Tracy Beaker Returns

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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
Original release
NetworkCBBC
Release8 January 2010 (2010-01-08) –
23 March 2012 (2012-03-23)
Related

Tracy Beaker Returns was 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]

Premise

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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

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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, despite the original series being filmed in Cardiff. 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

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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

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Ratings

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Episode ratings from BARB.[2]

Series Episode No. Airdate Total Viewers Series Average CBBC Weekly Ranking BBC iPlayer requests[a] Source
1 1 8 January 2010 828,000 547,000 1 565,000 [3]
2
3 15 January 2010 699,000 1
4 22 January 2010 564,000 1
5 29 January 2010 594,000 1
6 5 February 2010 485,000 1
7 12 February 2010 550,000 1
8 19 February 2010 432,000 2
9 26 February 2010 423,000 1
10 5 March 2010 503,000 1 324,000 [4]
11 12 March 2010 512,000 1
12 19 March 2010 447,000 2
13 26 March 2010 524,000 1
2 1 7 January 2011 548,000 519,000 1 451,000 [5]
2
3 14 January 2011 426,000 1
4 21 January 2011 374,000 1
5 28 January 2011 482,000 1
6 4 February 2011 498,000 1 636,000 [6]
7 11 February 2011 567,000 1 580,000 [6]
8 18 February 2011 583,000 1 477,000 [6]
9 25 February 2011 623,000 1
10 4 March 2011 611,000 1 556,000 [7]
11 11 March 2011 596,000 1 625,000 [7]
12 18 March 2011 463,000 1
13 25 March 2011 453,000 1
3 1 6 January 2012 856,000 727,000 1 756,000 [8]
2
3 13 January 2012 874,000 1 688,000 [8]
4 20 January 2012 856,000 1 612,000 [8]
5 27 January 2012 748,000 1
6 3 February 2012 781,000 1 831,000 [8]
7 10 February 2012 704,000 1 980,000 [8]
8 17 February 2012 646,000 1 730,000 [8]
9 24 February 2012 631,000 1 676,000 [8]
10 2 March 2012 608,000 1 802,000 [8]
11 9 March 2012 728,000 1 723,000 [8]
12 16 March 2012 631,000 1 596,000 [8]
13 23 March 2012 659,000 1 607,000 [8]

Development and production

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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 was commissioned by the CBBC, titled The Dumping Ground. It started airing on 4 January 2013.[1]

Home Media

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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

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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.

Ceremony Award Nominee Result
2010 Children's BAFTA Awards BAFTA Kids' Vote Television Tracy Beaker Returns Nominated
2010 Children's BAFTA Awards Children's Drama Tracy Beaker Returns Won
2010 Children's BAFTA Awards Children's Performer Dani Harmer Nominated
2010 Children's BAFTA Awards Children's Performer Richard Wisker Nominated
2011 Children's BAFTA Awards BAFTA Kids' Vote Television Tracy Beaker Returns Nominated
2011 Royal Television Awards Children's Drama Tracy Beaker Returns Won
2012 Children's BAFTA Awards BAFTA Kids' Vote Television Tracy Beaker Returns Nominated
2012 Children's BAFTA Awards Children's Drama Tracy Beaker Returns Nominated
2012 Children's BAFTA Awards Children's Writer Elly Brewer Nominated

Notes

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  1. ^ Up to the end of the relevant month

References

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  1. ^ a b 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. ^ a b c "Player performance" (PDF). www.bbc.co.uk.
  7. ^ a b "Player performance" (PDF). www.bbc.co.uk.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "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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