When Liz's husband died, years of looking forward to retirement suddenly became irrelevant. Then she met Damar, a retired Nepalese soldier, and fell in love. Liz doesn't understand why her family aren't happy for her. Damar doesn't understand why he can't work in the country he fought for. All they want is to hold onto the bit of sunshine they've found.
A father attempts to toughen up his son, but in doing so risks turning him away for good.
Ellie Morgan must sell her home, and an old flame seemingly offers the perfect solution.
A teenager's love of cross-dressing is discovered and threatens to destroy his family.
Sylvie Jackson covers for a colleague at work and is placed in a terrifying situation.
A middle-aged divorcee's life is turned upside down when her son, who is living in South Africa, is attacked and mugged - leaving her ailing mother, for whom she is main carer, in a difficult position.
When Mary-Ann and Anthony's attempt to adopt their foster baby Grace founders at the last possible moment, they resign themselves to a lifetime of heartbreak. It doesn't help that Mary-Ann's sister Sarah, with three teenage kids, is always ready with interfering advice.
Jean is about to turn 60 and has left a school reunion in a huff, no one at the reunion knew who she was, but they all looked drop dead gorgeous. Has she aged so much now she's unrecognisable? Jean shows daughters Nicola and Lindsay photos from the party and they enjoy spotting the cosmetic surgery - nose job, boob job, botox. Jean is shocked and then intrigued...
Tina's husband Moose was sent down when their daughter Jess was only six months old. Carrying the can for someone else's crime, Moose was sentenced to eight years, went off the rails and left Tina and Jess to manage on their own. Some time later Tina got together with security guard Adam - he's kind, reliable and the only dad Jess has ever known.
When Kirsty O'Connell finds drugs in her house she's appalled but determined to get her teenage son the help he needs. But is he the addict in the family?
Teenager Jack is egged on by his mates to break into pensioner Eddie's house. The lights go on and Jack's trapped - and his mates have gone. Jack just wants to escape, but Eddie won't let him - and it turns out Eddie's an ex-boxer. Jack takes a swing at him - and suddenly everything goes black. As Jack comes round, Eddie asks him where he lives, telling him he needs to talk to his parents - or the police..
Theresa and Cyn have been friends for forty years, but the traffic has generally been going in one direction - family, job and even Theresa's love life have all had to be put on hold for Cyn. When Theresa meets Gabe, a silver fox of a trumpet player, Cyn is put out that Theresa's flirting with him. Meanwhile, Cyn has her driving test tomorrow - fourth time lucky! Tipsy, Theresa says people learn to drive after they've passed their test, and that if Cyn had someone else to take her test for her she would be fine. Gabe stays over, and Theresa feels great - it's usually Cyn who's the wild one, but with Gabe she feels twenty years younger. Later on, Cyn rings: she failed her test again, and wants Theresa to come round. Theresa lets slip that Gabe stayed. Cyn is quietly furious. Eventually, Cyn tells Theresa that Gabe is a wife beater. Theresa's devastated - she's had trouble with men before, but thought Gabe was different. Cyn reassures Theresa that she is there for her, and brings up the subject of her driving test... Cyn dyes and styles Theresa's hair to match her own. Theresa tries to voice her doubts, but Cyn rides rough shod over them. The plan works, and Theresa passes the test. Cyn's elated: the first thing she's going to do is take her out to the seaside. Theresa grips the seat as Cyn almost loses control of the car. On the way home, Gabe calls. Cyn's furious that Theresa is even speaking to him, but for some reason Theresa hears him out. When Theresa finds out that the allegations are completely false, Cyn crashes the car and ends up in hospital. Cyn begs Theresa not to tell the police, but Theresa realises that Cyn can't be trusted. Cyn is furious: how could Theresa do that to her after 50 years of friendship?
When Joanne's son Jamie gets bullied, she assumes that his Catholic school will do everything they can to help. She is shocked to discover, though, that he is being attacked because the other children think he's gay. Headteacher Mr Georgeson runs a tight ship, but although he says he abhors bullying, he can't condone homosexuality. Joanne's husband Dave tells her to keep her nose out, as she'll make it worse, and that Jamie'll grow out of it. But things are much worse for Jamie than anyone realises, and if the school and his parents don't support him, will Jamie be pushed to desperate measures?
Dave is forever in the shadow of his footballer brother Steven and although he is the life and soul of the party, his drinking seems to be spiralling out of control. After meeting a nurse and convincing her he can turn over a new leaf, he takes her out for an evening, but his jealous imagination starts to run riot.
