When Pat Hollingsworth decides she wants to start fostering she faces a hostile response from her family, particularly from husband Tom, who was looking forward to enjoying a peaceful middle age, pursuing his lifelong obsession with old Hollywood musicals.

Tom feels he's losing his grip now that the foster children are firmly in residence. "Smurf" is falling out with Simon, Kathy is eating everything except food, and baby Colin likes unravelling Tom's favourite cassette. Their dogs are giving Pat asthma, and the children all wet the bed every night.

Tom's enthusiasm for the school fun-run is not shared by Pat and the children.

The Hollingsworths have been fostering pre-adoptive babies one after the other for months and Tom's had enough of nappies and sleepless nights.

Pat promises little Adam will be the last one – but then Caroline comes up with a request she can't refuse.

Tom is appalled at the prospect of his mother-in-law becoming his boss, but George reassures him she'll only be a sleeping partner. But sleeping is the last activity Joan has in mind.

At first, Pat and Tom think that Trudy having leukaemia is probably the hardest thing they've ever had to face. But then her mother is released from prison and things begin to get even worse.

The family is just beginning to pick up the pieces again after Trudy's death. Tom has taken it particularly badly and starts behaving irrationally. At first Pat puts it down to their money worries – but then Tom tells her that he's bumped into an old flame from his schooldays.