Dani Harmer returns to the role of Tracy Beaker as she is seen filming for new BBC series

Dani Harmer is officially back as Tracy Beaker. 

The actress began playing the iconic role in 2002 when she was just 12 years old, but on Monday she was pictured on set for day one of filming on a new series featuring the beloved character from Jacqueline Wilson.

Dani, 31, is reprising her role in the BBC series My Mum Tracy Beaker which sees Tracey raising her daughter Jess.

She’s back! Dani Harmer is officially back as Tracy Beaker. On Monday she was pictured on set for a new series featuring the beloved character from Jacqueline Wilson

Dani was seen filming in Manchester alongside her onscreen daughter as well as a handsome male co-star.

Tweeting over the weekend the actress admitted she was nervous to return to the role that launched her acting career, especially as lockdown restrictions in Manchester meant she was had to stay away from her family.

Dani shares four-year-old Avarie-Belle Betsy with boyfriend Simon Brough, and tweeted that they would be apart for the duration of filming.  

‘Off to Manchester I go! Stupid virus means I can’t see my family for 5 weeks which is going to be beyond tough! But needs must! The mum guilt is off the scale! Let’s hope these 5 weeks go super quick! Thank goodness for FaceTime,’ she told her followers.   

Family ties: Dani, 31, is reprising her role in the BBC series My Mum Tracy Beaker which sees Tracey raising her daughter Jess

Family ties: Dani, 31, is reprising her role in the BBC series My Mum Tracy Beaker which sees Tracey raising her daughter Jess

In August Dani 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.’ 

Dani explained how she was eager to know how Tracy has developed since becoming a mum. 

Changing roles: Dani is reprising her role but Tracy is now a mum to a daughter Jess

Changing roles: Theactress started playing Tracy when she was just 12-years-old

Changing roles: Dani is reprising her role but Tracy is now a mum to a daughter Jess after a difficult childhood, as depicted in the original books and TV series 

‘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.  

The book My Mum Tracy Beaker was published in 2018 by author 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. 

Who's that? Dani was seen filming in Manchester alongside her onscreen daughter as well as a handsome male co-star

Who’s that? Dani was seen filming in Manchester alongside her onscreen daughter as well as a handsome male co-star

Back on set: Tweeting over the weekend the actress admitted she was nervous to return to the role that launched her acting career

Back on set: Tweeting over the weekend the actress admitted she was nervous to return to the role that launched her acting career

‘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’. 

Role of a lifetime: In August Dani said she was 'looking forward to taking on the challenge of portraying her as a first time mum'

Role of a lifetime: In August Dani said she was ‘looking forward to taking on the challenge of portraying her as a first time mum’

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’. 

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

Reprise: The book My Mum Tracy Beaker was published in 2018 by author Jacqueline Wilson and sees the heroine struggling to make ends meet on a 'tough' housing estate in London

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