The Story of Tracy Beaker (franchise)

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]

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	The Story of Tracy Beaker (2002–2005) Tracy Beaker Returns (2010–2012) The Dumping Ground (2013–2023) My Mum Tracy Beaker (2021) The Beaker Girls (2021–2023)
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
Jacqueline Wilson website The Story of Tracy Beaker website Tracy Beaker Returns website The Dumping Ground website

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

Main articles: The Story of Tracy Beaker (TV series), Tracy Beaker Returns, The Dumping Ground, My Mum Tracy Beaker, and The Beaker Girls

See also: List of The Story of Tracy Beaker episodes, List of Tracy Beaker Returns episodes, and List of The Dumping Ground episodes

 

Sasha's Contact Meeting title card

Overview of The Story of Tracy Beaker TV series

Series	Season	Episodes		Originally aired
				First aired	Last aired	Network
The Story of Tracy Beaker	1	26		8 January 2002 (2002-01-08)	4 April 2002 (2002-04-04)	CBBC
	2	26		7 January 2003 (2003-01-07)	3 April 2003 (2003-04-03)
	3	26		25 September 2003 (2003-09-25)	1 April 2004 (2004-04-01)
	TV Film			21 February 2004 (2004-02-21)
	4	22		7 October 2004 (2004-10-07)	5 April 2005 (2005-04-05)
	5	20		28 November 2005 (2005-11-28)	9 December 2005 (2005-12-09)
Tracy Beaker Returns	1	13		8 January 2010 (2010-01-08)	26 March 2010 (2010-03-26)
	2	13		7 January 2011 (2011-01-07)	25 March 2011 (2011-03-25)
	3	13		6 January 2012 (2012-01-06)	23 March 2012 (2012-03-23)
The Dumping Ground	1	13		4 January 2013 (2013-01-04)	15 March 2013 (2013-03-15)
	2	13		10 January 2014 (2014-01-10)	28 March 2014 (2014-03-28)
	3	20	10	16 January 2015 (2015-01-16)	13 March 2015 (2015-03-13)
			10	6 October 2015 (2015-10-06)	8 December 2015 (2015-12-08)
	4	20	10	29 January 2016 (2016-01-29)	25 March 2016 (2016-03-25)
			10	30 September 2016 (2016-09-30)	2 December 2016 (2016-12-02)
	5	22	12	20 January 2017 (2017-01-20)	31 March 2017 (2017-03-31)
			10	13 October 2017 (2017-10-13)	15 December 2017 (2017-12-15)
	6	24	12	12 January 2018 (2018-01-12)	30 March 2018 (2018-03-30)
			12	21 September 2018 (2018-09-21)	7 December 2018 (2018-12-07)
	7	24	12	4 January 2019 (2019-01-04)	15 March 2019 (2019-03-15)
			12	27 September 2019 (2019-09-27)	6 December 2019 (2019-12-06)
	8	24	12	10 January 2020 (2020-01-10)	27 March 2020 (2020-03-27)
			12	25 September 2020 (2020-09-25)	5 February 2021 (2021-02-05)
	9	20	10	11 June 2021 (2021-06-11)	13 August 2021 (2021-08-13)
			10	21 January 2022 (2022-01-21)	25 March 2022 (2022-03-25)
	10	20	10	30 September 2022 (2022-09-30)	2 December 2022 (2022-12-02)
			10	21 April 2023 (2023-04-21)	23 June 2023 (2023-06-23)
My Mum Tracy Beaker	1	3		12 February 2021 (2021-02-12)	14 February 2021 (2021-02-14)
The Beaker Girls	1	5		13 December 2021 (2021-12-13)	17 December 2021 (2021-12-17)
	2	12		13 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 spin-off from The Story of Tracy Beaker, was announced called Beaker's Back, but the show was changed to Tracy Beaker Returns and it aired on CBBC for three series from 8 January 2010 to 23 March 2012.^{[7][8][9][10]} In 2012, a spin-off from Tracy Beaker Returns called The Dumping Ground was announced as Harmer chose to quit her role as Tracy and has aired on CBBC since 4 January 2013; it is currently in its ninth 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

Main article: List of The Story of Tracy Beaker (franchise) characters

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. 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.