When nurse Ann Venables goes to Africa to help out with a disaster relief effort, she leaves her teenage children Alex and Molly in the care of her ex Jimmy and her mother Diana. The kids try to exploit the fact that the easygoing handyman and his posh ex-mother-in-law cross swords at every turn, ultimately leading to the realisation that in order to survive their mom's absence, the kids need them both.

Jimmy overcompensates for his previous paternal failings by letting his kids throw a party. Knowing Diana would disapprove, Jimmy agrees not to tell her and keep her away on party night. Under the pretext of seeking advice on matters 'too personal' to discuss around the kids, he invites her to dinner. At Diana's favourite restaurant, Jimmy discovers that while he and the kids have been sneaking around behind Diana's back, Diana has been sneaking around theirs.

After Jimmy's van and all its contents—including his tools and his jacket with his keys in the pocket—gets stolen, Diana insists they change all the locks. This leads to a standoff between Jimmy's laissez-faire attitude and Diana's belief in the heat of battle about whose house this is, Diana reminds Jimmy that since she and her husband gave Ann the deposit on for the house, the place is partly hers.

Jimmy's financial woes are getting out of hand and he has to nick the kids' money on the sly, until he gets caught by Diana when he is in fiduciary trouble at the bank,

When Alex's teacher writes home to say that 'Alex is possibly gifted but we'll never know because he has the attention span of a gnat', Jimmy latches onto 'gifted' while Diana's focus is on 'not living up to his pontential'. Alex being under the microscope gives Molly the chance to fly under the radar and do what she wants for a while.

Jimmy loses at a pub quiz and he seeks Diana's help for the next one. Diana goes along for a fun night out. Molly stays out with a friend but returns in the early morning hours.

Ann's colleague and new partner Dr. Howard Banks visits to raise relief funds. Diana and the kids like him but Jimmy doesn't, and the disdain deepens when Howard tells Diana that he and Ann want Molly and Alex to live with them in Africa.

Diana takes the kids to Africa, leaving Jimmy in charge. Upon return, there's a surprise in store: Jimmy's buried under a pile of pizza boxes.

Jimmy accidently sees Diana naked in the shower and Molly takes advantance of his shock by gettting him to agree to her having a tattoo. Meanwhile, Alex takes an aptitude test and the results indicate that accountancy is an appropriate career.

Jimmy plans a poker game with Kev, Siobhan and Bobby, but when Bobby drops out, Diana steps in and, with a little inside info, is able to see through Jimmy's bluffing. Meanwhile, Molly is eager to look better than rival Becky in the school photograph.

Jimmy is invited out to meet Siobhan's father David, and his nerves aren't helped when Diana tags along. Soon enough, Diana and David hit it off but when Diana wants out, it's up to Jimmy to help her end things.

Jimmy's plans for a leisurely weekend are upended when Diana makes a surprising and unwelcome discovery about the past. Cue Jimmy having to run around trying to find out who was having an affair with Diana's husband before he died. Whilst the attention of the adults is elsewhere, Molly and Alex's tit for tat war starts to get out of hand.

Ann returns to announce that she's marrying Howard and that she wants Alex and Molly to join them in Africa. She even moves in, evicting both Jimmy and her own mother!

Diana's friend Pam seeks a home decorator so Diana sends Jimmy and Kev to her, causing nothing short of chaos.

After a trip to hospital for rupturing himself at work, Jimmy reveals feelings no one knew he had — least of all Jimmy himself.

Jimmy and Diana join forces to give the kids a normal, traditional family Christmas – but this is not a normal, traditional family! Meanwhile, the school play puts everyone under pressure.

Jimmy decides that he wants to a proper father to his children and parent without Diana's help. As expected, things don't quite as he planned though.

Jimmy thinks that Siobhan will want to be engaged to him after he learns that Kev has gotten engaged.

Diana challenges Jimmy to audition for her choral society but she isn't prepared for the results.

Kev and Bobby take action when they think that Jimmy has started drinking again after splitting up with Siobhan.

When Jimmy discovers what Alex has been up to in his room, he finds his parenting skills pushed to the limit.

Jimmy finds both his work and social lives affected after Kev is injured at work.

When Jimmy brings home a table tennis set, chaos ensues.

Jimmy decides to start training after Diana mocks his physical attributes.

Jimmy is looking forward to a nice quiet Chrstmas until fate and a farmyard animal become involved.