The Trouble With Maggie Cole is set in a picturesque small coastal town with a close-knit community. It follows the stories and fall out for Maggie, who doesn't pay attention to the cautionary adage that "those in glass houses shouldn't throw stones".

Maggie is a central figure in the town, who makes it her business to know a bit about everyone's lives. When a radio journalist interviews her for a small reportage piece about local life she gives him far more detail (and embellishment) about the locals and their personal lives than he was counting on. In the days and weeks following the show's broadcast, Maggie sees the butterfly effect of how her very public gossip-fest affects various figures around the town and disrupts their lives.

Maggie has been happily married to headmaster Peter for nearly 40 years, and their son Jamie and his wife Becka live nearby. Other notable residents include Maggie's best friend Jill; Brian the publican; school secretary Karen; the town's GP Carol; local shopkeepers Emil and Roxanna; and Kelly who works in the hair salon. Also part-time-resident is the handsome Marcus, who rents a cottage to write his best-selling novels.