Tracy Beaker Returns

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.[1]

For other books, series and films in the Tracy Beaker franchise, see The Story of Tracy Beaker (franchise).

Tracy Beaker Returns
Series intertitle
GenreChildren's Drama
Created byJacqueline Wilson, and Tracy Beaker Productions Ltd
StarringList of Tracy Beaker series characters
Country of originUnited Kingdom
No. of series3
No. of episodes39 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerJosephine Ward
ProducerGina Cronk
Running time28 minutes
Release
Original networkCBBC
Original release8 January 2010 (2010-01-08) –
23 March 2012 (2012-03-23)
Related

Premise

When author Tracy Beaker is arrested for using her adoptive mother Cam's credit card to publish her autobiography, she seeks refuge at Elmtree House, a care home nicknamed "The Dumping Ground" where she used to live as a child. She meets the children who are intrigued by her and her story. Wanting to pay Cam back, Tracy asks the head care worker, Mike (Connor Byrne), for a job. As Mike is short-staffed, he agrees to hire her as an assistant care worker since she knows so much about life in care. Tracy then uses her background as a former child in care to become fully involved in the children's lives.

Production

The first series was produced in summer 2009, then provisionally known Beaker's Back. Set designers revamped buildings of the former La Sagesse convent school in the Jesmond area of Newcastle-upon-Tyne into the children's home, retaining the Elm Tree House name from series 5 of The Story of Tracy Beaker. The father's house was developed into the exterior of Elm Tree House, whilst the show's interior scenes were filmed in a grander building elsewhere on the same site. Classroom buildings and the Jesmond Towers were also used for scenes, as well as local landmarks such as the MetroCentre shopping centre. Production continued at La Sagesse through series two and three and into the first series of The Dumping Ground until property owners Barratt Homes decided to redevelop the school buildings into a luxury housing estate. The recognisable exterior of Elm Tree House was demolished in mid-2013 though the building used for interior scenes partially remains intact.

Episodes
Main article: List of Tracy Beaker Returns episodes
SeriesEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1138 January 2010 (2010-01-08)26 March 2010 (2010-03-26)
2137 January 2011 (2011-01-07)25 March 2011 (2011-03-25)
3136 January 2012 (2012-01-06)23 March 2012 (2012-03-23)

Cast and characters
Main articles: List of Tracy Beaker Returns characters and List of The Story of Tracy Beaker (franchise) characters

Ratings

Episode ratings from BARB.[2]

SeriesEpisode No.AirdateTotal ViewersSeries AverageCBBC Weekly RankingBBC iPlayer requests[lower-alpha 1]Source
118 January 2010828,000547,0001565,000[3]
2
315 January 2010699,0001——
422 January 2010564,0001——
529 January 2010594,0001——
65 February 2010485,0001——
712 February 2010550,0001——
819 February 2010432,0002——
926 February 2010423,0001——
105 March 2010503,0001324,000[4]
1112 March 2010512,0001——
1219 March 2010447,0002——
1326 March 2010524,0001——
217 January 2011548,000519,0001451,000[5]
2
314 January 2011426,0001——
421 January 2011374,0001——
528 January 2011482,0001——
64 February 2011498,0001636,000[6]
711 February 2011567,0001580,000[6]
818 February 2011583,0001477,000[6]
925 February 2011623,0001——
104 March 2011611,0001556,000[7]
1111 March 2011596,0001625,000[7]
1218 March 2011463,0001——
1325 March 2011453,0001——
316 January 2012856,000727,0001756,000[8]
2
313 January 2012874,0001688,000[8]
420 January 2012856,0001612,000[8]
527 January 2012748,0001——
63 February 2012781,0001831,000[8]
710 February 2012704,0001980,000[8]
817 February 2012646,0001730,000[8]
924 February 2012631,0001676,000[8]
102 March 2012608,0001802,000[8]
119 March 2012728,0001723,000[8]
1216 March 2012631,0001596,000[8]
1323 March 2012659,0001607,000[8]

Development and production

In March 2009, the BBC announced the new 13-part series under the working title Beaker's Back!.[9] The series was filmed in the old La Sagesse School in Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne in the summer of 2009, and directed by Neasa Hardiman, Craig Lines and Michael Davies.[10]

In February 2010, it was announced that Tracy Beaker Returns would be renewed for a second series to air in 2011.[11] Filming took place throughout summer and autumn of 2010 and premiered on 7 January 2011.

On 6 April 2010, it was announced that Classic Media's UK division (formerly known as Entertainment Rights) had picked up worldwide distribution rights to the series, with the exception of UK television rights which were retained by the BBC.[12]

It was announced on 12 March 2011 that a third series has been commissioned to be filmed entirely in the North East.[13] The third series later premiered on 6 January 2012.

A spin-off series has been commissioned by the CBBC, titled The Dumping Ground and started airing on 4 January 2013.[1]

Home Media

All thirteen episodes of Series 1 were released as part of a two-case boxset titled "Complete Series 1 Collection", released by Universal Pictures UK and Classic Media on 23 March 2011.[14] Series 2-3 have not seen any DVD releases.

Awards and nominations

It won the Children's BAFTA award on 28 November 2010 for best drama. On the same night, Dani Harmer and Richard Wisker received nominations in the performer category.[15] It also won a Royal Television Award in 2011, in the Children's Drama Category.

CeremonyAwardNomineeResult
2010 Children's BAFTA AwardsBAFTA Kids' Vote TelevisionTracy Beaker ReturnsNominated
2010 Children's BAFTA AwardsChildren's DramaTracy Beaker ReturnsWon
2010 Children's BAFTA AwardsChildren's PerformerDani HarmerNominated
2010 Children's BAFTA AwardsChildren's PerformerRichard WiskerNominated
2011 Children's BAFTA AwardsBAFTA Kids' Vote TelevisionTracy Beaker ReturnsNominated
2011 Royal Television AwardsChildren's DramaTracy Beaker ReturnsWon
2012 Children's BAFTA AwardsBAFTA Kids' Vote TelevisionTracy Beaker ReturnsNominated
2012 Children's BAFTA AwardsChildren's DramaTracy Beaker ReturnsNominated
2012 Children's BAFTA AwardsChildren's WriterElly BrewerNominated

Notes
  1. Up to the end of the relevant month

References
  1. Damian Kavanagh, Controller CBBC (21 March 2012). "Media Centre - cbbc commissions the dumping ground". BBC. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  2. "Weekly Top 10 Programmes". Barb.co.uk. 29 July 2012. Archived from the original on 13 January 2013. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  3. "Publicity pack" (PDF). www.bbc.co.uk.
  4. "Publicity pack" (PDF). www.bbc.co.uk.
  5. "Player performance" (PDF). www.bbc.co.uk. 2011.
  6. "Player performance" (PDF). www.bbc.co.uk.
  7. "Player performance" (PDF). www.bbc.co.uk.
  8. "PowerPoint Presentation" (PDF).
  9. "CBBC orders up more original drama for children as Tracy Beaker returns to the BBC in 2010". BBC Press Office (Press release). BBC. 26 March 2009. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  10. "Tyneside return for Tracy Beaker". 2 October 2009.
  11. "Tracy Beaker returns as CBBC commissions more drama from the North East, plus a Newsround special on living in foster care". BBC Press Office (Press release). BBC. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
  12. "Classic picks up Ooglies".
  13. "Press Office - Tracy Beaker returns to the North East" (Press release). BBC. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  14. "Tracy Beaker Returns". Amazon UK. 21 March 2011.
  15. "Tracy Beaker Returns wins a Bafta". screenterrior. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
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