Best Friends (TV series)

Best Friends is a CITV drama series based on the book of the same name by Jacqueline Wilson.

Main cast

Gemma...Chloe Smyth

Alice... Poppy Rogers

Biscuits... Alexander Pownall

Liz (Gemma's mum)... Julia Ford

Karen (Alice's mum)... Lizzy McInnerny

Callum (Gemma's brother)... Jack Blumenau

Grandad... Paul Copley

Flora... Hannah Black

Francesca "No Friends" Gilmore-Brown...Lalage Lumley

Fergus ... Gordon Cameron

Differences between the TV series and the novel

In the book, Alice's dad is called Bob and there is no Fergus for Karen to marry they just move to Scotland.

At the end of the book, Gemma receives a charm bracelet from Alice. In the TV Series, Alice arrives at Gemma's house to surprise her.

In the book Gemma has another brother called Jack who doesn't appear in the TV series.

In the book, Biscuits has a mother and a grandmother; the mother doesn't appear in the TV series.

When Karen kicks Gemma out of her house in Scotland she is never seen again while in the TV series she comes back with Alice and Fergus for Christmas and to say sorry about kicking Gemma out of their house in Scotland.

The Headmaster nearly has Gemma suspended from school for the trouble she caused while in the TV series he just lets Gemma off with a warning.

In the book, their birthday is in July when in the TV series it is on Christmas Eve.

In the book Gemma's dad is around often and speaks a lot. But in the TV series the father just sits in Gemma's bed and barely speakes.

Gemma is given a Yorkie bar but in the TV series she is given an Areo bar.

Gemma has a dog called Barking Mad in the book but in the TV series she has a goldfish.

Summary of episodes

Episode 1 03/12/04

Gemma and Alice meet Biscuits, who moves to their school. Gemma is reluctantly assigned to be his "best friend" to help him settle in. Alice is moved next to Francesca "No Friends" and Biscuits next to Gemma. The girls hatch a plan to get back together. They put Liz's nail glue on Biscuit's seat, but when Biscuits is late, their teacher, Miss Manir sits on it. Her skirt is ripped off and Gemma, Alice and Biscuits get into serious trouble. Their parents get a letter home, asking them to meet the headmaster.

Liz is extremely cross about this and when she's at work, Gemma and Alice make her a cake to apologise, but they make a horrible mess and Gemma is grounded. However, Gemma sneaks out to give Alice her antique doll, Melissa.

While at Alice's house, Alice goes to get drinks for them both. Gemma, as she often does, sneaks a look in Alice's diary. She normally writes nice things about her but now there is something very worrying. Alice has a secret...

Alice moves away to Scotland when Gemma finds out by reading her diary.

Episode 2 10/12/04

Gemma, Alice and ts are waiting to meet with the head master. Alice and Gemma wait with their angry mums, while Biscuits waits with his laid-back Gran (his mother is dead).

Alice confides her secret in Gemma. An upset Alice explains to a distraught Gemma she is moving to Scotland to live with Karen and her fiancée.

Gemma and Alice email Fergus pretending to be Karen and they "dump" Fergus. He doesn't believe this because it was very inaccurate grammatically and Karen and Liz are furious. Gemma gets the end of her tether and screams at an appalled Karen. Callum carries her upstairs and comforts her.

Episode 3 17/12/04

At the going away party, Alice suggests she and Gemma run away. They barely navigate their way to the train station while their frantic mothers search. They spot Biscuits and his Gran, June, calls Liz and Karen. Gemma now resents Biscuits for "telling" although he is persistent that it was his Gran.

Episode 4 24/12/04

It is the day of Alice and Karen's moving. Liz is furious with Gemma and has confined her to her room. Callum lends her his mobile and she calls Alice, pretending to be Francesca so Karen would let her talk to her. Her cover is then blown and Alice is dragged out the house. The removal vans are all packed and ready to go. Gemma races on her bike all the way to Alice's house, but when she gets their, Karen has set off in her car with Alice and beside the girls' persistent pleading, she won't stop. The girls secretly communicate through email via Alice's new "friend" Flora.

Gemma is excruciatingly miserable without Alice. She is paired with Biscuits for the Christmas party celebrity dress up, so they are going as Biscuits' favourite TV Chefs, Larry and Lara. Her Grandad tosses her a lifeline. He has a taxi run to Scotland and if it's OK with Karen and Fergus, she can visit Alice!

Episode 5 31/12/04

Biscuits helps Gemma make a chocolate cake for Alice and her birthday, Christmas Eve. After a stuffy ride in her Grandad's Rolls Royce with an old woman, Gemma finally gets to Scotland, but to her horror there is another girl there, Flora, the girl who was allowing Alice to use her email. Gemma and Flora take an instant dislike to each other and Gemma is upset when she finds out Flora has renamed Melissa to Rosebud and changed her clothes. Alice assures Gemma she still calls her Melissa.

Every year, Gemma and Alice cut their birthday cake and make a wish, but this year, Flora insists on cutting the cake. Gemma is angry beyond belief about this and shoves the cake right in Flora's face. Karen throws Gemma out and forbids her to contact Alice.

Gemma is sure she is to have a miserable birthday and Christmas. At the Christmas party, Liz lets her open a present early. A mobile phone starts ringing and Gemma opens a box. She answers the call- it's Alice! Alice asks her to go to the window to describe what she sees. It is heavily snowing, and then a little figure in pink approaches the window. It is Alice! Grandad had spoken to Fergus, who was tired of a lonely Alice moping around, so they decided to make them both smile.

The last episode ends with the girls dancing in the snowy garden, both happy that they are together again.

DVD release

The TV Series was released in a box set called "The Jacqueline Wilson Collection" which contained this drama, Girls in Love Parts 1 & 2 and Girls in Tears.

The episodes are available on CBBC CITV in blocks of 1 and 2 and then 3 and 4 and then lastly 5. They last half an hour each (15 minutes each for 1, 2, 3, 4).

It is no longer on air.