The Story of Tracy Beaker (TV series)

The Story of Tracy Beaker
Starring	Dani Harmer, Montanna Thompson, Chelsie Padley, Lisa Coleman, Nisha Nayar
Country of origin	UK
No. of episodes	119 normal Five Children in Need specials One feature length episode (List of Episodes)
Production
Running time	15 minutes
Original release
Network	BBC One, (UK)
Release	2002 – 2006

The Story of Tracy Beaker was a TV show adapted from the book of the same name by Jacqueline Wilson. It ran on CBBC for five series, from 2002 to 2005, and a feature length episode, Tracy Beaker's Movie of Me, was broadcast in 2004, as well as a week of interactive episodes for Children in Need, entitled Tracy Beaker Parties with Pudsey, which were also crossovers with other shows from CBBC.
The episodes themselves intersperse live action with cartoon sequences depicting Tracy's inner thoughts. The theme song was written and performed by Keisha White

Cast

Only four characters (Tracy Beaker, Justine Littlewood, Elaine Boyak and Cam Lawson) have featured in every series of the show. Others have left, been fostered, or moved away. Two characters (Mike and Shelley) have left the show once but returned in later.

Character	Actor	Series	Biography
Tracy Beaker	Dani Harmer	1-5	Central character of the series
Justine Littlewood	Montanna Thompson	1-3,4,5	Second central character
Louise Guvan	Chelsie Padley	1-3	Friend to Tracy and Justine
Adele Azepadi	Rochelle Gadd	1-2	An Older girl who eventually moves out
Ben Batambuze	Luke Youngblood	1-2	A child with a rich background
Ryan	Sonny Muslim	1	Twins with Zac
Zac	Jay Haher	1	Twins with Ryan
Peter Ingham	Joe Starrs	1	Friend of Tracy
Maxi	Jerome Holder	1	Friend of Peter
Duke	Clive Rowe	1-4	Dumping Grounds resident chef. Leaves to be with his family
Mike Milligan	Connor Byrne	1, 5	Assistant Care Worker leaves then Chef and later Head Care Worker
Elaine Boyak	Nisha Nayar	1-5	Resident Social Worker
Jenny Ruth Edwards	Sharlene Whyte	1-2	Head Care Worker 2002 - 2003
Cam Lawson	Lisa Coleman	1-5	Journalist and Tracy's foster mother
Dolly	Chloe Hibbert-Waters	2-3	A small hyper girl
Amber Heast	Alicia Hooper	2	Elder girl who is a bad influence
Bouncer Plakova	Ben Hanson	2-5	Trainee chef, brother of Lol
Lol Plakova	Ciaran Joyce	2-5	A wheeler dealer, brother of Bouncer
Nathan Jones	James Cartwright	2-3	Trainee Care Worker
Michael	William Tomlin	3	An unpopular snitch
Marco Maloney	Jack Edwards	3-5	A boy who likes to wear costumes
Crash	Darragh Mortell	3-5	Friend of Tracy, has anger problems
Jackie Hopper	Abby Rakic-Platt	3-5	Friend of Tracy, trainee athlete
Layla	Cara Readle	3-5	A girl with CP
Hayley	Kristal Lau	3-4	A quiet girl who befriends Layla
Shelley Appleton	Nichola Reynolds	3, 5	Head Care Worker, 2003-2004 then Acting Head Care Worker 2006
Roxy Wellard	Sophie Borja	4-5	Brains of the Wellards
Rio Wellard	Craig Roberts	4-5	Muscle of the Wellards
Chantelle Wellard	Deepal Parmar	4, 5	Eldest of the Wellards
Wolfie	Felix Drake	4, 5	A rich kid who likes to live wild
Sid Rooney	Vincenzo Pellegrino	4	Head Care Worker 2004-2005
Milly	Holly Gibbs	5	Likes to dress up, rarely speaks
Rebecca Chalmers	Georgina Hagen	5	Rival to Justine
Alice	Olivia Grant	5	Young hippy girl who believes in fairies

Series Overviews

Series One

After another failed fostering, Tracy Beaker (Dani Harmer), a scruffy ten-year old with behavioural problems is dragged kicking and screaming back into her former care home, Stowey House, under the watchful eye of head care-worker, Jenny Edwards (Sharlene Whyte), residential cook and gardener, Duke (Clive Rowe), assistant care worker, Mike Milligan (Connor Byrne) and annoying social worker, Elaine 'The Pain' Boyak (Nisha Nayar).

