England in the late 1950s: Jeffrey Fairbrother is an unassuming Cambridge academic suffering a mid-life crisis. His wife wants a divorce and he wants a change of career. He applies to become the entertainments manager at Maplins, a South coast holiday camp. Also up for the job is comedian Ted Bovis, a seasoned entertainer who knows how to work a crowd, but Jeff gets the job due to his administrative background and Ted remains Camp Host. Jeff feels that he should step down and give Ted the post but he is encouraged to stay when an elderly couple express their appreciation of his efforts.

There is to be a beauty contest, held by the pool and to be judged by Jeff. Spike, the other comic, will emerge from the pool dressed as Ollie the Octopus and squirt Jeff. Jeff discovers that Ted has been running a nice little side-line in bribery in fixing the contest and puts his foot down. The winner must be chosen honestly. However the winner's father is not in on this and when Jeff chooses her honestly he gets rewarded with a bottle of bubbly anyway.