Written by Jayne Hollinson Directed by Alan Grint

Roy is reeling from the discovery that he was sleepwalking but isn't happy with Hayley fussing over him. It's fair, though, she's worried but he doesn't know what to do about it.

Faye's still home alone.

It's Leanne's birthday and she's presented with a card from Nick. He admits her present hasn't arrived but he didn't' forget. He also apologizes for being in a mood lately. She goes to put the kettle on and Nick discovers Peter's lighter behind a couch cushion. Leanne brushes it off, reckons he lost it when he brought Simon home a few days ago. Nick questions whether he was there more recently when Nick himself was out. Leanne catches a glimmer of suspicion on his voice and asks if he believes her. He does, of course. She takes it to return later. Nick looks worried.

Faye gets dressed in a very filthy and smelly shirt. What has she been doing? rolling around in the dust?

At breakfast, Izzy and Gary are happy. Gary promises he will never mess up again. She believes him. I wouldn't. She thinks he's been trying too hard, and he's being a bit too pushy with Tina and Tommy. He needs to take a step back and let anything that's going to happen, happen naturally. Gary, not one of life's subtle souls, promises he'll do better.

The Croppers come down into the cafe and discover all the cakes out on tables and Roy realizes he was up in the night again. (why does nobody hear him? why does Hayley not realize he is getting out of bed especially now that she knows what's going on?) Hayley starts banging on about his feelings for his father's death being behind all this and he's getting frustrated with hearing it. He thinks the theory is ridiculous. She urges him to see a doctor or councilor but he has no use for that.

Kylie it putting her face on and teasing Gail, pretending she is loving shoplifting all the baby clothes. Gail falls for it and is horrified until David stops her. She wants David to come shopping with her but he's not keen. Gail wonders why as it's his baby too. She and Kylie exchange a look. Kylie lets him off the shopping trip. He starts to change his mind but she says she'll go on her own and asks him to remind Nick that she'll be in later. Why she can't text him is a mystery to me. She leaves and David remarks to Gail that she seems to be enjoying all this baby stuff. Gail squeaks that it's her granddaughter after all. No doubt about that, David says sardonically.

Leanne has come to the betting shop. Peter gives her a birthday card. She's not impressed. She returns his lighter. He's happy about that but surprised it was found in her flat.

David comes in to the Bistro to pass on Kylie's message to Nick. Leanne comes in, stroppy about Peter. Nick spies the birthday card which Leanne says was the cheapest one he could find. When she leaves the room, David pulls on Nick's chain and pretends there's ten "kisses" in the card. Nick snatches it away but David laughs. Gotcha! In fact it just says "from Peter" but David makes a point to notice that Carla's name isn't on it though to be fair, Carla and Leanne don't get along. Another chip in the confidence.

Emily comes into the Kabin. Norris and Emily both fuss over her. Emily reveals Norris' unscrupulous lie about the dvd box set. Rita takes her into the back for a therapeutic cuppa. Without Norris.

David is home when Gail arrives with some shopping and a card for Leanne. He tells her that Peter got Leanne a card and she looked happy. She's got Leanne chocolates and hopes they're opened at work so she can have one or two. David picks up his laptop and looks something up then phones a number from the screen and orders flowers. If they're online, can he not order it online? Tsk. But then we wouldn't know what he was doing, would we?

After the break, Sylvia is clearing tables. Her remark that Anna is willing to do more shifts indicates to Roy that Sylvia has told someone outside the family and asks her to keep his troubles private, please. Suit yourself, she snaps as Brian comes in for his dinner. He asks about the ghostly culprits and Sylvia immediately tells the secret. Brian is fascinated. Roy is sarcastic.

Rita and Emily whisper in the back room, much to Norris' annoyance and then they are more vocal, insulting Norris. Emily leaves and he tries to find out what they were saying. He defends himself, saying he was protecting Emily. He eventually admits that he cares for Emily and they've shared the house for 13 years albeit with ups and downs. He is afraid that when she goes, he'd stay on in the house with the memories and it seems like the thought of the house being left to someone else and him having to leave would be very upsetting. It isn't about possession, it's about memories and friendship. Rita wonders if he's told Emily but no, of course not. He doesn't see the point since Emily won't forgive him.

Hayley nearly gets hit by a car and then nearly gets run into by Brian. Her mind surely isn't on what she's doing and she tells Brian how worried she is about Roy. She implores him to talk to Roy since Roy won't talk to anyone of a professional capacity. Brian isn't sure but Hayley begs and he says he'll try to find out some information on the subject and that might work.

Gail brings in a huge arrangement of lilies for Leanne who assumes they're from Nick. He says they aren't from him so she figures they must be from Janice. She thanks Gail for the chocolates just handed over and takes them to the back to have later. Gail feeds Nick's uncertainty with a remark that the flowers are very extravagant for Janice.

Faye sees Gary and Izzy come out of the chippy and begs a few chips. Izzy notices the dirty shirt but Faye makes excuses, saying her dad didn't get the chance to do laundry. Gary asks how things are going, Faye says they're fine. She asks if she can come to see Jake with them but is reminded she has to go back to school. She looks sulky and lonely when they go off to get a cab.

