Tracey Beaker star Chris Slater, known for his role as Frank Matthews in the beloved BBC series, has revealed he’s engaged to a longtime fan of the show, Sam Wilson.
The couple, who plan to marry in 2026, shared their happy news with fans on social media.
Wilson posted a TikTok video featuring a montage of Slater's moments from the series, as well as sweet photos of the couple together as adults.
“He isn’t my childhood crush anymore… He’s my fiancé,” she wrote in a caption to the video.
Slater's portrayal of Frank Matthews, a character in foster care, was a memorable part of both Tracy Beaker and its spin-off The Dumping Ground, which are based on the best-selling books by Jacqueline Wilson.
@samswheellife2 He isnt my childhood crush anymore… hes my fiancé 🥹🥵 #frank #tracybeaker #thedumpingground #fyp
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The engagement marks a new chapter for the 29-year-old actor and his fiancée, who were inundated with well wishes after sharing their joyous news.
A TikTok user shared: “He did a workshop at my uni a couple years ago and he was such a genuinely lovely guy, congrats to you both.”
“Omg this is awesome, imagine having a celeb crush for them to actually be your partner! Amazing - you both look so happy,” another remarked.
A third wrote: “He was great in tracey beaker! (can’t remember if it was returns or dumping ground but i remember liking his character).”
Slater, like the character he portrayed, lives with cerebral palsy. He was discovered by talent scouts while performing in a local theatre production.
He told BBC at the time: “They asked me to audition after contacting my school to find out who I was and I got the part after two auditions.
“I wanted to do some form of coaching within a physical education setting. Acting was just a hobby and the play where I was spotted was a last minute decision to take part in.”
Reflecting on the show's impact, which was lauded for addressing challenging subjects for a younger audience in an entertaining and engaging manner, Slater remarked at the time: “It really is quite rewarding that the issues tackled are what kids could be going through and knowing we could be helping them with their problems.”
