Missy Booth is a fictional character from the Channel 4 school drama Ackley Bridge, portrayed by Poppy Lee Friar. Missy first appeared in the pilot episode of the series, first broadcast on 7 June 2017. She is introduced as one of the programme's two protagonists alongside best friend Nasreen Paracha (Amy-Leigh Hickman). Due to growing up with numerous responsibilities including being the carer of her family, Friar described her character as a "fighter". Despite this, Missy is also seen to be a rebellious and opinionated character who is popular at school, especially with the male students. One of the main themes explored throughout the series is her friendship with Nasreen, which Channel 4 billed as the "heart of the show". Both Friar and Hickman have accredited this to their real-life friendship, which they felt mirrored their onscreen friendship.
Friar received praise from critics for her portrayal of the character, whose storylines included her grandmother's death, her sister being taken into foster care and getting an abortion. Missy appears in the series until the second episode of the third series, when Friar left to pursue other acting projects. Missy's final scenes see her die after being hit by a car; fans have voiced their disappointment in her death, with many stating that the series has not been the same since her departure. Despite this, they felt that her death allowed for numerous powerful storylines to commence, such as Nasreen's grief and the students of the fictional school mourning for her. Critics were disappointed to see her departure from the series, but commended the "bold decision" to kill a centric character. In 2021, Missy's death was described as "one of the most harrowing moments of the series" to date.
Storylines
Missy is introduced alongside lifelong best friend Nasreen Paracha (Amy-Leigh Hickman), when the pair are drinking cider on a sofa inside a skip on their street. The next day, the pair start at Ackley Bridge College, having previously attended different schools. Due to Missy retaking a year, she is placed in the year group below Nasreen. Nasreen's friend Alya Nawaz (Maariah Hussain) immediately disapproves of Missy due to the way she talks and dresses. To fit in with Alya's group of friends, Nasreen shuns Missy. When Missy confronts her and exposes her for drinking, the pair fight and are taken in to see headteacher Mandy Carter (Jo Joyner), who gives them a formal warning. To get revenge on Nasreen, Missy orders Cory Wilson (Sam Retford) to have sex with Nasreen, offering to have sex with Cory if he does it. She later regrets her decision and admits what she has done when she sees Cory kissing Nasreen. Missy returns home to grandmother Julie (Rita May) worrying about her money being stolen; Missy suspects that her mother Simone (Samantha Power) has stolen the money and enlists Nasreen's help to find her, despite the pair still arguing. The pair get hold of the money and on the way home, Nasreen comes out to Missy as a lesbian.
Before going to school, Missy goes upstairs to help Julie get out of the bath but is distraught to find her dead in the bath. Unsure of what to do, she leaves her body and goes to school. She later confides in Nasreen but tells her to keep it a secret, since there is no longer a legal guardian to look after sister Hayley (Cody Ryan). Teacher Emma Keane (Liz White) finds out and reports Julie's death to the social board, who put Hayley into foster care. With the help of Simone, Missy eventually regains custody of Hayley. Missy runs out of the exam hall during a GCSE mock exam due to stress and is later informed that due to low results in her year group, underperforming students will be removed from non-core subjects. Upset that she cannot attend drama class, Missy quits school and begins working in a food truck to earn money. Headteacher Mandy visits her and informs her that if she attends school again, she can star in the school play, to which she agrees. Missy begins a relationship with Nasreen's half-brother Aaron Turner (Adam Fielding). When he surprises her with a firework display, she proposes to him. She later becomes pregnant with his baby and tells Aaron, who is delighted. However, feeling it is too soon to have a child, she has an abortion. Aaron finds out and is angry that Missy did not consult him; he then ends the relationship.