A young woman with learning difficulties makes an unlikely bond with an elderly lady, who is determined to help the troubled youth. After a bad experience at the sheltered housing where she lives, the girl contacts her new friend, who insists on taking her home to her mother - but things take a turn for the worse.
Bugsy Mullen is a milkman with a scar on his lip; he is shy, but he has a good heart. Bugsy has a regular morning ritual with a couple of local kids, Dylan and Josh, who jump on the back of the float for a ride. Bugsy shouts at them because that's expected, but he doesn't actually mind. He even swerves in the street a little to increase the thrill for them. But this time Dylan falls off and bangs his head - there's a brief moment of dizziness, and then Dylan gets up and runs off laughing. Bugsy worries about Dylan and takes him a big bar of chocolate. Dylan's estranged dad Clive gives him a thump for his troubles, but single mum Ally tends to his injuries. Ally's touched by Bugsy's concern for her son - she knows the accident was Dylan's fault. According to her posh new neighbours Dylan's got ADHD, but they are middle class snobs; he's just a boy, full of beans. There's a definite spark between Bugsy and Ally, but Ally is just about to take her ex Clive back into her home; her area is being gentrified, she can't afford the rent by herself, and she thinks she's doing the right thing by the boys. Ally's mum Rita thinks she'd be better off suing the dairy for compensation, then she wouldn't need to take Clive back, but Ally doesn't want to do it. Bugsy was so innocent and nice and vulnerable. He came to see them out of kindness. And he got battered for his trouble. But on the other hand... Bugsy's boss tears strips off him and moves him to another milk round - Ally thinks that Bugsy's been sacked and goes to see him. Bugsy's touched by her concern and tells Ally that he won't say anything to jeopardise her compensation, even if it costs him his job. Ally decides she owes it to Bugsy to tell him a few home truths...
Caroline is an army wife, recently moved to barracks with a new baby. Her husband Tom is on his first tour away, and Carolins finds it hard to adjust to life alone. They keep in touch as much as they can, but it's hard work - the baby's had colic and won't stop screaming. The wives' network is strong, but Caroline's struggling to fit in. All the other women seem strong and calm, neat and tidy - why is she such a mess? Old hand Maggie can see Caroline's becoming a bag of nerves and tries to help. When it turns out that there are rats in the house Caroline reaches breaking point, but Maggie calms her and puts her in touch with her husband's mate Sam, a rat catcher. Sam says it's going to take several weeks to get on top of the problem, as he doesn't want to put poison down with a baby in the house. He takes pity on Caroline's predicament; he can see how hard things are for her, and he unwittingly starts to take the place of Tom in the household - at the dinner table, with the baby, doing odd jobs about the house. The attraction is clearly growing between Sam and Caroline, but they both resist. When there's a health scare with the baby Sam is a rock for Caroline, but even when he stays over he's on the sofa. However, Maggie is suspicious of the dramatic change in Caroline's outlook and gossip starts to spread. Caroline is snubbed by the wives at a memorial service and her protests at innocence are scoffed at. Chastened by the priest's sermon about sacrifice and duty, Caroline goes to find Sam to tell him that they can't be friends any more, only to find that he has been beaten up as a warning. Caroline's heart goes out to Sam, and they end up in bed confessing their love for each other. They are interrupted by a phone call...
Hapless plumber Billy has always struggled with gambling - he claims it's under control, but with bills and repossession notices piling up, his wife Michelle is close to breaking point. Billy has had to sell his van to pay off debts, and is getting by on small plumbing jobs. Even then Billy can't help himself - he gambles the money a customer gave him for parts, and ends up having to steal a pair of taps from the betting shop toilets to complete the job. Even his mate Dave won't lend him any money - he's on the ropes. Whilst pricing up a job one day, Billy stumbles across what looks like a small bag of diamonds hidden in the loft. Billy has no idea whether they're real or not, but as house owner June isn't aware of the stash, Billy takes one to show the more worldly-wise Dave. They're both gob-smacked when the gems turn out to be real. Billy isn't sure he wants to get involved, but there are bills to be paid and Dave eggs him on. Billy takes a few of the gemstones and splits the money with Dave. For a while he's flush - but instead of paying off his debts immediately, Billy tries to make his windfall larger at the betting shop, and it's not long before he is back at square one. The final demands are getting more insistent, and Billy has no other option but to go back to June's for more diamonds. When he fritters that money away as well, Billy gets desperate and takes Michelle's house-keeping money to try and win money from his friends at cards. At his lowest ebb, Billy returns to June's - only to discover that he's in even more trouble than he thought... With Dave on the next flight to Spain, and Michelle packing her bags, Billy is at his wit's end when there's a knock at the door. When will Billy face up to his addiction?
