The Dumping Ground
The Dumping Ground (also informally referred to as TDG) is a British children's television drama series that focuses on the lives and experiences of young people who live in a care home with their care workers in care, broadcast on CBBC since 4 January 2013. The series is a continuation of Tracy Beaker Returns and the first series, consisting of thirteen, thirty-minute episodes, was commissioned in early 2012.[2][3] A second series, also with thirteen, thirty-minute episodes, was announced in 2013.[4] The third and fourth series, announced in 2014 and 2015 respectively, both had an increase in episodes: twenty, thirty-minute episodes.[5] In 2016, it was confirmed that two further series, with 24 episodes in each series, would be made.[6][7]
The Dumping Ground | |
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Genre | Children's drama |
Based on | The Story of Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson |
Directed by | Various |
Starring |
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Theme music composer | Jeremy Holland-Smith |
Composers | Jeremy Holland-Smith (series 1) Simon Rogers (series 2–present)[1] |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 8 |
No. of episodes | 156 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Producers |
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Camera setup | Multi-camera |
Running time | 28 minutes (regular episodes) |
Production company | BBC |
Distributor | BBC Studios |
Release | |
Original network | |
Picture format | HDTV 1080i |
Original release | 4 January 2013 – present |
Chronology | |
Preceded by | Tracy Beaker Returns |
Related shows | |
External links | |
The Dumping Ground |
The Dumping Ground broadcast its 100th episode on 16 March 2018, which was the tenth episode of series six.[8] An eighth series is currently airing from January 2020 to February 2021.
Series 8B started in September 2020. After 5 episodes, it was confirmed that the remaining episodes of The Dumping Ground would be shown in early 2021 excluding the Christmas Special which was shown in December 2020. This is due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the delay of Series 9 filming. Filming for the ninth series is scheduled to begin in January 2021.[9]
Plot
The series revolves around the life of children in the Ashdene Ridge (previously Elm Tree House) care home; typically each episode follows one or more characters' life and includes subplots featuring other characters. The Dumping Ground deals with issues related to the care system as well as social issues such as friendships, family, relationships, mental health, adolescence and LGBT parenting.[10]
Episodes
Characters
Spin-offs
Since its inception, The Dumping Ground has had four spin-offs. The Dumping Ground Survival Files aired for two series from 6 January to 12 December 2014.[11] Webisode series Liam's Story aired from 17 January to 14 March 2014 and aired in a full episode on television on 23 March 2014. The series followed the character of Liam O'Donovan, played by Richard Wisker, after his life in care.[12] In November 2015, a five-part miniseries aired, titled The Dumping Ground Dish Up, that featured five former cast members - Joe Maw, Jessie Williams, Chris Slater, Jessica Revell and Saffron Coomber - in character and showing how to make different dishes.[13] The Dumping Ground: I'm..., another webisode series where young people and staff describe living and working in care, aired for two series from 25 January 2016 to 9 February 2017.[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] On 6 April 2018, a five-part mini webisode series was released called Sasha's Contact Meeting, which followed Sasha with her social worker planning her pathway plan for when she leaves care.[24]
Production and casting
Amy-Leigh Hickman announced that The Dumping Ground had been commissioned in March 2012. Like in Tracy Beaker Returns, the former La Sagesse School was used for The Dumping Ground set and the first series was filmed in summer 2012. Additional scenes are shot across the North East of England.[3][25] From series 2, the exterior set is filmed at Rowlands Gill, Tyne and Wear which is surrounded by private property. A former secondary school in High Spen, Tyne and Wear was used for some extra filming but this building is no longer used and is currently up for sale to developers. The former Loansdean fire station in Morpeth, Northumberland has been used for The Dumping Ground interior set and the rear garden since the second series when La Sagesse School was sold to property developers, with additional filming across the North East.[6][26][27]
To portray life accurately in a children's care home, the show works with children's advocate, Bev Costello, who acts as an adviser.[10]
All the main cast, apart from Saffron Coomber, from the last episode of the third series of Tracy Beaker Returns reprised their roles and Leanne Dunstan, Reece Buttery and Sarah Rayson were cast as Faith Davis, Mo Michaels and Floss Guppy respectively.[3][28][29] Stacy Liu joined as new care worker May-Li Wang in series 2 and Kasey McKellar joined as Bailey Wharton in series two.[30]
Awards and nominations
Ceremony | Award | Nominee | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2013 Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards | Best Children's Television Script | Elly Brewer for "What Would Gus Want?" | Won |
