SimilarScreen
Beautiful People

Beautiful People

20086.82 Seasons12 EpisodesEndedTV-PG

Overview

Beautiful People is a British comedy drama television series based on the memoirs of Barneys creative director Simon Doonan. The series takes place in Reading, Berkshire, in 1997, where thirteen-year-old Simon Doonan and his best friend Kylie dream of escaping their dreary suburban surroundings and moving to cosmopolitan London "to live amongst the beautiful people." The first episode aired on BBC Two on 2 October 2008 and recorded overnight ratings of 1.5 million viewers and positive critical reaction. Episodes are self-contained, but do follow a loose story arc throughout the course of each series. The second and final series finished airing on 18 December 2009.

Created by Jonathan Harvey
Written by Jonathan Harvey
Produced by Justin Davies
NetworksBBC Two

Top Cast

Luke Ward-Wilkinson

Luke Ward-Wilkinson

Simon Doonan

Layton Williams

Layton Williams

Kylie Parkinson

Olivia Colman

Olivia Colman

Debbie Doonan

Aidan McArdle

Aidan McArdle

Andy Doonan

Samuel Barnett

Samuel Barnett

Adult Simon Doonan

Sophie Ash

Sophie Ash

Ashlene Doonan

Sarah Niles

Sarah Niles

Reba Parkinson

Meera Syal

Meera Syal

Aunty Hayley

Themes & Keywords

friendssuburbbased on memoir or autobiographylgbtlgbt teen1990sgay interestreading, berkshire

About Beautiful People

Beautiful People is a drama, comedy series that first aired in 2008 exploring themes of friends, suburb, based on memoir or autobiography, lgbt, lgbt teen, 1990s. Created by Jonathan Harvey, it stars Luke Ward-Wilkinson, Layton Williams, Olivia Colman. Beautiful People is a British comedy drama television series based on the memoirs of Barneys creative director Simon Doonan. The series takes place in Reading, Berkshire, in 1997, where thirteen-year-old Simon Doonan and his best friend Kylie dream of escaping their dreary suburban surroundings and moving to cosmopolitan London "to live amongst the beautiful people." The first episode aired on BBC Two on 2 October 2008 and recorded overnight ratings of 1.5 million viewers and positive critical reaction. Episodes are self-contained, but do follow a loose story arc throughout the course of each series. The second and final series finished airing on 18 December 2009.

Shows Similar to Beautiful People

Discover shows like Beautiful People — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 shows similar to Beautiful People

If you enjoyed Beautiful People, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, creator filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of Beautiful People.

Faking It
29% Match

Faking It(2014)

TV Show6.7/10

A romantic comedy about two best friends who love each other -- in slightly different ways. After numerous failed attempts to become popular, the girls are mistakenly outed as lesbians, which launches them to instant celebrity status. Seduced by their newfound fame, Karma and Amy decide to keep up their romantic ruse.

Looking
29% Match

Looking(2014)

TV Show7.4/10

Three friends in San Francisco who explore the fun and sometimes overwhelming options available to a new generation of gay men.

Sugar Rush
29% Match

Sugar Rush(2005)

TV Show7.0/10

Sugar Rush is an Emmy Award–winning British television comedy drama series developed by Shine Limited and broadcast by Channel 4, based on the Julie Burchill novel of the same name. It follows the trials and tribulations of teenager Kim Daniels, who is dealing with all the usual adolescent issues, plus one - she thinks she might be gay. Her family has recently moved to Brighton from London, and she finds herself with a huge crush on her new best friend, Maria `Sugar' Sweet. Sugar has a bit of a wild side, and frequently gets Kim into trouble, though Kim can find trouble on her own as well. Despite attractions to other girls, and a few attempts at being interested in guys, Kim continues to long for Sugar.

Big Boys
29% Match

Big Boys(2022)

TV Show7.5/10

Big Boys is a silly, sweet comedy about two boys from very different ends of the “spectrum of masculinity” who become best mates at Brent Uni Freshers Week 2013.

Please Like Me
27% Match

After breaking up with his girlfriend, Josh comes to the realization that he is homosexual. With the support of his now ex girlfriend Claire, and his best friend and house mate Tom, Josh must help his mother with her battle with depression and the rest of his family embrace his new found lifestyle.

The Bisexual
27% Match

The Bisexual(2018)

TV Show6.4/10

The Bisexual is a comedy-drama television series created by Desiree Akhavan and Rowan Riley and starring Akhavan, Maxine Peake, and Brian Gleeson. The series, a co-production between British television network Channel 4 and American streaming service Hulu, debuted on 10 October 2018 in the United Kingdom and on 16 November 2018 in the United States. New Yorker Leila lives in London in a seemingly perfect decade-long relationship with her girlfriend and business partner Sadie. However, Leila discovers that she is actually bisexual and begins to explore her orientation. Though she struggles to come out to her friends, Leila makes a drastic decision with unexpected consequences.

Martin
24% Match

Martin(1992)

TV Show7.6/10

Sassy sitcom centering on radio and television personality Martin Payne. Series focuses on his romantic relationship with girlfriend Gina, her best friend Pam and escapades with best friends Tommy and Cole.

Younger
23% Match

Younger(2015)

TV Show6.8/10

Liza Miller, a suddenly single stay-at-home mother, tries to get back into the working world, only to find it’s nearly impossible to start at the bottom at 40-year old. When a chance encounter convinces her she looks younger than she is, Liza tries to pass herself off as 26 and lands a job as an assistant at Empirical Press. Now she just has to make sure no one finds out the secret only she and her best friend Maggie share.

Sex and the City
22% Match

Based on the bestselling book by Candace Bushnell, Sex and the City tells the story of four best friends, all single and in their late thirties, as they pursue their careers and talk about their sex lives, all while trying to survive the New York social scene. 

Girlfriends
22% Match

Girlfriends(2000)

TV Show7.4/10

The series revolves around the friendship of four African-American women in different phases of their lives. They explore the many trials and tribulations that most women face today such as relationships, family, friends and other current issues that will interest most women. Whether it’s getting over a divorce, finding a career, or looking for true love, Girlfriends delivers along with comedy and wit.

Girls
20% Match

Girls(2012)

TV Show6.4/10

The assorted humiliations, disasters and rare triumphs of four very different twenty-something girls: Hannah, an aspiring writer; Marnie, an art gallery assistant and cousins Jessa and Shoshanna.

The Bold Type
20% Match

The Bold Type(2017)

TV Show7.7/10

A glimpse into the outrageous lives of Jane, Kat and Sutton, who are working at the nation's top women's magazine, Scarlet, while navigating their careers, identities and individual voices.