Kylie comes into the Bistro with bags full of baby clothes which are admired by Gail and Leanne. David arrives to see what Kylie wants for tea and he looks at the clothes too. He notices the flowers and Leanne says they're from Janice. She and Nick exchange a couple of snarky remarks and go off, leaving David and Gail to knowingly explain that they're likely from Peter. Kylie dismisses that, thinking "why settle for a digestive when you've got a custard cream" (meaning Carla) but, knowing Peter's history, David offers "why have one biscuit when you can have two?" Something that Nick knows very well.

Gary and Izzy come into the pub later and greet Tina who's working. Gary apologizes for the other night as he was a bit drunk. Tina asks after Jake and they say they're going to see him later. Tommy watches Tina carefully but she says she's fine and pushes him back to work.

Gail catches Nick looking at the birthday card. He weakly defends Leanne but says he doesn't trust Peter. He mentions to Gail that Peter was in the flat when he wasn't there but suspects maybe he's paranoid? Gail doesn't think so.

Brian arrives back at the cafe. Roy apologizes for being short with him earlier. Brian accepts tea and a cake on the house and offers some brochures and information on somnambulism. Roy thanks him and Brian does admit seeing the doctor is also recommended. Roy gets into a frizz again with all the well meaning help that he didn't ask for. Sylvia scolds him and Roy is further upset to hear that Hayley has been spreading the news. He gets angry, whips off his pinnie and storms out.

Faye sees Jason and wonders if her dad is back, too. Jason says that Tim stayed on in Newcastle a few more days for work but had said Anna wouldn't mind if Faye remained a bit longer. Well she wouldn't if that's where Faye was. Faye looks more upset and worried at this news but covers.

Across the road, Gail notices Peter walking past and starts off a load of loud verbal abuse, calling him names like homewrecker. Peter doesn't know what she's on about. Gail hollers but Peter brushes it off until she goes a step too far. He comes back and snipes at her just as Nick comes out and the two men argue about Leanne. Peter brags that he could have Leanne back if he wanted as she must be bored with Nick. Leanne comes out to find out what's going on and another row between Nick and Leanne looks as if it's about to kick off. She charges back inside, followed by Nick. David watches from his doorstep with a smirk.

Tvor

Written by Mark Wadlow and directed by Alan Grint

Gail's been stirring it again and Leanne is seething. Nick thinks his mum's suspicions are justified " after all, who sent the mystery flowers? David comes into the Bistro and innocently asks what's going on. Leanne tells Nick she doesn't reckon the problem has anything to do with Peter " it's all down to him. And with that she storms out.

Roy's in the cafe taking out his frustrations by furiously mopping the floor. Anna tries to tell him that people are only taking an interest in his sleep "walking problems because they care about him but Roy is convinced that it has more to do with giving them something to gossip about. Hayley comes in and asks if everything's alright. "Et tu, Hayley" says Roy who is feeling betrayed.

Back in the Bistro Nick's trying to work out what's happened with Leanne. He tells Gail it's all her fault and she wants to know why she always gets it in the neck. David tells Nick it's only a little tiff and it's bound to blow over but Nick knows he'll have to do some serious groveling. Kylie can't believe a bunch of flowers could cause so much aggro.

In the Kabin Rita's trying to give Norris some advice about being more sensitive with people and employing a bit more tact but it's clearly falling on deaf ears because he has a go at Faye for browsing over the magazines without buying anything. Rita tells Norris she's surprised he hasn't lost all the customers and all his friends as well.

Hayley and Roy are upstairs in the flat and she's decided it's time for some tough talking. She's sorry she confided in Brian but she says she's at her wits ends. She tells Roy that they're in it together, his problems are her problems and if he keeps things bottled up she can't help him. He promises to try and talk to her.

In the Bistro Nick's at his wit's end over what to do about Leanne and the row over the flowers. Just as Kylie is advising him to talk to Leanne, she comes in. It turns out Kylie has been playing at go-between. She texted Leanne who has decided to forgive Nick. He apologises for not trusting her and she tells him that she would never jeopardise their relationship for "that idiot' Peter. Besides, she points out, whoever sent her those flowers obviously doesn't know her as she's allergic to lilies.

Faye's out in the street when she sees Anna, Gary and Izzy coming along so she hides behind the phone box. We watch her face fall as she hears them all talking about the baby and their excitement that he'll soon be coming home.

Sean and Tina are behind the bar in the Rovers when Izzy, Anna and Gary come in. She keeps a brave face on as she serves them and then asks how Jake is doing. Gary tells her he might need another op to remove the stoma but after that he should be able to come home. Tina keeps up her cheerful expression but Sean can see how she's barely holding it together and offers to take over so she can go on a break.

Back in their flat, Roy is finally opening up to Hayley. She says she's sorry for sounding like a therapist but Roy says if she was he would make an appointment because she's the one person he could share his feelings with and the only person he's ever truly trusted. He admits that his father's letter and subsequent events were "unsettling" but he says he feel sorry for his father, not himself. Roy admits that what's troubling him most is the fact that his father wrote him a letter and died without getting a reply. "I feel immense frustration," says Roy. "There's nothing I can do to change anything."