Upon her return she finds that her former best friend, Louise Guvan (Chelsie Padley) has befriended Tracy's nemesis, Justine Littlewood (Montanna Thompson), who is determined to make her life Hell. Tracy is also commonly annoyed by Peter Ingham, (Joe Starrs), a young boy, around six or seven, who coincidentally shares Tracy's birthday. He considers them to be best friends but Tracy has other ideas. Other residents in the care home are money-making twins, Zac (Jay Haher) and Ryan (Sonny Muslim), stroppy, but good-hearted teenager Adele Azepadi and Peter's hyper friend, Maxie (Jerome Holder).

And then there's Cam Lawson, (Lisa Coleman), journalist and wannabe writer, whom Tracy believes is the perfect foster parent.

Tracy has also befriended boy-on-the-street, Ben Batambuze (Luke Youngblood) who is eventually found out to be a normal boy with a normal family, albeit an extremely wealthy family, which puts strain on his relationship with Tracy,

The main story arcs involve Tracy's bids of becoming Cam's daughter, Peter's eventual befriending of Tracy, Tracy and Justine's rivalry, Mike's being transferred to another home, and Ben's pampered lifestyle being discovered. By the end of the series, Tracy moves in with Cam, her dream finally being fulfilled...

Series Two

After accidentally burning down Cam's kitchen, Tracy is returned to Stowey House and promptly refuses to talk to her ex-foster mother. New characters include Laurence 'Lol' Plakova (Ciaran Joyce), an intelligent wheeler-dealer who commonly challenges Tracy for the title of Scam-master of the 'Dumping Ground', and his slow-witted, kinder older brother Bradley 'Bouncer' (Ben Hanson). Young Dolly (Chloe Hibbert-Waters), teenage thug, Amber Heast (Alicia Hooper) and trainee care worker, Nathan Jones (James Cartwright). While Justine, Louise and Ben return in this series, Peter, Zac, Ryan and Maxie fail to make an appearance. Adele temporarily moved out but returned early on.

The main story arcs involve Ben's aunt and uncle offering to foster Tracy, Nathan's passing of his test to become a fully-qualified care-worker, Amber finally finding a suitable family and Tracy making up with Cam.

Series Three

Series Three had many new characters. A sweet girl named Hayley, who didn't speak a lot and always carried her teddy bear as well as a boy named Crash (nicknamed due to his anger problems), Layla (a girl with Cerebral Palsy), Marco (a sweet and imaginative boy who likes to dress up a lot), Jackie (who always used to run away to her grandfather who had Alzheimer's Disease) and Michael, a cheeky boy who was generally hated by the Dumping Ground due to his snitching and lying.

This series saw the exit of Jenny and a new head careworker called Shelly Appleton. Nathan also returned to the Dumping Ground as a careworker.

Series Four

This series saw the Dumping Ground moved from Stowey House and Shelley is no longer Head Care Worker. She has been replaced by Sid Rooney. There was the introduction of the Wellards (a sibling gang who challenge Tracy, Jackie and Crash) and Wolfie (a child from a rich background who lives in the wild). Tracy lives with Cam and Justine is living with her dad and his new wife and her brother Billy.

Series Five

This series saw Tracy living with Cam and struggling to cope with Cam's boyfriend Gary. Tracy appeared in fewer episodes allowing Justine and Crash to take more central roles. Justine has adapted to the role of boss of the kids of the Dumping Ground since Tracy has relinquished the role. Sid Rooney and Duke both have left their jobs and Elaine starts the series as Acting Head Care Worker with Mike as chef (a bad one), Elaine is replaced by Shelley briefly and she chooses Mike as the new Head Care Worker. Justine returns to the Dumping Ground after her cousin moves in. New additions include Rebecca (a rival to Justine), Alice (a girl who believes in fairies) and Milly (a girl who rarely speaks and easily befriends Marco). The series ended with Cam and Gary marrying and adopting Tracy. Layla, Roxy, Rio, Wolfie, Jackie, Crash, Bouncer and Lol all reappear.

External links

• The Story of Tracy Beaker at IMDb

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