the close friendship between plasterer david (steve john shepherd) and mature-aged student theo (john simm) becomes threatened when theo reveals that he intends to move in with hannah (laura fraser), his photographer girlfriend of six months. the short-tempered david, intensely protective of his best friend, plots to break the pair up, using hannah’s insecurities against them. when they do separate, david reveals his sexual orientation and true feelings for theo on his favourite talk-show, judith adams' (meera syal) "forgive and forget".