Emma Reeves for "The Truth is Out There" | Nominated | ||
2013 British Academy Children's Awards[31] | Best Drama | The Dumping Ground | Won |
2014 British Academy Children's Awards[32] | BAFTA Kid's Vote – Television | The Dumping Ground | Nominated |
Best Actor | Kia Pegg as Jody Jackson | Nominated | |
2015 British Academy Children's Awards[33] | Best Drama | The Dumping Ground | Nominated |
Interactive: Adapted in 2015 | The Dumping Ground: You're The Boss | Won | |
2016 Royal Television Society North East and the Border Awards | Drama in 2016 | The Dumping Ground | Won |
2016 British Academy Children's Awards[34] | Best Drama | The Dumping Ground | Nominated |
2018 Royal Television Society NETB Awards | Best Drama (Long Form) | Ian Kershaw for "Farvel"[35] | Nominated |
Performance of the Year | Annabelle Davis[36] | Won | |
Lewis G Hamilton[37] | Nominated | ||
Rising Star | Jordan Barrett, Script Editor[38] | Nominated | |
Rachel Smee, Make Up Trainee[38] | Nominated | ||
Professional Excellence – Costume and Make-up | Michael Birtley[39] | Won | |
2018 British Academy Children's Awards | Performer | Annabelle Davis[40] | Nominated |
2019 Royal Television Society NETB Awards | Best Drama (Long Form) | Ian Kershaw for "Heroes"[41] | Won |
2019 British Academy Children's Awards | Best Drama | The Dumping Ground[42] | Nominated |
Performer | Emily Burnett[42] | Won |
References
- "The Dumping Ground (TV Series 2013-) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb". Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- "CBBC commissions The Dumping Ground". BBC. 21 March 2012. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
- "CBBC's The Dumping Ground in production in Newcastle". BBC Media Centre. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
- "The Dumping Ground returns to CBBC for new series and exclusive webisodes". BBC. 18 November 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "CBBC in-house productions announce a range of new commissions and re-commissions". BBC. 14 May 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- Whetstone, David (29 July 2016). "Series five of The Dumping Ground is taking shape in Morpeth with some new stars". Chronice Live. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
- "BBC - BBC Children's announce raft of new commissions - Media Centre". BBC. 29 June 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
- "Mia Mckenna-Bruce on Instagram: “100 eps of #TDG, what an honour it is to be a part of thatđ&#x;'ƒđ&#x;?źproud of our crazy little familyâ€?". Instagram.com. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
- https://twitter.com/sue_needleman/status/1313780926061703173
- Wain, Deborah (2 June 2016). "The Dumping Ground: inside a social care drama set in a children's home". Community Care. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
- "The Dumping Ground Survival Files CBBC Website". BBC. 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
- "The Dumping Ground Liam's Story CBBC Website". BBC. 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
- "The Dumping Ground Dish Up CBBC Website". BBC. 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
- "The Dumping Ground I'm...Floss". Radio Times. 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
- "The Dumping Ground I'm...Sasha". Radio Times. 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
- "The Dumping Ground I'm...Mo". Radio Times. 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
- "The Dumping Ground I'm...Tee". Radio Times. 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
- "The Dumping Ground I'm...Bailey". Radio Times. 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
- "The Dumping Ground I'm...Jody". Radio Times. 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
- "The Dumping Ground I'm...Carmen". Radio Times. 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
- "The Dumping Ground I'm...Ryan". Radio Times. 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
- "The Dumping Ground I'm...Kazima". Radio Times. 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
- "The Dumping Ground I'm...Tyler". Radio Times. 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
- "The Dumping Ground Sasha's Contact Meeting". BBC. 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
- "The Dumping Ground show to replace Tracy Beaker on CBBC". Newsround. 27 March 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
- "History in the making for town as TV cameras roll". Morpeth Herald. 3 August 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
- "The Dumping Ground exterior". Carers Trust. 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
- "Meet the new stars of The Dumping Ground". ScreenTerrier. 17 September 2012. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
- Davies, Katie (14 February 2013). "Killingworth girl lands role in The Dumping Ground". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
- "The Dumping Ground returns for second series". Screen Terrier. 18 November 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
- "Children's in 2013".
- "Children's in 2014".
- "Children's in 2015".
- "Children's in 2016".
- "Drama in 2018".
- "Performance in 2018".
- "Performance in 2018".
- "Rising Star in 2018".
- "Costume and Make-up in 2018".
- "Children's Award Nominations 2018".
- "Drama in 2019".
- "Children's Award Nominations and Winners 2019".