The central character of Marmalade Atkins was played by 14 year old Charlotte Coleman, who was already familiar to UK viewers from her role as Sue in Worzel Gummidge. The ultimate tomboy, she rejects every attempt to feminise her or turn her into a "good girl", going to any lengths to upset the status quo. Essentially a solitary figure (she has no real friends to speak of other than a talking nodding dog), she posseses an heroic quality which allows her to come out on top in any situation regardless. A natural leader, she can both galvanise people together or sunder them apart.
Marmalade's parents are every bit as odd as their daughter. Despite their working class roots, they have ascended to the upper classes via Mr Atkins profitable business schemes, which mostly involve swindling rich arabs in the city. Mrs Atkins spends her whole life on the phone to Harrods in a quest to spend her husband's money as fast as it comes in. Sporting a hideously pretentious accent cultivated to disguise her humble origins, she indulges in mink eyelashes and other outlandish luxuries while forever berating Mr Atkins for his loutish behaviour ("the only reason I tolerate that man is because he's practically a millionaire!") The only thing they hate more than each other is their daughter, Marmalade.
In an earlier pilot episode, the Atkins had tried to rid themselves of Marmalade by having her sent into space. Now, with the aid of chirpy do-gooder social worker Mrs Allgood, they embark on a crusdade to turn their troublesome offspring into a "good girl" - first by sending her to a variety of different schools, then by calling in an animal trainer, then a nanny, and finally by packing her off to Dartmoor prison.
In the end though, it's all in vain as nothing and no-one can control Marmalade Atkins - truly the worst behaved girl in the world.
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