Tracy Beaker: TV nostalgia 20 years on

If you've ever told someone to "BOG OFF", there's a chance you've been watching Tracy Beaker.

For anyone growing up in the early 2000s, fights about alarm clocks, the eating of worms and hiding from Elaine the Pain were all associated with the series about a young girl in a children's home.

Tracy Beaker was an ill-tempered girl with behavioural problems, and created by author Dame Jacqueline Wilson.

Now, 20 years since the first episode aired, her character remains much-loved.

Producer Jane Dauncey said the "tiny book" was a "kind of crazy sort of diary of Tracy's drawings and imaginings, and fury and life story and fantasies".

Before Beaker, TV drama had never covered life in a children's home to such extent.

"I suppose we thought initially it was an insight into children in care," said Dauncey.

"But actually what we discovered was that it appealed to children because it was about friendships and family relationships.

"So many children had experience of step-mothers, step-fathers, step-brothers, step-sisters or even just being let down by a friend.

"In most children's drama there are these issues, but in Beaker it was really visceral, but wrapped up in a very colourful and amusing way."

The production team visited children's homes in west London to try and get a sense of how to create the characters.

"We suddenly realised how small stuff when you're living in a community becomes major stuff," they said.

"We also saw the quiet room... it's a place you can go and scream and bash and we saw a real one of those and thought 'yep, that's a good idea'."

The team wanted to cast children with "a real kind of energy, spark, individuality and charisma".

Cara Readle from Mumbles, Swansea, was cast to play Layla, who like her character, has cerebral palsy.

She said: "It was my first professional job, I didn't really know what I was doing or what I was getting into but it was just the best experience ever and one I never thought I'd get.

"I didn't know acting was a job, especially for me, a little girl from Mumbles."

Since the original series ended in 2006, numerous sequels and spin-off series have been produced documenting how Tracy grew up.

The latest The Beaker Girls, started on CBBC in December, featuring some old favourites.

Former cast member Ciaran Joyce, from Cardiff, played Lol in the show. He said the show was diverse and inclusive.

"Tracy Beaker was light years ahead of its time in terms of inclusivity.

"Inclusivity is a huge thing in the arts now and it's extremely important.

"Representation matters, and young people need to see people who look like them in these shows because it inspires them.

"Tracy Beaker had all that. We had kids from different classes, different dialects, different races, different backgrounds.

"I'm really proud of that."