Birds of a Feather

- Season 10

(2014)

Sharon and Tracey have not spoken for years, since Sharon called Tracey's new husband Ralph a bad lot - which he was, hence Tracey's divorcing him. Now, in a meeting engineered by Tracey's schoolboy son Travis, they both turn up for a book signing by sexy authoress Foxy Cohen - who is actually Dorien. Appalled that Sharon is living in a dismal flat Tracey invites her to stay again, but then Dorien arrives. Served with a writ for plagiarism and with her assets frozen, she becomes Tracey's next lodger - to Sharon's annoyance. And to add to an already full house, Garth ...

Everybody is feeling the pinch and Sharon feels as if she is Dorien's slave so, to raise cash, the sisters force their house guest to sell her designer clothes at a boot fair. The sale does well but Tracey still has bills to pay so Gareth gets a job as a chef whilst Marcie starts up her business as a masseuse. Sharon takes Dorien for a job at the World of Quid discount shop but, to Sharon's annoyance, Dorien ends up as the new store manager.

When Marcie complains that she and Garth have no privacy Tracey moves Poppy into the spare room so she and Sharon end up on the sofa downstairs. Constant interruptions lead Sharon to sleep in the attic, where she finds a bag containing fifty thousand pounds. After Sharon has spent some of it, getting Dorien into trouble, Garth discovers that the money was being guarded by his father for the fearsome Coker brothers whilst they are in prison and must not be touched at any cost.

Garth plans to open his new restaurant but the building is in poor condition and Tracey is happy to date Robin, the plumber in charge of renovation. Dorien goes to visit the very elderly Stanley, whom she hopes to marry for his money whilst Sharon surprises a burglar who turns out to be old flame Lenny. When the restaurant's opening hits a snag Garth uses the house as temporary premises but Sharon dumps Lenny when he tries to rob the diners, Dorien's plan to propose to Stanley comes unstuck and Tracey realizes that Robin is trying to turn her into a clone of his ...

Tracey is angry when Travis gets a tattoo to impress a girl at school but when it is revealed that she spent money on Botox - hence her inability to change expression - he accuses her of hypocrisy. Sharon fears she is going deaf so Tracey gives her money for a hearing aid, which she spends on having her own tattoo removed. After all the deafness was just a pork ball stuck in her ear.

Sharon gets a visit from estranged husband Chris, seeking a quick divorce so that he can marry his new love Angie, a blind woman. Angie and Dorien hit it off and she, along with the sisters, is invited to the engagement party. Here however Dorien learns that Chris has inherited a villa in Cyprus and it is clear that he wants the quick divorce so that Sharon has no claim to it. Sharon, Tracey and Dorien take appropriate vengeful action before they are thrown out.

An irate Dorien resigns from World of Quid after discovering that her racy novel has ended up in the bargain bucket and soon afterwards Sharon is sacked for suspected fiddling. Back home they find out that Tracey has also quit her job as Robin is trying to turn her into a clone of his former wife. With no money coming in the women argue with angry words exchanged though fortunately Travis has posted a supposed Tweet from David Beckham recommending Garth's restaurant, which is subsequently flooded with customers, allowing Garth to help the women out financially.

In the supermarket Sharon and Tracey meet two elderly sisters, friendly Annie and grumpy Sadie, who lives with her, and hope this will not be them in thirty years time. Next day they accompany Dorien to court, where she successfully defends herself against the plagiarism charge by proving that her book is based on her own racy love life. After celebrating at a lavish hotel Dorien and the sisters return home. Dorien now has all her assets unfrozen and can go where she likes - but her decision what to do next does not come as a surprise to Tracey or Sharon.