Brief Encounters

- Season 1

(2016)

In 1982 when Sheffield factory worker Terry Kirke loses his job his wife Steph, who cleans for wealthy butcher's wife Pauline Spake, sees the chance to make extra money by selling saucy undies and sex aids. Despite Terry's objections and her own inhibitions she joins fellow school run mum Nita and hairdresser Dawn, girlfriend of Pauline's husband Brian's shop boy as salespersons but lacks a venue - until Pauline, bored by her lonely existence, offers to host the party. Pauline is initially nervous but rises to the occasion when her prudish friend Bunny objects and the...

Terry is working away after Steph discovered his infidelity and, strapped for cash, she uses some of her sales money to pay the rent. Pauline over-rules Brian by allowing Dawn, who is exhausted by skivvying for her lazy father and older brothers, to be their lodger but Dawn's spiteful father Len counters by banning her from seeing little brother Stanley. Needing the money Steph agrees to host a party for Lisa, the woman she caught with Terry, organized by Lisa's innocent boyfriend Barry, who takes Steph's 5 year old son Dean out - and loses him, though sympathetic ...

Steph goes on an over-night date with Johnny but Terry returns, vowing to make amends and, whilst both he and Steph's mother Joan know about Johnny, she agrees to a reconciliation with her husband. With Brian incapacitated after Kieren ran him over fleeing the robbery Pauline finds he is in debt to his suppliers and, to raise cash, encouraged by Dawn, hosts her first solo party which is a huge success. Returning home in triumph she finds that Dawn wants to move Stanley in after other family members have been arrested. Meanwhile Nita learns the truth about Kieren's ...

Now the family's sole earner a confident Steph confides in fellow salesperson Hellie, spirited daughter of Bunny, her ambitions for the future. She secretly goes to meet Johnny who tells her that he is an adoptee who has come to Sheffield to find his birth mother. Pauline enjoys hosting Dawn's hen party but Russell, over-awed by the wedding arrangements, seeks to cry off the nuptials, being emboldened by a kindly Brian to save the situation. Nita lies to the police to save Kieren whilst Pauline disappoints Johnny and Terry puts himself on the line for Steph.

Three weeks have passed and Nita's son Richie has gone missing with his father's share of the stolen money. However Nita and Kieren join the others for Dawn and Russell's wedding. At the registry office Steph gives Terry some home truths having learned that Lisa is pregnant, most likely by him, but at the reception Brian is a hero, not only acting as father of the bride to give away a grateful Dawn but buying off her real father, the hateful Len, who arrives demanding to take back Stanley. Pauline blanks Johnny whilst Nita encourages him that Steph is worth fighting ...

The women hire a night club for an ambitious sales event though Brian is not happy that Russell will be modelling a thong and bribes him to back down whilst Steph, living apart from Terry, is also displeased to find that Pauline lied to her and confronts her regarding Johnny's paternity. Similarly aggrieved is Barry on finding out about his wife and Terry. Come the big night Kieren makes a confession to the police, alienating Pauline and Nita, who goes into labour backstage. With no male model and two of the group at loggerheads disaster seems certain, made worse by ...