Dani Harmer, renowned for her portrayal of Tracy Beaker, is set to reprise her iconic role in the upcoming 13th series of The Dumping Ground, scheduled to premiere on January 17, 2025. This marks a significant return, as Harmer first introduced the character 23 years ago. The 35-year-old said in a new interview: "It is so good to be back and making a cameo as Tracy – she’s been a part of my life for over 20 years now – but I’d quite happily play her forever! This series of The Dumping Ground will not disappoint, we’ve got some fantastic storylines and some incredibly talented actors joining the cast.".
The star is currently scheduled to appear only in the first episode. In addition to her on-screen return, Harmer will make her directorial debut by directing an episode of the series. Reflecting on her new role, she also told The Sun: "The production team do such an amazing job nurturing them and they have really supported me behind the camera too, it’s such a special production to be working on. I loved being behind the scenes for an episode - it was very different being sat in the director’s chair but I enjoyed every single second of it… it felt like that was where I was meant to be!”.
The Dumping Ground serves as a spin-off from the original series, The Story of Tracy Beaker, which aired from 2002 to 2006. Harmer's character has also appeared in subsequent series, including Tracy Beaker Returns and the 2021 special My Mum Tracy Beaker. Viewers saw a grown-up Tracy dealing with motherhood herself after welcoming her own daughter.
