Episodes
| Episode | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 20210528 | 20211108 (R4) | Meet Bess, the feisty, courageous heroine of Careless by Kirsty Capes. She's 15 years old and lives with her foster parents in Shepperton, but it's her best friend Eshal who she turns to for love and support. When 19-year-old Boy steals her bike, Bess's life turns upside down and she finds herself having to make some very adult decisions. Careless is the story of a funny, brave, vulnerable young girl struggling to find a sense of herself. In this first episode, Bess takes a pregnancy test...
Careless by Kirsty Capes is abridged by Katrin Williams, produced by Nicola Holloway and read by Abbie Andrews.
Meet Bess: 15 years old, in foster care, funny, feisty, and taking a pregnancy test. The frank and feisty story of a young girl in care. A debut novel from Kirsty Capes |
| 02 | 20210528 | 20211109 (R4) | Even though he stole her bike, Bess has not been able to stop thinking about Boy. In this episode of Careless by Kirsty Capes, Bess remembers their second encounter when he comes to her rescue at the school gates after an angry fight.
Bess recalls the beginnings of her relationship with Boy The frank and feisty story of a young girl in care. A debut novel from Kirsty Capes |
| 03 | 20210528 | 20211110 (R4) | In this episode of Careless by Kirsty Capes, Bess and Eshal go to Brighton with Boy and Keris and despite an unromantic visit to Boy's father, the relationship between Boy and Bess deepens.
15-year-old Bess lives with her foster family in Shepperton, and Careless is the story of her first, unhappy relationship - with a 19-year-old simply called Boy. Careless is set in the late 1990s.
Read by Abbie Andrews
Bess and Boy's first road trip and their first kiss. The frank and feisty story of a young girl in care. A debut novel from Kirsty Capes |
| 04 | 20210528 | 20211111 (R4) | Back in Shepperton after their trip to Brighton, and their first kiss, Bess and Boy continue their on-off relationship. Bess's social worker, Henry and her foster family are concerned but Bess is determined to carry on seeing Boy.
Careless by Kirsty Capes is read by Abbie Andrews.
Bess and Boy grow closer. The frank and feisty story of a young girl in care. A debut novel from Kirsty Capes |
| 05 | 20210528 | 20211112 (R4) | 15-year-old Bess, who lives with her foster family, is pregnant. She confides in her friend Eshal that she would like to end the pregnancy and together they decide to take matters into their own hands, with disastrous and distressing results.
Careless by Kirsty Capes is read by Abbie Andrews
Bess and Eshal try to decide what to do about the baby. The frank and feisty story of a young girl in care. A debut novel from Kirsty Capes |
| 06 | 20210528 | 20211115 (R4) | Bess wakes up in a hospital bed after she, and her friend Eshal, tried to end her pregnancy at home. Faced with the enormity of what she has done, Bess now has to cope with visits from doctors, social workers and her foster families as she tries to come to terms with her situation. The kindness she craves comes from an unexpected source.
Careless by Kirsty Capes is read by Abbie Andrews. The abridger is Katrin Williams, produced by Nicola Holloway.
Bess is in hospital recovering from her attempt to end her pregnancy. The frank and feisty story of a young girl in care. A debut novel from Kirsty Capes |
| 07 | 20210528 | 20211116 (R4) | In this episode of Careless by Kirsty Capes Bess turns sixteen. She's pregnant, upset, confused and unhappy. Her foster family are excited by the possibility of a new baby but Bess is afraid. Keris phones with news of Boy, which does not make matters any better.
Careless is read by Abbie Andrews.
It's Bess's sixteenth birthday. The frank and feisty story of a young girl in care. A debut novel from Kirsty Capes |
| 08 | 20210528 | 20211117 (R4) | Bess discovers she has a new social worker- one who seems to offer Bess the hope and the future she has been dreaming of. But first, she has to resolve matters with Boy and make a decision about the baby. After an upsetting, bruising encounter with Boy, she turns to best friend Eshal in her hour of need.
Careless by Kirsty Capes is read by Abbie Andrews
Two people in her life offer Bess hope. The frank and feisty story of a young girl in care. A debut novel from Kirsty Capes |
| 09 | 20210528 | 20211118 (R4) | Bess is still pregnant and still not sure what to do for the best. Her foster mother would like her to keep her baby but Bess dreams of leaving home and going to film school. In this episode of Careless by Kirsty Capes, Bess bravely decides to confront her past, and her very early childhood as she tries to decide what to do. Although revisiting her past does stir some disturbing memories, it does help Bess to reach a resolution.
Reader: Abbie Andrews
Bravely, Bess confronts her past. The frank and feisty story of a young girl in care. A debut novel from Kirsty Capes |
| 10 | 20210528 | 20211119 (R4) | Bess has decided to end her pregnancy. She finds out about the people who matter to her and who she can trust. With the support of her social worker Shelley, her oldest friend Eshal and new friend Keris she can look to the future with confidence and come up with plans to start the rest of her life; and even find the confidence to face Boy.
Careless by Kirsty Capes is read by Abbie Andrews
Bess looks to the future. The frank and feisty story of a young girl in care. A debut novel from Kirsty Capes |