Filming Begins On Age Before Beauty

Filming is to commence on a new BBC One drama, Age Before Beauty.

The six-part drama stars Robson Green, Sue Johnston, Polly Walker and James Murray. Set in a Manchester Salon, Age Before Beauty is an exploration of youth, age, instant gratification and long-term relationships within the beauty industry. It follows an unconventional family full of sibling rivalry and unconventional parenting.

Married to Wesley (James Murray) for 25 years, Bel (Polly Walker) has spent the last 18 years as a homemaker and mum to their twins, but as they have now left home for university, she has a void in her life. Enter Teddy (Robson Green), brother-in-law and long-time best friend, who asks her to step in and rescue the family business – a beauty salon in Manchester's Northern Quarter.

Like Bel, it could do with a bit of a face-lift. The salon employs her high-maintenance family; mother Ivy-Rae played by Sue Johnston (Northern Soul fanatic and spray tan technician), sisters Leanne (part-time nail technician, part-time personal stylist), Tina (body artist, aka tattooist), and Heidi (fillers and Botox, Cosmetic Surgery addict) mother to Disney, plump, seven-year-old wannabe Pageant Queen.

As if that wasn't enough, beautiful 20-something Personal Trainer Lorelei (played by Madeleine Mantock) comes onto the scene and seems to catch Wesley's eye. Can Bel reconcile the demands of her business, her warring family and the problems in her marriage?

Age Before Beauty also stars Lisa Riley (as Tina), Kelly Harrison (as Leanne), Vicky Myers (as Heidi) and Madeleine Mantock.

Sally Haynes, Executive Producer and Joint MD at Mainstreet Pictures, said: "It's a tribute to Debbie Horsfield's beautifully written characters that we have attracted such a brilliant cast to Age Before Beauty."

Laura Mackie, Executive Producer and Joint MD at Mainstreet Pictures, added: "We can't wait to start filming Debbie's wonderful multi-generational drama with such a fantastic mix of new and familiar faces."

Age Before Beauty is produced by Guy De Glanville and directed by Paul Norton Walker. Writer and creator Debbie Horsfield will executive produce alongside Laura Mackie and Sally Haynes, Joint Managing Directors of Mainstreet Pictures; and Elizabeth Kilgarriff for the BBC.

www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre

(JP)