Kylie comes home from work to find David in a chirpy mood. He's enjoying the fact that Nick and Leanne have fallen out. Kylie tells him they've patched things up thanks to her playing cupid. She adds that Leanne would be mad to let someone like Nick clip through her fingers, seeing as he's such a good catch. David's mood instantly changes, he sticks his iPod earphones in, scowls and says he's going out. Kylie can't understand what's going on with him.

Emily and Norris are not on speaking terms so he's nursing his half pint of beer by the bar in the Rovers while Emily is sitting with Rita. Rita goes over to Norris to tell him that sometimes in life you have to eat humble pie but he's not about to humiliate himself. She tells him he should apologise but Norris wants Emily to meet him halfway so it looks like it's a stalemate.

Faye is feeling hungry and lonely. She's so desperate that she tries befriending Craig and asks if she can hang out with him. She won't normally give him the time of day so he knows something's up and hurries away before she can cadge so much as a biscuit off him.

Across the street, David is so wrapped up in himself that he doesn't see Tina and crashes straight into him. She asks what's up and he tells her that his life sucks. At first he walks away then he turns and calls Tina back. He says he wants to talk and she invites him to go back to her flat.

It seems to be the day for talking because Hayley and Roy are doing the same thing. While he sits and cleans his train set Hayley tells him that he really needs to see a doctor about his sleepwalking but Roy can't face the idea of opening up to a stranger. In exasperation Hayley tells Roy that if he won't seek professional help then she'll be forced to take action.

David's talking to Tina except that he's rambling on and not making any sense. She wants to know what's wrong and he finally admits: Kylie slept with someone.

A few doors down Faye is scouring the flat for food. All she can find is a can of beer which tastes so foul she spits it out. Finally her eyes light up when she comes across a solitary biscuit.

We go back to Tina and David. She can't believe what David's just told her as she thought he and Kylie were so happy together. He says that he overheard a conversation that he shouldn't have and then tells Tina the real problem: he doesn't know whether the baby is his or the other bloke's. But he only tells Tina half the truth and makes out that the man in question isn't anyone she knows. Tina is adamant he should talk to Kylie but David doesn't want to: if says if he finds out for certain he's not the dad then it would all be over between them. He thinks he could cope with bringing up another man's child but what he can't bear the thought of is losing Kylie.

Meanwhile Hayley seems to have come up with a plan. She asks Roy about a tambourine which was left behind in the cafe by someone from the Salvation Army. He tells her it's in the lost property box and she hurries downstairs to find it.

In the Rovers Rita is still acting as peacemaker and she finally persuades Norris to go and apologise to Emily. Rita advises him to lay it on thick and he certainly does. In fact, Norris has probably never been as apologetic in all his life. He tells Emily that it's true he's worried about where he'll live when she passes on but it's none of his business who she chooses to inherit her house. It seems to work because Emily allows him to sit down with her.

David is still trying to explain to Tina why he won't talk to Kylie. Tina thinks the new, mature David has the capacity to forgive Kylie but he says the only way he can cope is if he blots it out and pretends it didn't happen. He's worried that once he tells Kylie what he knows she could walk out and take Max.

We discover what Hayley's bright idea is when a very disgruntled Roy comes into the sitting room. She's taken all the jangly pieces off the tambourine and sewn them onto his pyjama top so that she'll hear him when he gets up in the night. "I'm not a sheep," wails Roy. "Yes, you are. A lost one," replies Hayley. "And I need to be able to find you." She tells him that if he goes to see the doctor she'll stop playing games.

Tina is still trying to make David see sense but as they talk he says he wants revenge and Tina realises that David knows the man who slept with Kylie. David tells her he knows where he lives, he knows where he works and he's going to take his life apart bit by bit. Tina is horrified and says he can't set up some crazy vendetta against him. "Yeah I can. And I will," says David.

Karen

Hayley and Sylvia are woken to the sound of the smoke alarm. Rushing out of their beds and down the stairs, they find the cafe full of smoke and Roy fast asleep on the floor. Hayley opens the oven and removes a blackened pie, ignoring Sylvia's instruction to call the fire brigade. She then wakes Roy up, assuring him that they're all ok.

Tommy and Rita are having a chat about Tina. Rita thinks she's doing well under the circumstances, but Tommy thinks she's acting weird and shutting him out. Tina suddenly bursts through the door, having heard some of their conversation, and she's angry that they were talking about her behind her back. She storms out, and Tommy rushes after her.

Faye is alone in the flat, wearing a filthy vest that looks as if she's been mining coal in, and trying to wash an equally dirty school shirt under the kitchen tap with washing up liquid.

Tommy and Tina arrive in the cafe as Sylvia is wafting a tea towel about, trying to rid the place of the smell of burnt pie. Kylie is in the cafe and tries to joke with them, but Tina is in a furious mood and that, added to what David has told her, causes her to snarl at a shocked Kylie and tell her to get out of her face. She's just about to launch into a more aggressive verbal attack when David arrives and tells her, obviously with a double meaning, that although she's feeling angry she's not to take it out on his wife, she is not the one to blame.

