Tracy Beaker fans slam BBC reboot as ‘classist’ as Dani Harmer set to play single mum on ‘tough’ estate
FANS of Tracy Beaker star Dani Harmer have complained about the star's new role - as a single mum on a council estate.
Viewers took to social media to vent their frustration about the star being cast as the 'classist' stereotype as she's set to play Tracy's mum.
The former child star is set to step back into her old boots in a new BBC series, 15 years after the original series came to an end when Tracy was adopted - but fans aren't happy with the 'obvious' tough role.
One angered viewer wrote on Twitter: "Single mum Tracy Beaker. Really? Just because she was in a children’s home it doesn’t mean her future relationships have to break down.
"I have always thought this show’s portrayal of life in care was often unrealistic & stereotypical, mawkish & groan inducing."
Another wrote: "No sorry, Tracy Beaker is just poop stereotyping of the worst kind classist and average at best.
"Tracy Beaker who grew up in care is now a single mum who lives in a block of flats... inspirational. And now she’s working at “the dumping ground”.
Another commented: “Tracy Beaker, generic, stereotypical and classist. The fact that Tracy Beaker ended up as a single mum on benefits and living in a high rise black of flats says it all."
One fan penned: "Not to be a Debbie downer because I love Tracy Beaker but I think that in the new book/series she should’ve been really successful e.g Hollywood etc rather than living on a tough estate because she always dreamed her mum was a Hollywood movie star so they could accidentally meet and she discover that she wasn’t just dreaming it."
A confused fan wrote: "Feel conflicted over return of Tracy Beaker and the poor representation of residential care it portrays but at same time not many children would watch the actual reality of social care."
Harmer is returning to the CBBC role that made her famous, in My Mum Tracy Beaker.
The actress and 2012 Strictly contestant told The Sun: “I can’t wait to return again to the role of Tracy.
“I’m a fan myself and want to know what happens next and where this journey takes her. Being a mother, I know how much it changes you.
“So I’m looking forward to seeing how it has changed Tracy but still keeping her the same feisty, strong female lead that people know and love.”
From 2002 to 2012, Dani starred in five series of The Story of Tracy Beaker, as well as a feature-length film Tracy Beaker's Movie of Me, and three series of Tracy Beaker Returns.
Yet the new role Dani will play has a personal touch, too, after she became a mum four years ago.
In June 2016, Dani and partner Simon Brough welcomed daughter Avarie-Belle Betsy Brough.
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Previously, she has spoken out about the difficulties of being a mum and exclusively told The Sun: "You don’t realise when you have your first child how difficult trying to find child care is, it’s crazy, especially with a job like mine.
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“It definitely takes an army."
The new Tracy Beaker series will be on BBC iPlayer early next year.