To be honest we’d given up hope of a second series of Jonathan Harvey’s Beautiful People so when it was finally annnounced there was much cheering at lowculture Towers. The initial run was one of the funniest, most warm-hearted programmes of 2008, and without doubt the campest. Loosely inspired by Simon Doonan’s memoirs but moved to the 1990s it follows “theatrical” teenager Simon (Luke Ward-Wilkinson,) his demented family, led by the amazing Olivia Colman as Debbie, and his all-singing, all-dancing best friend Kylie (Layton Williams.) They’re all back in tonight’s series opener, as is Tameka Empson, which may come as a surprise to anyone who remembers her eponymous character dying last year (leading to the show’s most memorable moment – “She loved watermeloooooon!”) But fear not, Tameka’s identical cousin Johoyo is here to take care of Debbie’s legendary hairdo.
In tonight’s “How I Got My Groom” the adult Simon finds himself newly single and returns to Reading, leading to reminiscences about a school genealogy project. And after last year’s soundtrack featured a Minogue Sisters duet, later this series Dame Dannii herself will be guest-starring, as will Dana International in a Eurovision-themed story. So if the photo didn’t give it away no, I don’t think it’ll be any less camp this year.
- Beautiful People, BBC2, 10pm
