Gangsta Granny characters

Appears from the start

An eleven-year-old boy whose parents leave him with his grandmother every Friday night. Ben finds her cabbage-heavy meals, quiet routines, and games of Scrabble painfully dull, and he would rather be at home reading his plumbing magazine. His ambition is to become a plumber, a practical interest his dance-obsessed parents do not understand.

Also known as Granny

Appears from the start

Ben's elderly grandmother, who lives alone and looks after him on Friday evenings. She serves cabbage in many forms, likes Scrabble, and at first seems to Ben to lead an uneventful life. Her poor hearing and slow movement make him underestimate how alert and independent she is.

Also known as Mum

Appears from the start

Ben's mother, an enthusiastic follower of televised ballroom dancing. She and her husband use Friday nights for dance-related outings and expect Ben to share their excitement, paying little attention to his genuine interest in plumbing.

Also known as Dad

Appears from the start

Ben's father, who is as devoted to ballroom dancing as his wife. He dreams of seeing Ben become a dancer and dismisses plumbing as an unsuitable future, creating a distance between father and son despite his underlying concern for Ben.

First appears in chapter 3

The friendly owner of the local newsagent's shop, where Ben buys Plumbing Weekly. Raj is talkative, inventive about sales, and interested in Ben's plans, making him one of the few adults who takes the boy's enthusiasm seriously.

First appears in chapter 14

A watchful neighbor who appoints himself guardian of local order. Mr Parker pays close attention to other people's movements and is eager to report anything he considers suspicious, which makes secrecy difficult for Ben and Granny.

First appears in chapter 2

The glamorous male star of the ballroom program that Ben's parents adore. Flavio is a distant celebrity to Ben but an object of intense admiration in his household, and an appearance involving him becomes the center of his parents' plans.

Also known as Her Majesty

First appears in chapter 30

The Queen, encountered inside the Tower of London at the climax of Ben and Granny's expedition. Instead of reacting only as a remote public figure, she listens to their explanation and recognizes the personal motives behind their extraordinary intrusion.