Christina has always been the life and soul of the party, but as she approaches forty it seems as if all her friends would rather change nappies than go clubbing - and even her own biological clock is starting to tick. She's been with Andy for over two years, but there's still no stork on the horizon. When Christina starts behaving strangely, Andy's suspicious of an affair - but it turns out that gay best friend Mick has been accompanying Christina on fertility tests. Andy's surprised - he didn't think Christina was really that keen on kids, and he reluctantly confesses that he's infertile. Christina's devastated - she loves Andy, but she knows if she stays with him that she'll never be a mother. Mick points out that there are other ways of having kids - she could always adopt or foster - but Christina says it's not the same; she wants her own child. Andy tells Christina he'd do anything to be with her, and Christina decides she's found the perfect sperm donor - Mick! Andy struggles with the idea; deep down, he would always know that the baby wasn't his. It's not like he could just forget about it, because he'd have to face the real father the whole time. But he reluctantly goes along with it for Christina's sake. Mick and his boyfriend Frank are gob-smacked when the subject is broached. Mick is genuinely shocked by the request but says he'll think about it. The request opens up a can of worms in Mick and Frank's relationship, and they end up arguing. Christina is on tenterhooks waiting for a response, and is disappointed when Mick finally says no. Mick consoles her, and Christina eventually comes to realise that having children is not the be all and end all.
Kieran struggles with depression after leaving home to attend university, but when his girlfriend discovers he has taken an overdose, he is forced to admit his problem to his parents. His mother and father learn the path to recovery is going to be difficult, especially after their son refuses to take anti-depressants, although they soon bond over the experience.
John and Carol are in their sixties, looking forward to retirement and a quiet life. Long-suffering of each other's foibles, but always leavened with fond humour, relations are nevertheless strained by their failure to sell their house, which has been on the market for months. As they bicker about reducing the price, they are unaware that two other arguments are happening simultaneously on their street; a young couple, Sarah and Ryan, argue about money, and taxi passenger Dave complains about the fare to driver Neil. These events come to a terrible head when Ryan is fatally knocked over by Neil, outside John and Carol's house. John and Carol try to be as sensitive as they can to the mourners congregating outside their house, but as the weeks turn into months, and the shrine of flowers, cards and soft toys encroaches ever further into their lives, even John and Carol's ever-present humour starts to fade. The shrine is focus not only for grief-stricken widow Sarah, but also driver Neil and passenger Dave, both guilt-ridden at their involvement in Ryan's death. With prospective buyers put off by the symbol of tragic death on their doorstep, it seems as if John and Carol will be stuck there forever. Unless they have the nerve to pull off a desperate plan to get their life back...
Liv is all things to all people: a single mum to two young boys, a housing officer for vulnerable adults, a university student and a loyal daughter to her difficult and demanding dad. She is pulled in so many directions that she has little time to think of herself, and even less opportunity to build a meaningful relationship. A chance encounter with supply teacher Aiden ignites a spark that offers Liv a real chance of the happiness and love she deserves. But Liv has a secret that threatens to ruin everything. Once a week, after dropping the boys at school, Liv dutifully travels to the prison where her father Kris is serving a lengthy sentence. These visits have dominated her life since the kids were small, and although she tries to protect them from this grim reality, they know more than she realises. Ashamed by her father's criminal past, and with her mother thousands of miles away in Norway, Liv struggles to let anyone past the walls she has built to conceal the truth, let alone a man she barely knows. When an incident at the prison threatens to blow her cover and ruin her blossoming romance, will she finally let down her guard enough to make a go of things with Aiden? And will this newfound honesty also allow her to tell Kris of the heartache and loneliness he has caused her for all these years?
Single mum Danielle befriends Sonia, a new mother at the school.
Phil starts looking after his father following a fall, but a tragic accident ensues.
When married couple Lisa and Gary split up, they become flatmates from hell.
Jo feels boring and invisible. That is, until she accidentally shoplifts...
Paul and his wife Lisa move in with Paul's father, who soon signs the house over to them.
Stressed and unable to cope, newly-qualified teacher Amani Sarin tells a terrible lie.
Fourteen-year-old Beth suddenly stops talking, causing her family to panic.
