Episode One: 'Stand By Him', tx. 16/5/1995
Flora is interviewed on television about her role supporting her husband, the Government Minister Duncan Matlock. He rallies all his friends and colleagues and goes home when alerted to the next day's newspaper headlines. He tells Flora that he had a brief affair with a woman and that this has been leaked to the press. Flora refuses to speak to him. Duncan speaks to the Prime Minister, who gives him his qualified support. Sir Donald arrives and plans a strategy to deal with the media and minimise the damage. Duncan discusses his options with Clive, Flora's father. Clive tells Flora that she must be strong and publicly support Duncan for the sake of his career. Duncan pleads with Flora not to leave, and she finally agrees to stay.
Unable to sleep, Flora goes downstairs and finds an envelope addressed to her. It contains a recording of Duncan and his mistress having a sexually explicit conversation on the phone. Sir Donald promises her that Duncan's affair was brief and meaningless. He tells her that she now holds the real power in the relationship. Flora watches Duncan's mistress being interviewed on television. She claims that it was a love affair and not just a fling.
Duncan and Flora attend to constituency business and speak to representatives of a local children's nursery that is facing closure due to lack of funds. Flora goes to collect her son Paul from school and is hounded by the press. Paul tells her that he now hates his father for his betrayal. That night in bed Flora attacks Duncan but eventually they end up having sex.
At a Family Policy Forum meeting, Duncan is given a standing ovation after admitting the error of his ways and praising his wife and family. Flora goes home to their London flat while Duncan goes to give a late television interview. He is now sure that he has the support of the party. Mark arrives unexpectedly at the flat. He was the one who left the tape for Flora. He brings more audiotapes and photographs, proving that Duncan had been having the affair for nearly year and that he only called it off when the press got hold of the story. She listens to another tape in which it is clear that the affair was also conducted in the flat. She tears the sheets from the bed.