Izzy and Sean are crossing the Street when they see Faye standing outside the Kabin. Izzy asks her why she isn't at school, and Faye tells her she's just going now. She then tell Izzy that her dad forgot to leave her dinner money and asks if she can borrow some. Izzy is apologetic, but she hasn't any cash, she's going to draw some out at dinner time. She suggests that Faye goes into the cafe to see Anna, she'll sort her out. As Faye walks on, she passes Peter who answers his phone and drops 50p. Faye picks it up and calls to him, as if she's going to hand it back, but then just asks what the time is, and goes on her way.

Norris is fussing over Emily, sitting her down at the table and getting her breakfast. She asks if they might have a word about what happened yesterday, but Norris runs back to the kitchen.

David rushes into the Rovers, to have a word with Tina. He demands to know what she was thinking, attacking Kylie like that. He reminds her that he told her in confidence, as mate, but now she has to forget what he told her, he loves Kylie and he knows she loves him. He can't lose her and his baby. "If it is yours," mutters Tina. David says she has to promise to keep it to herself. Tina asks about the guy who Kylie went with, is she supposed to stand by and let him do whatever it is he's thinking of doing. David tells her that was just the beer talking, he's not bothered about revenge, the baby is his, he knows it. He and Kylie have a future together, the other guy is in the past, history.

Poor Faye is standing near the rubbish bin across from the kebab shop. She sees some girls put their polystyrene takeaway packs in the bin, and when they've gone she goes over to get them out, obviously looking for whatever she can find to eat. Just then, Kylie comes round the corner so she straightens up and walks on.

At Underworld, Hayley tells Fiz and Sean that Roy is sleepwalking. Fiz says that he must see a doctor, Hayley is going to have to make him see sense.

Faye goes into the corner shop, where, behind the counter, Sophie is on the phone. She picks up a Pot Noodle, but Mary is also in the shop and seems to sense that Faye is acting shiftily, so keeps an eye on her. Faye turns to leave, but as she passes the Pot Noodles, she pops one into her bag. Mary rushes over and stands between Faye and the door. As she struggles to get past, the Pot Noodle falls to the floor, just as Sophie comes over to see what's going on.

Emily goes into the Kabin to talk to Norris. To Rita's amazement, she tells him that she wants him to have her house, now! She explains that she doesn't like to see him stressed about what will happen to him when she dies, and she doesn't see that he should have to wait until then, so he can have the house now. She will get paperwork drawn up stating that she can stay there for the rest of her life, but he will own it. Norris is stunned.

Back in the shop, Sophie is berating Faye for stealing. Mary interrupts. "Why noodles?" she asks. Faye admits she was hungry, and, when asked why she didn't get her lunch at school, says that she was meeting her dad but he got held up at work. Mary kindly pays for the noodles and tells her to go out to the back, there's a kettle there and they can go and stop her tummy from rumbling.

Hayley takes Fiz back to the cafe with her, who tells Roy that he needs to see the burnt pie incident as a warning and should go to the doctor. Roy, however, is reluctant to do so, but Hayley pleads with him, and says she'll go with him.

Faye is in the back room with Mary, eating her noodles hungrily. Mary chatters on to her, and then asks if there is food at home. Faye pauses, and then says that of course there is, loads of it, she can have anything she wants. She then says she has to go, and rushes off.

Nick and Leanne walk walking along when Peter pulls up in his car outside the bookies. As he gets out he makes a few quips about the flowers, which annoys Nick. He makes a move towards Peter, but is held back by Leanne. David watches all this through the kebab shop window. When they've all gone, he goes outside and keys Peter's car all down one side.

Hayley goes into the cafe and tells Roy she's got a doctor's appointment for him this evening. He's shocked that it is so soon. She tells him she's made an appointment for herself too, she's going to have every test that he has, they'll go through it together.

Rita finds Tina sitting on the bench, and sits down beside her. She tells Tina that things will get easier. She thinks that Tina and Tommy need a holiday, and she'll treat them. Tina says she just can't leave, but thanks her anyway.

Sophie and Mary are outside the shop when Owen walks past. Mary stops him and asks if all is well between Faye and Tim. Sophie explains that they caught Faye shoplifting at dinner time. He goes straight round to the flat and rings the bell, shouting for Faye to open the door. She won't open it and so he asks Sophie to get Dev's spare key. Faye hides down behind the sofa as Owen and Sophie come up the stairs. They go into the living room and Owen calls her name. She gets up from behind the sofa, and tells them that Tim is still at work, explaining that she didn't answer the door because she had her earphones in. Sophie goes off back to the shop, as Owen gently tells Faye that whatever is going on they will get to the bottom of it because they love her very much. Eventually, Faye admits that her dad is in Newcastle, he went on Friday. She starts to cry, and begs him not to be angry with her dad. "I won't be angry," says Owen, grimly.

Anne Logan.

Hello and welcome to another Friday.

We start in Tim's flat where Owen gives Faye a big hug and insists he's not angry, just upset about what might have happened to her. He asks what she's been eating and realises she hasn't. Faye is reluctant to come over to Anna's because she thinks Anna will be mad at her but Owen insists Anna will just want to give Faye a big hug and make her something to eat. He tempts Faye home with the promise of food.

