Salon Wars

Sue Johnston, robson Green and Polly Walker star in a new family drama set in a Manchester salon

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New drama

Age Before Beauty Tuesday, BBC1 Hd, 9pm

Inside an opulent beauty salon in the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter, actress Kelly Harrison is giving her co-star Polly Walker a piece of her mind. ‘And cut!’ shouts the director.

TV&Satellite Week is on set for BBC1’s new family saga, Age Before Beauty, penned by Poldark writer Debbie Horsfield.

The six-part series centres on Bel (played by Walker), who is persuaded to return to the failing family business, MirrorBel beauty salon, after taking a break to bring up her children. As she tries to improve its fortunes, she must also battle sibling rivalry among her three sisters (one played by Harrison) as well as her own marital problems.

‘This drama offers a lot and with it comes many important messages,’ says Walker. ‘People will enjoy getting to know this family and they will hopefully get swept away with Bel’s story and her dilemma. This is about Bel and her emancipation – she is free to discover who she is for the very first time.’

The Stars on Their characters...

1 Ivy-Rae Regan Sue Johnston

The girls’ unconventional mother, spray-tan technician ivy-rae is married to chizzler (Struan Rodger). They have an open relationship, but despite her dalliances with other men, she always comes home to him. ‘i’ve often played maternal women and ivy-rae is completely different,’ says