Divorced dad of two Andy decides to take his children on an impromptu road trip.
Fun-loving 60-something Madge has a loving relationship with former magistrate Eric, but she is also hiding a very big secret.
Moira and husband Ken are struggling, until a customer hands Moira a lottery ticket without realising it is a winner.
The arrival of their daughter's university friend has an unexpected effect on a couple with marriage problems.
Separated dad Eddie, tired of his brother Pete living life irresponsibly, makes an impulsive decision with far-reaching consequences.
When a downtrodden housewife's secret lover dies and leaves her a large bequest, her family, tempted by the windfall, react in unexpected ways.
Working at the same taxi rank, Linda and Frank are colleagues, confidantes and friends. And that's all they are... at least for Linda. Frank, on the other hand, could not love her more. But he can never find the courage to tell her. Every moment he tries, the words just stick in his mouth. When new driver Terry turns up, Frank's chance seems to have passed. As Terry and Linda begin a relationship, Frank is left on his own. Linda thinks the world of Terry but in Frank's opinion, something isn't right with him. Perhaps this is just a bit of jealousy? But Frank finds out that Terry has been spending a long time 'dropping off' certain customers. When he confronts him, he finds out something much worse. Terry only began the relationship so he could borrow Linda's car after his was repossessed. Frank is left with the prospect of having to tell the woman he loves something that will break her heart.
When septuagenarian Ronnie is told he can't drive anymore, it is his worst nightmare. He loses his freedom and his connection to the life he once led. But when he finds that next-door neighbour Helen has never taken her test, he offers to teach her for free if she will help him with his weekly trips to the shops and to church. Previously strangers to one another, Ronnie begins to suspect that Helen is being abused by her new partner Tony. He takes it upon himself to try and help, despite Helen's vehement pleas to mind his own business.
When Hayley's 16-year-old daughter Ruby comes flying in from school one evening in tears, Hayley presumes it is just another teenage drama. Ruby won't tell her anything and her younger brother is saying even less. It is up to Hayley's friend Mel to say that the situation is rather more serious. It seems that an intimate photograph allegedly of Ruby and her ex-boyfriend Stephen has been uploaded onto a website and gone viral. With all things technological slightly over her head and Ruby claiming the picture isn't her, Hayley doesn't know what to do. She tries the police, the school, and speaking to the Stephen's parents. In doing so, she finds that her daughter might not be the picture of innocence Hayley always thought she was. And that Stephen wasn't quite the respectable boy he appeared to be either.
Angela loves her boyfriend Danny, but the worst thing he could do is ask her to marry him. She has to say no. Angela cares for her alcoholic dad Mick. She cooks for him, she cleans for him, she does everything. He's the only parent she has since her mother passed away, so what else can she do? But their relationship is dysfunctional. When an accident leads to Mick needing to live with her, and faced with the prospect of losing a heartbroken Danny, she has to confront her father's problems and her own.
John has always hated confrontation. When the builders at the bottom of his road need to work on the Sunday his wife Sarah had asked her parents round for lunch, she asks him to have a word and it's his worst nightmare. Inevitably, he mismanages the situation. When he walks back to his house and sees a scratch down the side of his car, he knows it must be the skip driver he saw earlier. But he swallows his complaint and heads back inside. He didn't count on his confrontational brother Darren seeing the scratch and going on the warpath. As Darren says all the things John is too scared to say, John stands by his side, secretly enjoying every moment, following his brother's lead as ever. That is until things begin to escalate far quicker than John could have ever imagined. What started as a scratch leads to firings and fights, concrete mixers and a Mexican stand-off.
Mati (Antonio Akeel) has lived with his foster Mother, Rosie (Rosie Cavaliero) and brother George (Leon Harrop), who has Down's syndrome, since he was seven years old. When Mati turns 18, in the midst of his birthday celebrations, he receives a letter which will change his life. His application for the right to remain in the UK has been denied and he will be deported back to Afghanistan. Devastated and terrified at the prospect of leaving the country, Mati goes on the run. When Mati goes missing and immigration enforcement officers turn up at the door Rosie and George begin to panic, leading George to run away from home in search of his brother. With both of her sons missing Rosie is distraught, but she is determined to find the boys and find a resolution to this seemingly impossible situation.