David arrives at the bistro to ask Leanne why Nick's in a bad mood. She says Peter's been winding him up. Nick comes in and seems in a perfectly good mood - David says he'll have to stick to hairdressing because psychology's obviously not his thing.

Dennis, Rita and Norris discuss Emily's plan to sign over her house to Norris. Dennis cross-examines Norris. Jason comes in and can't believe any rational person would just sign over her house. Rita, sensing an explosion coming, sends Dennis over to Dev's for milk and other shopping.

Anna cuddles Faye. She wants to cross-examine her but Owen keeps shutting her up. Anna does manage to ask Faye why Tim thought she was with Anna and Faye confesses that that's what she told him. Owen tries to get Anna to leave all the questions for some other time. Anna sends Faye upstairs for a shower because it's obvious she hasn't washed her hair for some time.

Dennis arrives back at the Kabin and sees Rita is alone. He goes into a rant about how Norris must have pestered and pestered and pestered Emily until she gave in about the house. It's taking advantage of an elderly person, he thinks. What he doesn't know is that Rita's not alone and Norris has heard the rant from the back room. He emerges, fuming, and rants back at Dennis about the whole thing being Emily's idea. Dennis thinks he'd better take the shopping upstairs. "And when you do, don't come back," Rita tells him.

Faye's upstairs and Anna's furious downstairs. She's tried ringing Tim but can't get through. She's certain Faye's just trying to protect Tim when she says her dad thought she was with Anna. Owen tries to point out that Anna doesn't know that but she's furious that "that man" left a young girl by herself. Anna demands to know where Tim is and Owen says he's in Newcastle. Anna tells him that Jason's come back from Newcastle. So where is Tim?

Peter locks up the betting shop and then sees the long scratch on his car.

Katy and Ryan are outside the kebab shop when they see Chesney and Sinead. Katy calls out to ask if they can babysit tonight because Ryan has tickets to a gig. Chesney says he's sorry but they can't. They're going out themselves. "Are we?" asks Sinead. They go and Ryan turns on Katy, furious that she mentioned the gig. Katy snaps that she wasn't going to lie and next time he can ask Chesney himself. She stomps off as fast as she can stomp while pushing Joseph's buggy.

Peter storms into the bistro and accuses Nick of keying his car. Leanne leaps to her feet and defends Nick. Peter insists that Nick's done it because he's too scared to face Peter directly. Leanne shouts at Peter and insists he leave or she'll make him leave and inflict a few scratch marks of her own. David watches on calmly.

Beth's gone round to see Sinead, who tells her that she doesn't really know where she is with Chesney. She explains how he reacts to Katy. Chesney comes in the door and Beth gets up to leave. She quietly tells Sinead to put her foot down.

Anna goes to see Jason and demands to know where Tim is. Jason fudges and says he doesn't know. But Anna is relentless and Jason confesses that Tim met a woman in Newcastle and stayed behind to be with her. Anna demands to know when Tim's coming back but Jason doesn't know. He asks Anna to let him know if she finds out - she isn't the only person Tim's let down.

Kylie's lying on the sofa when David arrives home with a packet of peanuts he's taken from the bistro. Gail's making a cottage pie but Kylie says she'll have hers later - she's going upstairs for a lie-down. Gail suggests that David go up to see if Kylie's all right but he refuses on the grounds that Gail's suggested it and he doesn't ever do anything she suggests. Gail asks what the matter is. Has something happened to make him like this? David sarcastically asks her whether anything's happened. He tells her he's tried hard to be civil but maybe he just can't be civil any more.

Anna tells Owen about Tim. Faye's got headphones on but she seems to realise they're talking about Tim. She tells them Tim's sent her texts a couple of times while he's been away.

Roy and Hayley arrive in the medical centre waiting room, where the chairs seem to be arranged as if they're in a particularly crowded theatre. To their disappointment they're just in front of Beth, who's there about "women's troubles." She's always been unpredictable, she says. That's how Craig came about. She asks Roy about the cafe mystery and he reluctantly apologises for accusing her. Beth then goes on about the doctors, what are they doing there, whether they prefer male or female doctors, whether Roy's got clean underwear on . . .

Chesney's impatiently channel-surfing. Sinead says she thought they were going out. Chesney says he only said that because he doesn't want Katy thinking she can just dump Joseph on him when it suits her. Sinead points out that he doesn't seem to care about what suits her and whether she wants to go out or not. Chesney says they'll go out then. But Sinead says she doesn't want to go out with someone who doesn't really want to take her out.

Katy's calmed down and tells Ryan it makes sense for her to stay at home and for him to go to the gig on his own. Chesney and Sinead are on their way to the pub and when Ches spots Katy he puts his arm round Sinead and says they can go on somewhere else when they've had a drink. But Sinead knows what's going on and accuses him of just saying that because Katy's watching. Chesney denies it but she's not convinced.

The nurse calls Hayley in for her appointment and Beth moves to sit with Roy. She asks him for the details about his sleepwalking and then suggests he might have been pretending, as a joke. Roy says he's only tried to fool people once - and that's by sitting there pretending to be a patient when he's perfectly fit and well. He gets up and leaves.

