Beautiful People, a sparkling new comedy series for 91Èȱ¬ Two
Cast and production biographies
Olivia Colman, Debbie (mum):
Olivia Colman has starred in many of the UK's most successful television comedy series of the past decade.
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Her television work includes: five series of Peep Show (Channel 4) playing Sophie, the long suffering on/off girlfriend of Mark (David Mitchell); two series of Green Wing (Channel 4); two series of That Mitchell And Webb Look (91Èȱ¬ Two); Much Ado About Nothing (91Èȱ¬ Two); Look Around You (91Èȱ¬ Two); and The Office (91Èȱ¬ Two).
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Meera Syal, Aunty Hayley:
an accomplished stage and screen actress, comedienne and best-selling author, Meera Syal is one of the most recognisable actresses in the UK today.
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Her numerous TV appearances include: The Kumars At Number 42 (91Èȱ¬ Two); Goodness Gracious Me (91Èȱ¬ Two); Jekyll (91Èȱ¬ One); Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee (91Èȱ¬ One); Bad Girls (ITV1); and Fat Friends (ITV1).
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Her film work includes Anita And Me (adapted from her own best-selling novel), Wasp'05 (directed by Woody Allen), Beautiful Thing (written by Jonathan Harvey) and Sammi And Rosie Get Laid.
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Meera has written two best-selling novels, Anita And Me and Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee, both of which have been adapted for TV and film. She also wrote the stage play for the hit Andrew Lloyd-Webber West End production, Bombay Dreams.
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Aidan McArdle, Andy (dad):
Aidan shot to fame playing Dudley Moore in the critically acclaimed 2004 Channel 4 production Not Only But Always, alongside Rhys Ifans as Peter Cook.
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His other TV work includes: Jane Eyre (91Èȱ¬ One); Death Becomes Him (91Èȱ¬ One); and Afterlife (ITV1).
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His film credits include The Duchess starring Keira Knightly, Ella Enchanted, and the new Richard Linklater film, Me And Orson Welles (due for release later this year).
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Samuel Barnett, older Simon:
LAMDA-trained Samuel Barnett starred in both the stage and film versions of Alan Bennett's The History Boys, alongside James Corden.
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His other film work includes Mrs Henderson Presents and the soon to be released Jane Campion film, Bright Star.
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His TV credits include Coupling (91Èȱ¬ Two) The Royal (ITV1) and the new HBO mini-series John Adams, soon to be shown on More4.
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Luke Ward-Wilkinson, young Simon:
14-year-old Luke Ward-Wilkinson has appeared in all four series of Wild At Heart on ITV1, as well as The Secret Of Eel Island (Five) and Sharpe's Peril (ITV1).
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Luke trained at the Royal Ballet School and has performed in Sleeping Beauty at the Royal Opera House.
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Layton Williams, Kyle/Kylie:
Layton can currently be seen on the West End stage as one of the Billys in the stage adaptation of Billy Elliot The Musical.
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Playing Kyle in Beautiful People is Layton's first foray into television.
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Sophie Ash, Ashlene (sister): Sophie is a 16-year-old drama school student from Essex. She has performed as both a dancer and actress in many stage productions including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium, productions at the Hackney Empire and Sadler's Wells theatres, and in the Choir for Joseph UK tour.
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Her TV/film work includes Closer (starring Jude Law and Julia Roberts) and a number of TV commercials.
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Simon Doonan, author of Beautiful People:
Simon Doonan is a best-selling author and the creative director of Barneys department store in New York.
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His books include Beautiful People, Wacky Chicks, Confessions Of A Window Dresser and the recently released Eccentric Glamour.
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In addition Simon writes the 'Simon Says' column for The New York Observer and is a frequent contributor and style commentator on myriad publications and television shows.
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He lives in New York with his partner and pet dog.
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Jonathan Harvey, writer:
Jonathan Harvey is a prolific writer for both stage and screen including: Beautiful Thing (Channel 4), the hit comedy series starring Kathy Burke and James Dreyfus, Gimme Gimme Gimme (91Èȱ¬ Two), Murder Most Horrid (91Èȱ¬ One), as well as regularly penning episodes of Coronation Street (ITV1).
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Justin Davies, producer:
an accomplished producer, Justin has worked on a variety of programmes both in the UK and in his home country, Australia.
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His 91Èȱ¬ producing credits include the 25th anniversary special of To The Manor Born (91Èȱ¬ One) and HR (91Èȱ¬ Four).
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Jon Plowman, executive producer:
Jon started at the 91Èȱ¬ in 1980 and over the past 25 years has been involved in many of the 91Èȱ¬'s most groundbreaking and popular comedy and entertainment programmes.
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As a producer, his work includes: Murder Most Horrid; French And Saunders; Fry and Laurie; Smith and Jones; Bottom; and of course, Absolutely Fabulous.
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In 1994, Jon was made Head of Comedy at the 91Èȱ¬ and returned to be an executive producer at the end of 2007. He has been the executive producer on: The Office; Little Britain; Shooting Stars; Ruby Wax; The Stand Up Show; Ben Elton; Comedy Nation; Goodness Gracious Me; Families At War; The League Of Gentlemen; People Like Us; Gimme Gimme Gimme; The Thick Of It; The Late Edition; The Mark Steel Lectures; Absolute Power; and Broken News.
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