Clare (Katy Cavanagh) is a working mother of two boys. Her eldest is at university and her youngest, Matt (Brian Fletcher), is at his first music festival. When he returns, she is so excited to see him but his visit will be short as he announces that he is going on holiday with his new girlfriend from the festival. Clare is devastated as she realizes that her baby is growing up and away from her. Whilst helping him pack, in a moment of madness, she steals his passport to stop him leaving. Matt is distraught when he cannot find it and can't go on the holiday. Will Clare's conscience get the better of her enough to let her son go?
Nathan (Aron Julius) is a hard-working young man working two part-time jobs and struggling to move out of his parents' house to start a life with his girlfriend, Lucy (Emma Lau). When he is offered a job at a luxury car factory he can't believe his luck, this is his chance to prove to his family that he can stand on his own two feet. However, should he be more concerned that it's a zero hours contract? As he tries to accustom himself to his new job but he finds himself controlled by work. With the unpredictable hours he is unsure what shifts he will be working from one day to the next and is under pressure not to let down his team. As it starts affecting his relationship, Nathan has to make a choice that will either make or break his career.
After receiving an inheritance from her late mother, Kim (Lorraine Cheshire) can finally buy a house for herself and Grace (Bronwyn James), her daughter. It is a dream come true for Kim, however, but the house needs a lot of work and she cannot afford the rates for builders to come in and do the work. Until then she meets Kenny (Andrew Dunn), charming, funny and affordable, Kim is blown away. The catch is, Kenny doesn't work by the book, which explains his prices… Kim knows it's wrong but by then she has grown extremely fond of Kenny, much to her boyfriend's annoyance. Then suddenly, Kenny stops answering Kim's calls mid-way through the work. How will she get the job finished?
Separated from his wife, Liam (Warren Brown) has begun to move on with his life but he still longs to be back with his family. When he and his new girlfriend bump into his daughter, Jess (Olivia Fearn), he buys her alcohol for a party in a desperate attempt to reconnect. When Liam receives a call that Jess is in a coma after a drunken fall, he immediately knows it's his fault. However, when Liam arrives at the hospital and comforts his ex-wife he finds himself unable to tell her the truth. And in his silence the tragedy brings them closer together. He's getting his old life back but the guilt is eating him up especially because he knows that the truth will come out when Jess wakes up. Liam has backed himself into a corner, whether he owns up or not; he'll risk losing his children.
A happily married mother of two is forced to revisit her tragic childhood when a face from the past threatens to disrupt her content and ordered world.
A recently bereaved woman finds comfort in her local spiritualist church, much to the horror of her sceptical son.
Two firm friends fall out when one of them wins a life-changing amount of money at their local bingo hall. Should they share, as usual, or is it winner takes all?
Affluent Gary and Michelle are forced to downsize when their business goes bust, but Michelle struggles to settle and is reluctant to make friends with new neighbour Tina.
A middle-aged marriage registrar is forced to re-evaluate her thoughts on life, love and happy-ever-afters when she discovers her husband is having an affair.
Carl is a cleaner at the local university. When he masquerades as a lecturer, he discovers a newfound confidence.
A stressed-out English teacher heads for a breakdown as he copes with an impossible workload and a particularly unruly pupil.
A hard-up single mother reconnects with the father of her inquisitive nine-year old daughter, triggering a bitter custody battle.
A former homeless addict turns her life around and volunteers at the local shelter in an attempt to 'give back' and reconcile with her family.
A couple who struggled to conceive their twins through IVF are informed that they still have embryos at the clinic, but their shelf-life is limited.
Released on license for a crime he didn’t commit, Joe’s budding romance with Lisa is put in jeopardy when he neglects to tell her he’s been fitted with a prison tag.
A blind woman’s sight is restored through an operation, but she soon questions her decision when the visual world presents more problems than the one she’s left behind.
A former rugby league legend is blackmailed by his ex-wife, who threatens to reveal a big secret if he doesn’t come up with the money to help her jailbird boyfriend.
A middle-aged woman is forced to fight for her job and prove her role is vital. In doing so, she reaches her own, surprising conclusion.
A grieving mum befriends a young homeless man in an attempt to fill the void left by the sudden death of her son.
On Ben Keane's wedding day, Ben and his family are stunned when Ben's father, who they thought was dead, turns up at the church.
A woman struggles to come to terms with her father’s sudden death and the heartbreaking discovery that he had a secret second family.
A retiree finds a new lease of life when his daughter gifts him a course of fitness sessions for his 65th birthday.
A gifted but neglected teenager’s education is jeopardised when she is made homeless.
When hearing-impaired Rosie is told her deafness is getting worse, she is desperate to learn sign language, but faces opposition from husband Nathan.
