Material Girl (TV series)

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".

Cast

 * Lenora Crichlow – Ali Redcliffe, a young fashion designer attempting to make a name for herself
 * Dervla Kirwan – Davina Bailey, the current hot designer, who is not about to allow an upstart like Ali take her spotlight
 * Michael Landes – Marco Keriliak, fashion businessman, Ali's business partner
 * O. T. Fagbenle – Chris, motorcycle courier and Ali's ex-boyfriend
 * Nick Blood – Alex, Davina's fashion assistant, Ali's friend and gay flatmate
 * Ingrid Oliver – Mimi Throckmorton, Ali's friend, stockist at a fashion magazine-cum stylist
 * Anna Brewster – Lydia Kane, supermodel and Ali's friend
 * Esther Smith – Trish, Ali's studio receptionist
 * Joanna Kanska – Dorota, Ali's studio dressmaker
 * Malcolm Sinclair – Mitchell Crompton, leading fashion critic
 * Sadie Pickering – Louise, works for fashion magazine
 * Lindsey Coulson – Christina Redcliffe, Ali's mother
 * Anthony Calf – Anthony Chatsworth, an influential fashion magazine editor, had affair with Mimi
 * Charlie Carter – Paparazzi, stitches up Lydia Kane for Mitchell

Episodes
Series 1 began on 14 January 2010 on BBC One. There were 6 episodes in total. The series also aired on BBC HD, with a late repeat the same night on BBC Three.

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.