Denise Black

Rivals dives headfirst into the cut-throat world of independent television in 1986, where the shoulder pads are big and ambitions even bigger. In the fictional upper-class county of Rutshire, a long-standing rivalry between two powerful men is about to boil over: ex-Olympian, Member of Parliament, and notorious womaniser Rupert Campbell-Black, and his Rutshire neighbour Tony Baddingham, controller of the independent TV franchise Corinium Television. As tensions rise and rivalries deepen, there are spilled secrets, forged alliances, and snatched liaisons that draw wives, lovers, colleagues, friends, and families into their battle.

Nic is grieving a loss that she can't share with anyone whilst stuck in a depressing marriage. Only her son, Ollie who she adores, keeps her going. But when Jen arrives in town her life is lit up with laughter and through this kindred soul her dark secret starts to bubble up.

Two gay friends, Vince and Stuart, live on a cocktail of sex, drugs and clubbing. They are both 29, and Stuart is the type of guy who cops off every time he goes out. One night, he spots 15-year-old Nathan, and brings him back to his apartment where they make love.

A British soap opera. It was orginally called Emmerdale Farm but was renamed just Emmerdale in 1989. The central family on the show since the beginning has been the Sugdens.