Gail in Life
TV

BBC drama Life explores love and loss among Manchester neighbours

The residents of a block of flats in BBC1's Life are all at a crossroads

Life continued on the BBC tonight (Tuesday October 6 2020), with the neighbours trying to carry on as normal.

The six-part BBC drama from the makers of Doctor Foster caught up with the Manchester neighbours three weeks after the events of episode one.

At the end of episode one of Life, we learnt that David’s wife had tragically died in an accident, Belle had agreed to look after her troubled niece, and Hannah had a baby girl called Evie.

David and Saira in LIfe
David and Saira – played by Adrian Lester and Saira Choudhry – are drawn to each other in Life (Credit: BBC)

Read more: Life BBC: Your questions answered about the new Doctor Foster spin-off

Meanwhile, Gail looked set to leave her husband, until he announced he had six months left to live.

But what happened in episode two of BBC1’s Life? And what burning questions do we want answered in episode three?

Will Gail leave husband Henry in Life?

Henry is dying of pancreatic cancer and has been told he has no more than six months to live.

He told Gail this news just as she had plucked up the courage to leave him.

Gail also learns that Henry cheated on her in the past, a horrible truth that he tries to brush under the carpet.

At the end of episode two of BBC1’s Life, Henry states that they love each other.

Read more: Win a £250 Amazon Voucher!

Gail looks at him and answers: “I don’t know if I still do.”

Will she leave him, even though he is dying?

Gail and Saira in Life
Gail befriends Saira at an important function where Saira is working as bar staff (Credit: BBC)

Who played ‘the other woman’ Helen in Life?

Elaine Paige stars in BBC1’s Life as Helen, the woman Henry had a two-year affair with two decades ago.

Elaine, now 72, is more famous for her musical career, but has also acted sporadically over the span of 50 years.

She is most known for her work in musical theatre, such as her performances in Evita, Cats and Sunset Boulevard.

Who gave Gail the necklace in Life?

Gail starts wearing a necklace which is obviously significant to her.

At the beginning of the episode, she digs out a green velvet box from the bottom of a drawer and takes out a silver necklace with a large silver locket pendant.

Of course her boorish husband Henry, played by Peter Davison, doesn’t notice anything different about her.

Gail continues to touch the necklace throughout the episode but, when she’s asked about it, Gail replies that some things are best kept secret…

So who gave her the necklace? And what does it mean to her?

Gail lets her hair down after discovering her husband Henry had an affair in Life (Credit: BBC)

Will Saira and David get together?

David is mourning his dead wife Kelly, and clearly not in the right place to meet someone new.

Saira is persistent, however, and seems to be just the tonic he needs.

He is earth, and she is fire.

Saira could make David very happy, but will he give her a chance?

Was Kelly having an affair?

Strict Christian David seems to remember a different version of his wife Kelly.

He meets with Kelly’s friends and is disturbed by their stories about her.

David thinks his wife was perfect, but they all describe her as naughty and sometimes even rude.

Did he really know his wife?

During a late night chat with the ghost of Kelly, David asks her why she was in Liverpool on the day she died.

He says: “Why were you there that day? In Liverpool? At the train station? You had no reason to be there… No meeting, no contacts as far as I can tell…”

Kelly’s friend later confesses that Kelly had another phone, and when she asked Kelly about it, she looked “caught out” and begged her not to tell David.

Was she cheating on him?

Saira Choudhry in Life
Saira Choudhry plays David’s student Saira in BBC1’s Life (Credit: BBC)

Will Hannah choose Liam or Andy?

Hannah seems happy enough with her partner Liam, and has even agreed to marry him.

Although she still seems to have a twinkle in her eye for one-night-stand Andy.

Andy is the father of her baby, but Liam has made it clear he wants him out of the way.

Will Andy stand up to Liam and show his determination to be in his daughter Evie’s life?

And will Hannah see sense and realise she’s with the wrong man?

Is Belle an alcoholic?

Belle has a drink problem, as disclosed by her sister Ruth who called her an alcoholic.

In the first episode of BBC1’s Life, Belle poured her romantic interest – the electrician – a glass of red wine, but didn’t pour any for herself.

In episode two, Belle plans a seductive night in with Dominic but it’s derailed by her niece Maya.

She later visits her sister in hospital and admits she had to abandon the date because she was so desperate for a drink.

Will Maya’s chaotic presence in Belle’s life lead her to temptation?

Maya and her girlfriend sleeping in Belle's flat
Maya and her girlfriend sleep in Belle’s flat in Life (Credit: BBC)

What is Borderline Personality Disorder?

Belle’s sister Ruth is in a mental health clinic for her own safety after trying to cut herself.

She feels suicidal and is on medication, unable to look after her daughter Maya.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a disorder of mood and how a person interacts with others.

It’s the most commonly recognised personality disorder, according to the NHS website.

Someone with a personality disorder will differ significantly from an average person in terms of how he or she thinks, perceives, feels or relates to others.

The symptoms of BPD include emotional instability, disturbed patterns of thinking or perception, impulsive behaviour and intense but unstable relationships with others.

Poster

Life continues on Tuesdays at 9pm on BBC1. The whole series is available to watch now on iPlayer

Are you enjoying Life so far? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.


Helen Fear
TV Editor

Related Topics