Tracy Beaker creator Jacqueline Wilson gets new BBC show

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Primrose Railway Children is the latest Jacqueline Wilson story heading to CBBC as the broadcaster makes a string of exciting announcements

My Mum Tracy Beaker
My Mum Tracy Beaker is just one of Wilson's stories that have been adapted by the BBC (Image credit: BBC)

Jacqueline Wilson, the creator of the hugely popular Tracy Beaker stories, is seeing another of her classic books adapted by the BBC, Primrose Railway Children.

The book, which is a modern reimagining of E Nesbit's classic "The Railway Children", is heading to CBBC and iPlayer later this year in a 90-minute one-off.

Shot in and around Glasgow, the dramatic Scottish Highlands and heritage railways, the plot follows Phoebe, her older sister Becks, younger brother Perry and their mum who are living a comfortable life in Glasgow when suddenly they are uprooted from their lives and moved to the remote highlands of Scotland.

The BBC describes it as "a story about growing up, being displaced, and finding your way in a community that seems alien, Primrose Railway Children is set to become essential family viewing".

Jacqueline Wilson’s Tracy Beaker books have led to multiple BBC series including The Story of Tracy Beaker, Tracy Beaker Returns, The Dumping Ground and My Mum Tracy Beaker.

Malory Towers

Malory Towers is returning for two more series (Image credit: BBC)

Meanwhile, the BBC also revealed it was shooting two more series of Enid Blyton's Malory Towers to be shown next year. Seasons 6 and 7 are being filmed in stunning locations around Devon and Cornwall in South West England. It will be the last glorious year at Malory Towers for Darrell Rivers and her sixth-form friends. Jo Sargent, Executive Producer at King Bert Productions said: "We're excited to be back on location for Season 6 and 7 of Malory Towers. As well as welcoming back old friends and getting to know new characters we’ll be saying goodbye to our original girls at the end of the series as they leave Malory Towers for the world of work or university."

In a third announcement, the BBC revealed it's making High Hoops, a comedy starring Peep Show’s Robert Webb and comedian Isy Suttie, which will be screened later this year.

Filmed in Halifax, West Yorkshire, it tells the story of a failing school basketball team and the arrival of tall, gaffe-prone but unstoppable Aoife O'Neill (Darci Hull). The BBC teases: "Aoife soon discovers that the only place she really fits in is the school basketball team — only they’re terrible. Can she turn them around?"

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David Hollingsworth
David Hollingsworth
Editor

David is the What To Watch Editor and has over 20 years of experience in television journalism. He is currently writing about the latest television and film news for What To Watch.

Before working for What To Watch, David spent many years working for TV Times magazine, interviewing some of television's most famous stars including Hollywood actor Kiefer Sutherland, singer Lionel Richie and wildlife legend Sir David Attenborough. 

David started out as a writer for TV Times before becoming the title's deputy features editor and then features editor. During his time on TV Times, David also helped run the annual TV Times Awards. David is a huge Death in Paradise fan, although he's still failed to solve a case before the show's detective! He also loves James Bond and controversially thinks that Timothy Dalton was an excellent 007.

Other than watching and writing about telly, David loves playing cricket, going to the cinema, trying to improve his tennis and chasing about after his kids!