbie is an excellent fighter and has various brawls with Reba (Kylie's mother) and pushes an American woman through a plate glass window for "suspiciously" touching her bum bag. She also gets arrested for assault after punching Tristram Bell, the school drama teacher, but he decides not to press charges. Her previous criminal record involved her throwing a Cadbury's Creme Egg at Margaret Thatcher, but she missed and hit a police officer, causing his eye to swell up the size of a golf ball according to the judge.

Andy Doonan

Andy Doonan (Aidan McArdle) is Simon's father who lives in Melody Crescent with his family. Andy is a self-employed plumber. Reba often attempts to engage in an affair with Andy, however he always refuses, and would never cheat on Debbie. Reba later accuses him of being a flasher after the zip on Andy's jeans becomes broken. His mother, Gwen Doonan, was a devout Catholic. He often destills his own alcohol and has made potatoe wine, parsnip wine and marmalade wine. He suffers nightmares involving Cabbage Patch Dolls. Andy, under instructions from Debbie, attempts to teach Simon football until he kicks the ball into his face.

Ashlene Doonan

Ashlene Doonan (Sophie Ash) is the older sister of Simon Doonan. She has a reputation as a promiscuous girl, and has dated every man in her street except 'Backward Frank'. She blackmails Simon by taking a picture of him in a stolen dress owned by Reba and threatens to show the picture to everybody unless he styles her hair "like Heather Small from M People. When growing up she aspired to either move to Paris and sell her body or work at Woolorths. Ashlene was the victim of a flasher, who flashed at her outside Nando's, she was upset when the flasher did not want her phone number.

External links

• Beautiful People at the Internet Movie Database
• BBC website