Second Thoughts was a British comedy television programme running from 1991 onward. It was broadcast on the ITV network and made by the ITV company LWT. It was followed by a sequel, Faith in the Future. Second Thoughts followed the lives of two middle-aged divorcees from very different backgrounds trying to develop a relationship despite the pressures pulling it apart.
Second Thoughts was based upon the real-life relationship of the writers, husband and wife Jan Etherington and Gavin Petrie. It originally aired as a radio series on BBC Radio 4 broadcast between 1988 and 1992. The radio series consisted of four series and a Christmas special broadcast in 1992 with a total of 31 episodes. The radio scripts were used for the television series on ITV. The fifth series was considered weaker than the original four series, it was the only series not to be based on the original radio scripts.
Second Thoughts ended in 1994, but has since been repeated on ITV3. The original radio series is often replayed on BBC7.
Bill Macgregor (James Bolam) - An art editor of a style magazine where he works alongside his bitchy ex-wife Liza.
Faith Grayshot (Lynda Bellingham) - Faith is a freelance illustrator who occasionally does work for the style magazine Bill works for. She has two teenagers from her previous marriage, Hannah and Joe. The children and the dog often come before Bill.
Liza Macgregor(sometimes known as Liza Ferrari) (Belinda Lang) - Bill's ex-wife, Liza is a rather demanding woman with expensive tastes. Liza works for the same magazine as Bill and is constantly interferring with Bill and Faith's relationship.
Bill asks Faith to go out with him for the evening. But when she is unable to because of her commitments at home, he criticises her lack of spontaneity.
Bill is advised to take up golf to impress the editorial board, while Liza suddenly becomes interested in Harpo's charity week when the TV crew arrives.
Faith's god daughter is getting married and Faith and Bill are invited to the wedding, but so is Faith's ex-husband who she has invited to stay at the house.