David's on the sofa eating nuts and throws one at Gail. She objects and he throws another. David tells her he's her landlord and can throw her out any time he wants. But she can stay if she catches three nuts. Gail's aghast. She tells David she thinks he's regressing and becoming a child again. "Yeah, you might be right," says David. "Ready?" He throws another nut. Gail tells him she sometimes think she'd be better off leaving the house and not cooking, cleaning and generally doing everything for him. She's put up with his bad behaviour and tried to help, even though that behaviour's sometimes bordered on deranged. David tells her she can still pass the test if she catches three peanuts in her mouth. He chuckles and stands up, advancing on her, throwing peanuts all the while. He says maybe they do have something in common. He sometimes feels as if everyone's against him. He starts angrily telling her how unhappy his childhood was, advancing on her and throwing peanuts all the time until Gail's cowering against the kitchen units. "What's going on?" shouts Kylie, who's come in behind David. David says Gail's dropped her nuts.

Out in the street, a taxi pulls up and Tim gets out and heads for the flat.

Hayley comes out of her appointment and sees that Roy's gone. Beth excuses herself from any blame.

Kylie's trying to be the peacemaker. She serves up the cottage pie to David at the table but Gail won't go anywhere near him. She heads out the door and says she's going to Sally's. Kylie asks David what's going on. He asks her in return whether she's really, really, really sure she doesn't know.

Faye is on the phone to Tim, saying she can come back now. Anna realises who she's talking to and tries to snatch the phone but Owen drags her away. She's quite looking forward to having a big public row with Tim so everyone can hear and she heads out the door with Owen chasing her. Now who's left Faye alone? Faye tells Tim, "I think my mum might be on her way round." You betcha!

The end of the first episode.
Margaret Carr

Written by: Julie Jones
Directed by: Alan Grint

We start this episode with a bang, that is Anna banging on Tim's door and screaming like a banshee. He opens it and is completely confused as to why this person is acting like a woman demented on his doorstep.

Anna wastes no time in telling him exactly why she is there, and tells him about Faye living there alone while he was away. He is genuinely shocked, telling her she told him she was staying with her. But is Anna about to blame Faye for lying to everyone? Of course not, it is all Tim's fault for taking the word of an eleven year old girl. (Granted, it was his responsibility to tell Anna he was going and make arrangements for Faye to stay with her, but he is very new at being a father, and in my opinion that is all he is guilty of. Same thing with leaving her alone when he pops to the pub, back when he was a kid, people did leave children of Faye's age alone for short periods and didn't think anything of it, He just isn't up on what is acceptable these days. That's my opinion anyway.) Anyway, Anna is not in any mood to try to see anything from Tim's perspective, and Owen has now joined her, telling him that she had been starving, bunking off school, going around in filthy clothes and shop lifting. (Another thing that bothers me, when I was eleven, I was perfectly capable of doing a bit of washing, and as I got home from school before my parents were home from work, I was expected to cook the meal and look after my younger sister - and did! Oh I know, I will be telling you about how I had to walk five miles to school both ways in bare feet next! LOL!!)

In the middle of all the brou ha ha Sally walks by, and can't resist asking what it's all about. Anna is only too glad to tell her that Tim swanned off to Newcastle leaving Faye to fend for herself. Tim tries to defend himself, and tells her he thought she was staying with Anna. Sally is sympathetic, saying her girls had led her a merry dance over the years too. Anna turns on her, telling her not to have any sympathy for Tim as he is a total liability. He tries to apologise to Anna, saying he had no idea what was going on. She is not about to accept his apology, telling him he is clueless, and he has no idea what he has done to that child. She ends up saying she will never forgive herself for letting her come to live with him - never! Tim stands there looking totally stunned.

Kylie is over in No. 8 asking David point blank what his problem is. She keeps pressing him until finally he tells her his problem is Nick. Not letting it show that she almost lost control of her bowels, she asks him what he means, as she thought he was getting along well with his brother lately. There is a pregnant pause, which has nothing to do with Kylie's delicate condition, and he finally tells her he is sick of it, sick of the way Nick is always Gail's golden boy, in her eyes he can't put a foot wrong. Letting out an audible sigh, Kylie asks why he is letting it get to him like this. He replies he has been made to feel second best all his life, and he is sick of it.

She runs over to him and hugs him, but he is still down on himself, telling her she married the runt of the litter. She tells him he shouldn't be feeling this way because Nick is no better than him. David is not convinced, so she continues, saying she likes Nick, but he is hardly perfect. He is dead boring, and so reasonable it's just wrong, and besides, she says "Have you seen his hair? He uses too much product, and he looks like a Lego man". Even David had to smile at that, and so did I. She finishes by telling him he is twice the man Nick is, and is surprised Gail can't see it.

Anna is now beating herself up over Faye instead of Tim, saying she should have seen what was going on, but it's not long before she is lashing out again, this time at Owen, saying she shouldn't have listened to him the previous week when she had a feeling something was wrong, and he had talked her out of going round there.

