Man to Boy. Boy to Icon.

Worried About the Boy is a 90 minute film, featuring talented newcomer Douglas Booth, Mathew Horne (Gavin & Stacey), Marc Warren (Hustle) and Mark Gatiss, for BBC2's season of celebratory programming on the 1980s. At its heart it is a coming-of-age story about a 19 year old boy moving to London, establishing his personal independence, and becoming an influential part of a fashion cult. In the past 30 odd years, George O'Dowd has made more than a few headlines. This film concentrates in particular the period between 1980 and 1982, just before the success of Culture Club's Do You Really changed his life. Living in a squat on Great Titchfield Street, regularly attending the Blitz Club, falling in and out of love, being photographed for looking fabulous, forming a band... these are experiences that any 19 year old dreams of. George O'Dowd became famous all over the world simply by being himself. The film is a compassionate biography of a much loved icon. Boy George's debut appearance on Top of the Pops was the defining televisual moment of 1982; it heralded in a new era of fashion and pop music. The film takes a wry look at Boy George's determination to stand out from the crowd - even a crowd as distinctive as the Blitz kids. His success was unprecedented - changing a whole generation's attitude to music and gender. Worried About the Boy is an affectionate look at a much-loved icon. The title is taken from a 1986 newspaper headline which broke during George's heavily-reported drug problem of the time - even through the bad times, the film shows how the public's affection for Boy George has remained.