Journalist Stacey Dooley, known for her immersive documentaries, turns her attention to the lives of young Gypsy women in modern Britain. “Growing Up Gypsy,” airing this Thursday on BBC Three, explores the challenges and triumphs of navigating tradition and modernity, from the glare of TikTok fame to the pursuit of entrepreneurial dreams.
Dooley meets Chantelle, a 23-year-old Bedfordshire resident who has amassed nearly 400,000 TikTok followers by sharing traditional Gypsy values alongside cleaning tips. The program also introduces Serena, an 18-year-old from Lincolnshire preparing for her wedding, a glimpse into the tradition of marrying within the Gypsy and Traveller community. Serena’s ambition to launch a horse-related business challenges traditional gender roles, highlighting a generational shift in aspirations. However, she reveals the occasional need to hide her ethnicity from clients, a sobering reminder of the prejudice still faced by the community.
In Nottinghamshire, Dooley spends time with Ebony, a 22-year-old starting her first day at a new salon. Ebony represents a generation grappling with the compromises required to fit into the “gorger” world while holding onto their cultural identity with pride.
“Growing Up Gypsy” looks to be more than just an observation of a community; it’s an exploration of identity, resilience, and the evolving nature of tradition in the digital age. See it Thursday, March 27th at 9:00 PM on BBC Three.