Faye comes downstairs and tells them she wants to see her father. Owen tells her that wouldn't be a good idea as he did a really bad thing in leaving her to fend for herself. Faye defends him by saying it wasn't his fault, that she had told him she was staying there. Anna tells her he should have checked, that he was the one doing the looking after, not the other way round. Faye is insistent upon seeing him though, tells them it's important.

Sylvia wants to know how Roy got on at the doctors and he tells her it went fine, but doesn't elaborate more than that, well he'd have a job to considering he went AWOL before seeing him wouldn't he? Sylvia is too busy going down memory lane to notice that Roy is being evasive about it though, she reminds him about the guitar she bought him for his eighth birthday, hoping it would bring him out of himself, and stop him festering in his room, as she so delicately puts it. Didn't work though, he never even took it out of the box.

Hayley comes back and immediately wants to know where Roy disappeared to. She tells him they just cannot go on the way they have, and he absolutely has to go back with her right now. Sylvia urges him to do the same thing, so he gives in and goes.

Faye and Anna arrive at Tim's flat, and he hugs her, telling her she is a total nightmare. Faye agrees with him, but he tells her not to worry, there is no harm done. Anna snorts at that, and tells Faye she has one hour, and only one hour, then she is to come home. Faye agrees to this.

Tim asks Faye why she hadn't told him she was on her own, and says he would never have gone away if he had known. Before she gets a chance to reply, he gets a phone call, which sounds like it might be the woman he met in Newcastle. He tells her he won't be able to see her for a bit, but can't get into it right now. Hanging up, Faye asks him if that was the woman Anna said he had met up there. He denies it, saying it was just a mate. She offers to make him a cup of tea, saying there was no milk or sugar, but they do have tea bags. He remarks that he should be looking after her, not the other way round, then says "What are we going to do with you eh?" What indeed!

Roy and Hayley return and report to Sylvia that although he was offered a night at a sleep clinic, he has decided to try some suggested relaxation measures first. Sylvia asks what the measures entail, and when Roy tells her they involve gentle stretch exercises and meditation she is horrified, saying he might as well just go and hug a tree, or maybe he could buy some Tibetan bells and dab on some essential oils of ramalamadingdong. (Looking this up on Google to check how to spell it, I found myself in Google maps streetview, looking at a house in Svedvägen, Helsinki, Finland which has a very comfortable looking hammock in a shady spot in the garden! Isn't the internet wonderful? Ha ha!)

Hayley defends Roy, saying she thinks it's a very good idea to try natural methods first, and goes on to suggest whale music as being very comforting. Sylvia doesn't think much of this suggestion however, saying Roy would get a good night's sleep while the rest of them are driven doolally. Hayley suggests they all listen to it together, as they could all benefit from some relaxation. Sylvia's response to that? "I have no desire to be serenaded by a watery mammal thank you, I would never be out of the lavatory!" LOL!! Hayley snaps at her that under the circumstances she feels anything is worth a try.

The Bistro is having a quiet night, so they have closed early and Nick and Leanne have joined David and Kylie in the Rovers. Leanne has had an idea and runs it by Nick. As Monday is their slowest night of the week, she wants to have a student night. He has misgivings about it, figuring they would only be asking for trouble. Leanne is insulted that he doesn't trust her judgement, considering her experience in running a bar in the past.

Elsewhere in the pub, Beth & Kirk are suggesting to Chesney and Sinead they go into town. Chesney says they can't because he is skint, which disappoints Sinead, as he had said he would take her out, and now she feels he only said that because Katy was within earshot. Beth suggests he uses a credit card, but sensible Ches tells her he only uses the plastic for emergencies. Beth asks Sinead how she puts up with that old man trapped inside a young man's body. Instead of agreeing with her though, sweet little Sinead smiles at Chesney and puts her hand over his.

Tim and Faye are now sitting at the table having a chat about things. He holds his hand up to being a rubbish father, but tells her he is really trying. Faye tells him she knows, and understands. She goes on to tell him she is never having kids herself, because you always have to put them first, that you can't do whatever you like any more. You have to spend time with them, keep them clean and warm, it's a big responsibility. Tim tells her it's not all that bad, in fact he loves being her Dad. She goes on to say she thought if two people loved each other, it would make everything alright, but it doesn't.

Katy is about to turn the corner into Coronation Street, when she overhears Sinead and Chesney talking, so ducks back behind the wall and has a listen. Sinead is suggesting to Ches that she could stay overnight if he wants, however he doesn't want, and really hurts her feelings, which prompts her to tell him sarcastically that he really knows how to make a girl feel good about herself. He is not in the mood to argue, so bids her goodbye and heads into the house. She calls after him, "That's right, get back to your telly, if you're lucky, you might catch 'Midsomer Murders' (what's wrong with Midsomer Murders? I love it I do!).

Katy is walking by now, and tells Sinead she shouldn't let him treat her like that, or he will just walk all over her. Sinead retorts that Katy should mind her own business, and besides, that is exactly what she is allowing Ryan to do to her. That she is the one walking around in her tracky bottoms taking care of the baby while he is out enjoying himself. She ends by telling her she is more of a mug than she is. Katy doesn't like this, and turns in annoyance and leaves.

