Series 1

Allie Henshall (Sarah Parish) and Gavin Ferraday (Jason Merrells) are partners in love and business. They own Henshall Ferraday hair salon, where Allie's sisters Darcey (Angela Griffin) and Sydney (Sian Reeves) work alongside them.

As Allie and Gavin consider taking over a vacant property across the road, they are rocked by the news that a rival hairdresser has bought it. To make matters worse, Allie discovers that the new salon, Blade Runner, is run by her ex, Finn, and his wife, Mia Bevan (Amanda Holden).

Finn fathered the child Allie claimed to have aborted. He left her when he found out she was pregnant, but he's back in town to try and woo Allie.

Gavin eventually discovers that Henhall Ferraday's trainee stylist Ruby is really Allie and Finn's daughter - Allie didn't have the abortion after all. Gavin wants Allie to have a baby with him, but Finn's mischievous plan pays off and the series ends with Allie leaving Gavin for Finn.

Series 2

Allie returns from a month in Naples, with Finn, only to find she's not welcome at her old salon; renamed Gavin Ferraday. At Allie's dad Tom's (Bill Thomas) 60th birthday party, Allie discovers from that Finn has two other kids from previous marriages that he also ran away from. Finn tells Allie that he wants them to have another baby together.

Gavin tries to take over Blade Runner but Allie becomes its new owner. With Allie gone, Darcey takes the opportunity of replacing her in Gavin's business and bed. Since being dumped by Finn, Mia has been working as an escort, so Gavin offers her a job in the salon. Mia's mum, Zinnia (Cherie Lunghi), turns up to console her heartbroken daughter but really wants to bag Finn for herself.

Meanwhile, Gavin and Ruby fall for each other but Gavin still holds out hope of getting back with Allie. Ruby tells Eugene (Pearce Quigley) that she is pregnant with Gavin's baby. Allie agrees to put whatever feelings she has for Gavin aside and support her daughter. She surprises Finn by revealing she's also pregnant, not realising his vasectomy means he can't be the father.

Mia discovers that throughout her marriage to Finn he was sleeping with her mother. In an act of jealous revenge she sets fire to both salons.

Series 3

After tying the knot with Finn in secret, Allie's running a new salon; Mia hasn't been seen since she torched the old salons; Gavin has left Manchester (after being paid to do so by Finn) and now lives with Ruby in a converted barn in the countryside.

Finn warns Eugene to keep quiet about his vasectomy and the fact that Gavin must be the real father of Allie's baby.

Ahead of his wedding to Ruby, Gavin gets his hair cut by Allie. It's clear that their feelings for each other remain strong. As Ruby walks down the aisle, Tom, Brawdie, Allie's Mum (Annette Badland), Syd, Darcey, Calypso and Shane burst into an acoustic version of Goodbye Ruby Tuesday. Ruby's waters break just as she's about to get married. Ruby and Allie give birth at the same time to Artemis and Ralfie respectively. Finn's with Ruby, while Gavin's with Allie.

Series 4

It's fresh starts all round - Allie and Gavin are happily back together, and Brawdie and Tom are renewing their wedding vows.

Allie's salon is thriving and she wants to expand by opening her own hairdressing academy, bringing on a new generation of hairdressers. Gavin's wavering over marriage, although he's keen to have more children with Allie.

However, trouble arrives in the shape of beautiful Aussie, Melissa Devereux (Christine Stephen-Daly) - Gavin's guilty fling from the past. She gets the job of Academy Styles Director and her feelings for Gavin are soon reawakened. Elsewhere, Darcey's relationship with Eugene continues to blossom.

When Allie discovers she might be pregnant she thinks she can have it all: Gavin, the baby, the academy. Fate, however, has other plans - she discovers her pregnancy is actually ovarian cancer - a secret she shares only with Darcey. Sydney misreads Allie and Darcey's secretiveness and drags Gavin to the hospital where he's confronted with the devastating truth about Allie's condition. The situation leads them to remarry.

But tragically Allie is knocked down and killed, just after learning she was beating the cancer. Gavin's distraught, and seeks solace in the arms of Melissa. But she realises she will always be second best to Allie in Gavin's affections. The series ends with Gavin leaving the salon in Darcey's hands, and departing with only baby Ralfie for company.