Single Father - Episode guide
David Tennant and Suranne Jones star in BBC One's Single Father, a touching yet humorous drama written by Mick Ford about finding love after heartbreak.
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> Read our interview with David Tennant.
> Read our interview with Suranne Jones.
> Find out more in our preview.
Watch the trailer...
Episode 1
Sunday 10th October 2010
> Read our review.
> Watch two clips.
Dave and Rita are a devoted couple living in the midst of mess and mayhem with their children Lucy, Paul, Ewan and Evie. But everything changes in an instant when Rita is killed in a road accident. Suddenly, Dave, a photographer, faces an uncertain future and the seemingly impossible job of bringing up the kids alone.
Dave finds it hard to cope at first, but at least he has the love and support of friends and family especially Rita's best friend, schoolteacher Sarah, and her partner Matt.
Eldest daughter Lucy, Rita's child from a previous relationship whom Dave has brought up as his own, is particularly devastated – she's lost her mum and has never known who her real dad is.
When an education officer visits to tell Dave that Lucy has been playing truant from school, a new threat emerges for the family. As Dave and Rita weren't married, Dave realises that his guardianship of Lucy is hanging by a thread. Eventually, in a bitter confrontation, Lucy rejects Dave, telling him she wants to find her real father. Dave is devastated and things are further complicated when she runs away from home.
In the panic that follows, Dave calls on Sarah to help with the kids so he can go in search of Lucy and he finally cracks under the emotional pressure. Sarah comforts Dave and, in their shared moment of grief over Rita's death, the friends grow closer.
Episode 2
Sunday 17th October 2010
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> Watch two clips.
Dave's emotions are in turmoil after his kiss with Sarah. Confused, Dave tries to avoid Sarah when he drops youngest daughter Evie off at school, but at the same time he's also desperate to see her again. Eventually they're forced to meet at Evie's parents' evening. After a heart to heart, they agree that the kiss was an understandable response to their emotions over Rita, and decide to continue as normal.
In an attempt to be supportive, Dave vows to track down Lucy's real dad but information is scant. He knows Rita fell pregnant at university so starts reading her diaries looking for clues. With a little help from Sarah, he tracks down a man called Stuart who claims to know Rita from her university days.
Later, Dave meets up with Stuart and is shocked when Stuart reveals he knew all along he had a child with Rita and she'd secretly kept in touch with him over the years, sending him pictures of Lucy. Dave is devastated by Rita's deceit and begins to question the memory of the woman he loved.
Meanwhile, Dave's children are struggling in their own unique ways. Tanya, never the greatest employee, messes up an important set of photos and tries to hide them from her father, afraid he'll be disappointed in her; and Ewan, desperate for attention, deliberately harms himself but pretends it's a football accident.
In need of a quiet evening, Dave arranges for all the kids to stay elsewhere that night, inviting Sarah over for some company. But before Sarah arrives, he is confronted by ex-wife Michelle who brings home a poorly Evie, storming out after giving Dave a piece of her mind.
Later, with Evie sound asleep, Dave and Sarah's feelings get the better of them and before they know it, they're in bed. But Evie wakes up and comes to the bedroom door. Sarah and Dave are horrified, uncertain of what Evie saw and how she'll react...
Episode 3
Sunday 24th October 2010
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> Watch two clips.
After their night of passion, Dave and Sarah are on tenterhooks, worried about what Evie saw. To their dismay, Evie's not giving anything away. Desperate to see Sarah again, Dave arranges for the kids to go to a football match. When he calls to invite her, Matt answers and a flustered Dave ends up inviting them both along. It proves excruciating as Evie, the ticking time bomb, runs happily between Dave, Sarah and Matt.
Meanwhile, Anna doesn't help matters by revealing to Lucy that Dave has found her father. Incredibly excited by the news, Lucy is furious when a protective Dave won't give her Stuart's number.
Later, Dave meets up with Stuart and his glamorous wife and their children. In contrast to Dave's chaotic family life, Stuart lives in a huge, well-ordered house in Edinburgh. As the two men talk, Stuart asks if the police offered Dave compensation for Rita's death. When Dave explains Robin is dealing with this, Stuart, a lawyer himself, offers to take on the case – believing he can better the claim.
Dave talks it through with Robin who thinks it's a good idea and, now in serious financial trouble, Dave reluctantly accepts Stuart's offer. But Anna is furious at Robin for giving up the compensation case and throws him out. Recent revelations about Rita have made Dave paranoid and he obsesses over her diaries, cross-referencing and checking them alongside Paul, Ewan and Evie's birthdays – convinced Rita has lied about their paternity.
Dave takes Lucy to Edinburgh to spend time with Stuart. While there, Sarah surprises him with a visit to the city and the two spend the afternoon at a hotel together. Dave opens up about his paternity fears but a vulnerable Sarah reacts badly to his honesty, questioning whether she's being used as revenge against Rita's memory. Dave pursues Sarah, realising he's fallen in love with her and she tells him the only way they can move forward together is for him to get a paternity test. Back home, a desperate Matt offers Sarah a new life away from Glasgow but is surprised when she ends their relationship.
Episode 4
Sunday 31st October 2010
> Read our review.
> Watch a clip.
Sarah and Dave have fallen in love but, while Dave excitedly makes plans for their future together, a cautious Sarah fears that they're rushing things. Dave is furious after discovering that Stuart told Lucy about the forthcoming inquiry into her mother's death. And, to make matters worse, both Lucy and Ewan plan to attend – against Dave's wishes.
At the court, Anna isn't impressed to see the kids there, making it clear that she feels it's inappropriate. After Dave is forced to watch CCTV footage showing the moment Rita died, the painful process leads him to question his relationship with Sarah.
Later, an insensitive Michelle demands to know what their daughter Tanya will get out of it. But money is the last thing on Dave's mind. There's another complication when Stuart announces plans to start the adoption process for Lucy.
Elsewhere, Matt offers Sarah everything she's ever wanted – marriage, kids and commitment – but she's not interested. Suspicious about their sudden split, Matt is convinced there's someone else involved and asks her outright about Dave. Sarah's silence speaks volumes. Matt goes to confront his love rival at the studio but meets a flirtatious Tanya instead. Seizing an opportunity for revenge, he sleeps with her before revealing all about Dave and Sarah's relationship.
Later, a furious Tanya arrives at Dave's house and, in front of the children and Sarah, tells everyone about their father's secret relationship. The kids – especially Lucy – react badly. Emotionally torn, Dave asks Sarah to leave, choosing to devote himself to his family instead.
Weeks later, relationship advice comes from an unlikely source as Anna persuades a lonely Dave to rekindle his romance with Sarah – he's not the only one who misses her, the kids do too. Unable to find Sarah, Dave attends the school's end-of-term assembly but is stunned to hear the headmaster announce Sarah's resignation. Convinced he's lost his new love for good, the children and Dave search for Sarah before it's too late...
