Martine plays Susan Penwarden, a wife and mother whose simple life becomes more complicated when her ex-lover, played by Jason Donavan, returns to her village. Echo Beach is a 12-part soap opera airing on UK TV channel, ITV, alongside mockumentary, Moving Wallpaper, a fake ‘behind the scenes’ comedy on the making of Echo Beach.
Episode One
Daniel Marrack returns to the Cornish surfing town of Polnarren after a twenty year absence having bought a run down building on Echo Beach which he is turning into a new surf shop and cafe. His son, Brae, a super fit surfer, is determined to make the most of their new business venture. Dan’s daughter, Abi, who initially decided she wanted to stay in London has also been drawn towards a new life by the sea. Having recently lost their mother, Dan is determined that Brae and Abi should have a fresh start and a better life.
But the Marracks’ return does not go down well in Polnarren as old rivalries are re-ignited.Mark, Dan’s old business partner, is outraged that Dan has the audacity to come back to Polnarren after having once had an affair with his wife Susan. Susan still has feelings for him but she also has her own reasons for not wanting to be reminded of the past. She urges Dan to leave Polnarren for good.
Episode Two
Mark [Hugo Speer] makes it clear to Susan [Martine McCutcheon] that he will do whatever it takes to get Dan [JASON DONOVAN] out of their life, even if it means telling him a deeper secret Dan doesn’t know about. This terrifies Susan. While the Marracks try to settle in and Jimmy [Ed Speleers] and Brae [Christian Cook] shake hands, Mark’s threats are realised when Dan finds graffiti on the surf cafe. When Dan finds that his van has also been vandalised with newspaper cuttings of the boat accident he was accused of years ago, the pressure from Mark is made crystal clear. Dan is finally forced to explain his past with the Penwardens, Abi [Hannah Lederer Alton] and Brae are angry with him for not standing up for himself. Susan explains to her daughter, Grace [Laura Greenwood], that Mark is still the love of her life even though she was once with Dan.
Episode Three
Susan [Martine McCutcheon] fears what Mark [Hugo Speer] will do in his continued determination to see the back of Dan [JASON DONOVAN]. Paying local youths to set fire to his van, Mark revels in reminding the Marracks that they are still unwelcome in Polnarren. A furious Dan confronts Mark with the truth about the boat accident - that he always suspected he had taken the blame for Mark’s mistake - but is told to stay away from buried secrets in case he discovers something he’d prefer had been kept in the past.
Susan finds a friend in new resident Angela Cole [Susie Amy]. She confides her worries to Angela in The Wrecker’s Arms, but their brief heart to heart ends abruptly when both Mark and Dan enter the pub. Mark forces Susan to tell Dan that she never loved him, which leaves Dan confused and hurt.
Episode Four
The Marracks prepare for the opening party of the surf shop cafe, determined to give their family venture a celebratory beginning. Mark [Hugo Speer] and Susan [Martine McCutcheon] decide whether to go while Grace [Laura Greenwood] has already dressed up for the occasion and is upset when Ian [Marcus Patrick] rejects her advances.
An embittered Grace makes it clear to Charlie [Jonathan Readwin] that Abi [Hannah Lederer Alton] doesn’t care for him as Jimmy [Ed Speleers] is the one she wants, and so Charlie magnanimously tells his best mate that he should go after Abi.
With all eyes on Mark and Susan when they arrive at the party, Dan [JASON DONOVAN] makes the best of the situation and toasts new beginnings. The party is in full swing when disaster strikes at the caravan park. Distraught at seeing Ian kissing Jackie [NAOMI RYAN] through their caravan window, Grace had dropped a lit cigarette onto spilt lighter fluid. Brae [Christian Cook] runs into the flames and manages to rescue both Ian and Jackie from the burning caravan.
Episode Five
While Ian [Marcus Patrick] lies in hospital unconscious, Fin [Johnny Briggs] surveys the damage inflicted on his business. Meanwhile, Grace [Laura Greenwood] is in a state of panic about the fire she caused and tells Mark [Hugo Speer] the truth about what happened. As the community come together to support Jackie [Naomi Ryan] and clean up the Caravan Park, Mark and Grace wait with anticipation to hear whether Ian will live.
Jackie arrives with the news that Ian will survive. Among the debris of the fire, the events of the party last night seem far away, even though it was the first time Dan [Jason Donovan] and Susan [MARTINE MCCUTCHEON] had managed to snatch a few moments together to remember old times. Jimmy [Ed Speleers] is delighted that he is free to ask Abi [Hannah Lederer Alton] on a date until Grace finds out and tells Mark, who forbids him to ever go out with a Marrack. Eventually deciding that he’s not going to stand Abi up, Jimmy arrives too late to find her gone. Jimmy searches for Abi but instead witnesses his mum in a secret encounter with Dan.
Episode Six
Abi [HANNAH LEDERER-ALTON] can’t help but forgive Jimmy [ED SPELEERS] when he apologises to her. Abi tells her dad that she thinks she has more than a crush on Jimmy. With Dan’s [Jason Donovan] approval Abi spends more time with Jimmy despite Grace’s [Laura Greenwood] attempts to disrupt Jimmy’s plans.
Susan [Martine McCutcheon] is lost for words when Jimmy tells her that he saw her kissing Dan on the beach. Mark [Hugo Speer] persists with Fin [Johnny Briggs] and his offer on the caravan park.
When Dan hears that Susan and Mark moved to France when she was pregnant with Jimmy he becomes suspicious. He asks around and Fin and Ivy [Gwenyth Powell] disclose more information about the Penwarden’s departure to France and Jimmy’s birth date. Dan frantically tries to find Abi while she and Jimmy enjoy the sun, sea and sand together. Abi and Jimmy share a romantic kiss and before Dan can stop them he sees them speed away on Jimmy’s motorbike.
Episode Seven
After a restless night, Dan [JASON DONOVAN] is relieved when Abi [Hannah Lederer-Alton] arrives home from her evening with Jimmy [Ed Speleers]. Dan tries to stall Abi seeing him again until he can find out the truth about Jimmy from Susan [MARTINE MCCUTCHEON].
Susan tells Angela [Susie Amy] that she fears her family is falling apart. She’s worried that Mark [HUGO SPEER] is keeping something from her. Meanwhile, Mark pays Dan a visit to make his standpoint clear about their kids - he doesn’t want them getting together.
Abi and Jimmy get romantic at the party, but Jimmy is distracted by Dan’s sudden strange behaviour and leaves early. Meanwhile, Dan has found Susan alone at the Penwarden house. He wants her to tell him the truth about Jimmy but then Mark walks in and a confrontation ensues. Jimmy arrives home to overhear Dan asking Susan and Mark if Jimmy is his son.
Episode summaries from ITV.com.