Beautiful People

An ever-so-slightly twisted family sitcom based on the hilarious memoirs of Simon Doonan. The story of a young boy and his mission to live a glamorous life.

Simon is 13 and he pictures himself on the pages of the celebrity magazines with the ‘beautiful people’ – except he lives in the suburbs of working-class Reading. His house in Edna Street is home to an extended family of assorted lodgers and oddball relatives: his dramatic mother – the fabulous Debbie, who sports peroxideblond hair and spike heels; his Irish father Andy, an avid opera fan and amateur wine-maker (in a bonkers household the alcohol definitely helps). Then there’s blind Aunty Hayley and her overweight guide dog, lobotomised Grandma Narg, Simon’s camp best friend Kyle (who friends call ‘Kylie’) and his ghetto-princess sister, Ashlene.

Beautiful People is narrated from 2008 and harks back to 1997 and a childhood set against the backdrop of ‘New Labour’ Britain. It is a world of small town boredom versus big city dreams populated by a glittery raft of colourful characters and one very warm family.

And of course, although he spends his days dreaming of glitz and glamour one day Simon may realise the ‘Beautiful People’ were closer to home than he thought.

Programmer’s Recommendation: If you enjoy Beautiful People, check out The Face of Furry Creek and She’s Living for This.