The Syndicate - 1 ª Season

As the five employees of the Right Buy U mini-market who have formed a lottery syndicate learn of their eight million pound win the story returns to events of four days earlier. Bob,the manager,is clearly unwell whilst homely,dog-loving Denise is caring for an invalid mother with little help from her husband Dave. Leanne is a single parent and brothers Stuart and Jamie live with their mother though Stuart has a partner Amy,who is threatening to take their two small children and leave him unless he finds them their own accommodation. To get the money Stuart reluctantly agrees to help Jamie rob the shop but this leads to Jamie inadvertently putting Bob in hospital. The police are called but the lads seem to get away with it.

On the night she hears of her win Denise's husband Dave walks out on her,leaving her to care for her cantankerous ailing mother. Devastated, Denise starts to use some of her winnings to make herself look more glamorous and Dave does indeed return but only because of the money and,having learnt he is having a gay affair,she kicks him out. She and Leanne visit Bob,recovering in hospital but told that he has a tumour. The police continue to suspect the brothers of the robbery and Denise has her doubts too as to their whereabouts on the night in question. Leanne,meanwhile,hears that someone from her past is trying to contact her having heard of her windfall.

Accompanied by sons,Yuppy Pete and slobbish Matt,Bob and partner Annie attend hospital,to be told that the cancer is inoperable. Later a tearful Stuart visits and confesses the truth about the robbery and is amazed when Bob says he already knew. Though Bob keeps quiet about his sickness Annie tells Stuart and he and the other winners discover a surgeon in South Africa who might be able to save him. At a lavish party organized by Pete for friends and family Bob proposes marriage to Annie,who consents,and agrees to go to South Africa.

In the hotel following Bob's engagement party Leanne and Stuart declare their feelings for each other but Leanne panics when daughter Stacey temporarily disappears. Next day Stuart learns that she is married and running from husband Gareth,who has tracked her down so he puts her up at his new house,to Amy's disapproval. In fact Gareth wants no more than a divorce so he can remarry but Leanne's problems are not over as it transpires that she was a foster-parent to Stacey,whose mother was a drug addict,and absconded from Wales with her.The police turn up but Bob's lawyer son Peter gets her bail,pending an appeal.A jealous Amy is not happy with Stuart's interest in Leanne though there is romance for Denise with dog-loving Rodney whilst Jamie considers taking on a lap dancing club.

Following his dream wedding and successful operation Bob returns to Leeds with Annie but,like DCI Newall,cannot get a confession of guilt from Jamie who is living the high life as part owner of the club. However Jamie's world will soon crumble as Amy rejects his advances,leading him to suggest that Stuart was unfaithful with Leanne,in turn breaking his brother and his girlfriend up as Stuart opts for Leanne over Amy. In atonement he is able to 'sort' Leanne's court case for her with some very heavy gangsters from whom he buys his drugs before turning the drug pushers over the police. However the net is closing in on him for his part in the robbery as Stuart,in a fit of conscience,confesses to both their involvements and Jamie is forced to run.