Material Girl is a British romantic comedy produced by Carnival Films, that first aired on BBC One on 14 January 2010. It stars Lenora Crichlow, Dervla Kirwan, and Michael Landes.
Set in the fashion world, it was inspired by the book Fashion Babylon by Imogen Edwards-Jones. It was described in one of the early promotional items as "a romantic comedy about a young fashion designer battling an evil ex-boss, a sexy-but-devilish business partner and snobby fashionistas to get her break in work and love".
Contents
Cast
Lenora Crichlow as Ali Redcliffe, a young fashion designer attempting to make a name for herself
Dervla Kirwan as Davina Bailey, the current hot designer, who is not about to allow an upstart like Ali take her spotlight
Michael Landes as Marco Keriliak, fashion businessman, Ali's business partner
O. T. Fagbenle as Chris, motorcycle courier and Ali's ex-boyfriend
Nick Blood as Alex, Davina's fashion assistant, Ali's friend and gay flatmate
Ingrid Oliver as Mimi Throckmorton, Ali's friend, stockist at a fashion magazine-cum stylist
Anna Brewster as Lydia Kane, supermodel and Ali's friend
Esther Smith as Trish, Ali's studio receptionist
Joanna Kanska as Dorota, Ali's studio dressmaker
Malcolm Sinclair as Mitchell Crompton, leading fashion critic
Sadie Pickering as Louise, works for fashion magazine
Lindsey Coulson as Christina Redcliffe, Ali's mother
Anthony Calf as Anthony Chatsworth, an influential fashion magazine editor, had affair with Mimi
Charlie Carter as Paparazzi, stitches up Lydia Kane for Mitchell
Reception
The first episode gained 3 million viewers with a 12% audience share, which fell to 2.6 million (11% share) for the third episode.
Critical reviews of the series based on the pilot were mixed, with the London Evening Standard calling it a "jaw-droppingly, buttock-clenchingly dreadful pieces of television". Reviewing the first episode for The Guardian, Sam Wollaston said: "OK, it's silly and deeply shallow. It's also gorgeous, fizzy, bitchy, self-indulgent, obviously bad for you but dangerously addictive. Careful, Material Girl could become a habit."
DVD release
The first series was released in the United Kingdom on DVD on 22 February 2010.