Wanda Ventham

Penance is a psychological thriller that follows the lives of Rosalie and Luke Douglas and their teenage daughter, Maddie. Following the loss of their son, Rosalie and Luke find their marriage under immense strain. Maddie and Rosalie find themselves in the caring hands of Jed, a charming and charismatic young man that they encounter at bereavement counseling who is also suffering under the weight of his own grief. Jed rekindles a hope for the future within the Douglas household. But underneath, a deadly and morally corrupt triangle is taking shape.

Nick Brim resigns from his job as a comprehensive-school teacher and falls, accidentally, into a new career when a middle-aged woman, Marge Payne, mistakes him for her paid escort and gives him £100 for his troubles. Nick becomes a reluctant and most definitely virginal but nonetheless successful gigolo, donning the dinner-jacket, black bow tie, shiny shoes and cuff-links to step out on the town with those who require his services. It certainly brings in the money, and he needs it, having to pay the rent on the flat he shares with his brother Simon, who has been made redundant from his job. Simon duly encourages his sibling's new career until, eventually, Nick joins an agency but all this proves problematic to Nick who lusts after a beautiful woman, Natalie, and has to prevent her from finding out how he earns his income.

Around 1970, the British and American governments receive incontrovertible evidence that aliens exist and are abducting humans. In cooperation with the United Nations, they set up a secret worldwide organization, SHADO (Supreme Headquarters Alien Defence Organisation), which operates in the 1980s. With resources and equipment under the seas, in the air, on land, in orbit and on the Moon, SHADO's purpose is to stop the alien incursions and find out why the aliens want humans.

Life in the Fenner Fashion's workshop is constantly disrupted by wildcat industrial action as firebrand shop steward Paddy takes on penny-pinching proprieter Harold Fenner over anything and everything. It seems like every day Paddy's blowing her whistle and yelling "Everybody out!" Poor foreman Reg is stuck in the middle of the battle, just trying to keep everyone happy.