As Gary gets Ron settled into the West End flat in 1998, he encounters the porter who tells him that in 1944 the owner of his flat was killed horribly in a road accident. Discovering Reg is still alive in the 1990s, Gary visits him to try and get more information. Meanwhile, Phoebe is struggling to balance taking care of Michael while running the Royal Oak, and Yvonne is celebrating the successful launch of her autobiography.

Michael Sparrow, now an adult who has spent time in prison and lives in a bedsit, arrives in Gary's shop to sell some of his mum's old things. Disturbed by his son's state, Gary returns to 1944 determined to do better by his son and turns to Noël Coward to help change Michael's fate.

When Gary is struck by lightning as he passes through the time portal in 1945, two clones of him suddenly appear - a selflessly good Gary and a pathologically evil Gary. The suave evil duplicate begins causing a stir in both of Gary's lives, yet while Yvonne and Ron prefer Gary's evil alter ego, Phoebe is alienated by his aloof behaviour.