Writer John Sullivan (of Only Fools And Horses fame) joins forces with David Jason for a wonderful drama about one of Dickens most loveable characters, Wilkins Micawber and life before he meets the young David Copperfield. We meet the Micawbers when Wilkins is at his most impecunious. Creditors are beating at his door and he tells the wife and children to stay hidden away from the window. To make ends meet they decide to open their home to lodgers and are lucky when the Yorkshire playwright Gideon Babbitt moves in and becomes a friend to the family.

The extravagant but genteel Mr Micawber is fond of large words and long letters and never uses one word when several will do. Appearing to be a man of wealth and success, in reality he hasn't a penny to his name but firmly believes in keeping up appearances at all costs - convinced that something will come along.