British Comedy Guide
Material Girl. Image shows from L to R: Marco Keriliak (Michael Landes), Ali Redcliffe (Lenora Crichlow), Chris (O-T Fagbenle), Davina Bailey (Dervla Kirwan). Copyright: Carnival Films
Material Girl

Material Girl

  • TV comedy drama
  • BBC One
  • 2010
  • 6 episodes (1 series)

Romantic comedy about a fashion designer who must battle an evil ex-boss, a devilish business partner and snobby fashionistas. Stars Lenora Crichlow, Dervla Kirwan, Michael Landes, O-T Fagbenle, Nick Blood and more.

F
X
R
W
E

Character guide

Material Girl. Ali Redcliffe (Lenora Crichlow). Copyright: Carnival Films

Ali Redcliffe

Played by: Lenora Crichlow

At the heart of the show is Ali, impetuous, feisty, neurotic, a total mess in her personal life but extraordinarily talented in her professional life as a fashion designer. In her mid-twenties, Ali is single and fiercely loyal to her tightly-knit group of friends, Alex, Mimi and Lydia.

Ali knows it's going to be tough in the world of fashion for a down-to-earth girl. Despite her training, Ali considers herself a fashion outsider with no connections to the industry. She finds it difficult to trust men ever since the man she loved, Jed Nicholls, left her in pursuit of his career.

Material Girl. Davina Bailey (Dervla Kirwan). Copyright: Carnival Films

Davina Bailey

Played by: Dervla Kirwan

Posh, beautiful, brittle and Trustafarian are four words to describe Davina.

Davina is just an 'okay' designer, but she is a fantastic self-publicist.

She mentored Ali through her fledging years and thinks she treated Ali like a sister, but in reality was probably more of a monstrous step-sister to her. Davina apportions blame to Ali for their fall out but she quickly realises that the secret of her success lies in the creative chemistry she had with Ali and so she is desperate to get that back...

Material Girl. Marco Keriliak (Michael Landes). Copyright: Carnival Films

Marco Keriliak

Played by: Michael Landes

Unscrupulous, manipulative and devilishly brilliant, Marco is a whirlwind of energy, ideas, plots and schemes.

As Ali's business partner, Marco's ambitions for Ali are limitless, but is he really in love with Ali? - and, if so, how will he win her affections? Particularly when we begin to realise he has a history with Davina.

Material Girl. Chris (O-T Fagbenle). Copyright: Carnival Films

Chris

Played by: O-T Fagbenle

Irresistibly charming, gorgeous and self-deprecating, Chris is a romantic interest for Ali.

He is a bike courier, which is a good thing for Ali as she's doesn't want to date anyone in fashion after Jed Nicholls. That is, until Chris becomes a model.

He worships Ali but pulls the plug on their relationship when he believes Ali isn't being emotionally honest with him. But then comes back for more...

Material Girl. Alex (Nick Blood). Copyright: Carnival Films

Alex

Played by: Nick Blood

Alex is Ali's designer flatmate. He is cute, gay and promiscuous (until he meets Orlando).

Neurotic with an obsessive eye for detail, Alex hates confrontation. He met Ali at Davina's and became best friends and flatmates with her then.

He feels conflicted by Ali's rash decision to leave Davina's and soon gets caught in the Ali/Davina crossfire where his allegiances to Ali are tested.

Material Girl. Mimi Throckmorton (Ingrid Oliver). Copyright: Carnival Films

Mimi Throckmorton

Played by: Ingrid Oliver

Mimi's outward confidence is perhaps protecting a vulnerable soft heart. Fiercely loyal to her friends, Mimi is voluptuous and sexy, but is not regarded as such by industry insiders - she's "fashion fat." An opinion she vows to put straight one day.

Mimi dreams of being a stylist but it's going to be a hard slow climb. Mimi first met Ali at a fashion show that they both gate-crashed. Currently she works as a stockist at a leading fashion magazine house, where she comes to the attention of the publisher, Anthony Chatsworth...

Material Girl. Lydia Kane (Anna Brewster). Copyright: Carnival Films

Lydia Kane

Played by: Anna Brewster

Unspoilt despite being a highly successful model at the peak of her career, Lydia is level-headed but loves to party. She looks like a princess but sounds like a navvy.

She was Ali's muse at Davina's and is now the centre of a tug-of-love between Ali and Davina. Lydia's loyalty to the industry is tested when she is the brunt of a paparazzi attack.

Material Girl. Trish (Esther Smith). Copyright: Carnival Films

Trish

Played by: Esther Smith

Trish is uber-cool, confident and bright. She's a wannabe designer, but is currently the receptionist slash office-gofer at Ali's studio.

Material Girl. Dorota (Joanna Kanska). Copyright: Carnival Films

Dorota

Played by: Joanna Kanska

Dorota she is the machinist at Ali's studio.

Polish, maudlin and cynical, Dorota complains endlessly but is technically brilliant.

Material Girl. Mitchell Crompton (Malcolm Sinclair). Copyright: Carnival Films

Mitchell Crompton

Played by: Malcolm Sinclair

Revered fashion critic Mitchell Crompton is like a fur - seemingly soft and pleasant, but with carnage and cruelty just below the surface.

Mitchell's in cahoots with Davina and it is he who was largely responsible for the disastrous reviews following Ali's first show at Fashion Week.

Material Girl. Orlando (Vyelle Croom). Copyright: Carnival Films

Orlando

Played by: Vyelle Croom

Orlando is the chief designer for Davina.

He is currently going out with Alex, and has somehow managed to turn the previously promiscuous Alex into a one-man man.

Share this page