Dani Harmer is set to return to the role of Tracy Beaker

Dani Harmer will RETURN to the role of Tracy Beaker in a new BBC series which sees the former tearaway teen as a single mother to a 12-year-old daughter

She began playing the iconic role in 2002 when she was just 12 years old.

And now Dani Harmer is set to reprise her role as the feisty Tracy Beaker in a new BBC series, which sees the former tearaway teen as a single mother to a 12-year-old daughter.

The actress, 31, will star in the BBC iPlayer series, My Mum Tracy Beaker, early next year, which sees Tracey raising her daughter Jess.

She’s back! Dani Harmer is set to reprise her role as the feisty Tracy Beaker in a new BBC series, which sees the former tearaway teen as a single mother to a 12-year-old daughter

The 2012 Strictly Come Dancing contestant revealed how she was excited to take on the role of Tracy again in the upcoming series. 

Dani said: ‘I cannot wait to return (again) to the role of Tracy! I’m just like a fan myself and want to know what happens next and where this next journey will take her. 

‘I absolutely adore playing the character and I’m looking forward to taking on the challenge of portraying her as a first time mum.’ 

Changing roles: The 2012 Strictly Come Dancing contestant revealed how she was excited to take on the role of Tracy again in the upcoming series

Changing roles: The 2012 Strictly Come Dancing contestant revealed how she was excited to take on the role of Tracy again in the upcoming series

Dani, who shares four-year-old Avarie-Belle Betsy with boyfriend Simon Brough, explained how she was eager to know how Tracy has developed since becoming a parent. 

‘Being a mother myself I know how much it changes you so I’m looking forward to seeing how it’s changed Tracy but still keeping her the same feisty strong female lead that people know and love,’ she added. 

And executives are now looking for a youngster to take on the role of her daughter Jess.  

Reprise: The sequel was published in 2018 by author Jacqueline Wilson which sees the heroine struggling to make ends meet on a 'tough' housing estate in London

Reprise: The sequel was published in 2018 by author Jacqueline Wilson which sees the heroine struggling to make ends meet on a ‘tough’ housing estate in London

The book was published in 2018 by author Jacqueline Wilson and sees the heroine struggling to make ends meet on a ‘tough’ housing estate in London

‘Tracy has been a character that’s haunted me, she’s the sort of person who sticks in your mind,’ the critically-acclaimed author, 72, revealed in 2018. 

‘When I realised just how long ago it was since I wrote the first Tracy Beaker book, I thought ‘if we were in real time, Tracy herself would be in her 30s.’

‘And I’ve always thought that, even though Tracy had lots of problems in her life and a pretty rubbish mum who was never there for her, Tracy herself would be a good mum, no matter what.’  

The story, which is aimed at both adults who loved the book and seven to 11-year-old children, is told from Tracy’s daughter, Jess’ perspective.

The family are living on a ‘hand-to-mouth existence’ when Tracy meets up with someone from her past and their ‘whole lives turn upside down’. 

And while fans will remember Tracy as a loud, mischievous 10-year-old, her daughter is ‘quieter, more timid and worried about what other people think of her’. 

Fiesty: The story followed Tracy living in a children's residential care home nicknamed the 'Dumping Ground'

Fiesty: The story followed Tracy living in a children’s residential care home nicknamed the ‘Dumping Ground’

In 2018 Dani appeared in a one episode special of the CBBC show which also starred EastEnders‘ favourite Michelle Collins.

The episode told the story of carer Mike’s wedding day with a missing groom and the cast set to track him down.  

Jacqueline’s breakthrough in children’s literature was with The Story of Tracy Beaker back in 1991, which she followed on with popular books such as Double Act, Bad Girls and The Illustrated Mum.

The story followed Tracy living in a children’s residential care home nicknamed the ‘Dumping Ground’. 

The novel, and subsequent TV series, dealt with hard-hitting themes including fostering, neglect and social services.

Co-star: In 2018 Dani appeared in a one episode special of the CBBC show which also starred EastEnders ' favourite Michelle Collins

Co-star: In 2018 Dani appeared in a one episode special of the CBBC show which also starred EastEnders ‘ favourite Michelle Collins