It’s one and done for BBC One’s Age Before Beauty. The BBC quietly cancelled the Debbie Horsfield penned beauty salon drama set in Manchester late last year, TVWise has confirmed.
“We sometimes have to make difficult decisions to make room for new shows and Age Before Beauty won’t be returning for a second series”, a BBC Spokesperson said. “We are incredibly proud of the show and would like to thank Debbie and all those involved.”
The news of the cancellation was first reported by Radio Times. The decision not to move forward with a second season came after the debut run managed an average consolidated audience of just under 3.9 million viewers in its Tuesday night slot. Creator Debbie Horsfield, who penned the BBC’s Poldark reboot, told Radio Times that while she will not be working on a second season of Age Before Beauty, she will be doing a new drama for the corporation, though she declined to give details on the project.
Age Before Beauty is set in a failing family run beauty salon in Manchester’s Northern Quarter and follows Bel, who after spending the past 18 years as a home-maker, steps in to save the family business. She will have to contend with the salon’s high-maintenance staff – her family. Family feuds and bitter rivalries, professional and personal, escalate in the salon amongst the Botox, fillers and face-lifts.
The drama series is produced by Mainstreet Pictures and stars Polly Walker (Mr Selfridge). Robson Green (Granchester), Sue Johnston (Downton Abbey), James Murray (Him), Lisa Riley (Three Girls), Kelly Harrison (The Level), Vicky Myers (The Five) and Madeleine Mantock (Into The Badlands). The executive producers are Horsfield, Mainstreet’s joint MD’s Laura Mackie and Sally Haynes, and the BBC’s Elizabeth Kilgarriff.