Rita and Dennis come into the Bistro where Norris and Emily are already sitting at a table. Dennis has a snipe at Norris, but Rita apologises to him for what happened earlier, and offers to buy him a drink. Norris wastes no time in turning her down.

Now we are in No. 6 with Owen and Anna. The latter is fretting about what rubbish Tim might be filling Faye's head with, and is on the point of going over there when they arrive back. They have an announcement, they have decided it would be better all round if Faye moves back in with her mother. Anna of course is overjoyed, unlike Tim, who looks very sad about the whole thing. Faye hugs him and apologises for making him unhappy. He hugs her back and smiles, telling her she knows where he is if she needs him, then takes his leave.

Beth and Kirk are in town and hungry, deciding to get a cab to a burger place, Beth says she also wants to take one home for Craig as he's not been himself lately, and a burger might cheer him up. They hop in, but before they can pull away, the driver gets a phone call which he decides to answer before driving off. While sitting there, who should they spot outside a club but Ryan, and he is cosying up to a woman. They look in astonishment, as they exchange telephone numbers, Kirky is floored that he would be doing that when he has a gorgeous girl like Katy waiting at home. Beth turns on him, jealous because he has called another woman gorgeous. but Kirk ducks out of that one quite nicely by saying she is if you like that sort of thing, which he doesn't. He tells Beth Katy is too doll like with her perfect face and long hair, looks as if she would be made out of plastic. Beth is consoled that she is much more her Kirky's type, and gets back to spying on Ryan and the mystery woman just in time to see him move in for a kiss. Shocked, Kirk asks if she thinks they should tell Katy.

Leanne is still excited about the possibility of having a student night at the Bistro, she has it all planned out and is wittering on about how they can promote it. Nick is still unsure, telling her to leave it with him. Deflated, she tells him that what he is really saying is forget it!

Sally has come into the Rovers for a couple of bottles of Merlot. She thinks it is going to be a long night, and moans to Sean that Gail has shown up at her door all upset, and crying about David chucking peanuts at her head or something. Sean is naturally confused at the thought of peanuts being thrown by a son at his mother, and he tells her his mind boggles at what some people get up to in the privacy of their own home.

Sally suddenly notices Tim sitting hunched over his pint, a picture of abject misery. She asks if he is drowning his sorrows, and he tells her there isn't enough beer in the world for that. Sitting beside him, she asks if it has to do with his daughter, and he tells her all about Faye going back to live with Anna and Owen, and describes himself as officially the worst Dad in the world.

Sally tells him not to be so daft. Going on to say she knows how hard girls are to raise, having two of her own, and acknowledges it must be harder for him, coming into it later. He agrees that it is.

David has Leanne to himself while standing at the bar, and pretends to agree with her that having a student night would be a fantastic idea, and thinks Nick is being too conservative. Leanne is thrilled at having this unexpected ally, and while he has her attention, he tells her she shouldn't take no for an answer, she should go ahead with it and prove Nick wrong. This is just what Leanne wants to hear.

Anna has now tucked Faye up in bed, and is talking things over with Owen. He is saying the outcome of all this couldn't be better, because Faye has come to her senses on her own and come home. However, Anna has misgivings that she has done it for the wrong reasons, is worried she has only come home to give her precious Dad time to himself. She feels they won't be able to relax all the time Tim is in Weatherfield, and makes it perfectly plain she expects Owen to make darn sure he leaves, and now! (Anna has quite a nasty trait doesn't she? She was nasty when we first met her, refusing to pay Joe McIntyre for the fitted kitchen, then she mellowed a bit, but still got rid of partner Eddie, who adored her, and is now with Owen, who also has a very nasty streak to his nature - together, I think they could be a very evil combination)

Norris is complaining to Emily about Rita and Dennis probably gossiping about him. She sarcastically remarks that would be unlike him who never gossips. He retorts that he doesn't gossip, he observes and remarks, it's a product of a lively mind. She is floored at his gall, but begs him to ask Rita and Dennis to join them. He refuses until she threatens to take back her house, then he knuckles under and does as she wishes - at least he does after a fashion. Walking by their table, he says to Rita "Apparently Emily wants to speak with you", and continues walking to the bar. Rita however jumps at the chance to come over, and they sit down, telling Emily they have been worried about her. Emily assures them they have no need to worry, giving her house away is not a decision she has taken lightly. She points out that being a home owner can be very expensive, what with bills to pay, maintenance to be done, and she hopes Norris hasn't bitten off more than he can chew. She smiles sweetly at Rita, who now has a smile slowing spreading across her face - she will explain it to Dennis later.

Owen now walks into the Rovers, and we get a clear shot of Toni West sitting at a table. (Have you heard Toni sing 'Look for me in Rainbows' yet? It is beautiful, but will make you cry. You can find a link to it from Toni's page on my website). Sally is on her way back to the peanut battered Gail, so Owen sits down beside Tim. He is all friendly, asking if he is OK. Tim replies that it's been quite a night, as he had no idea he was walking into all that when he came back. Still friendly, Owen calls him mate, telling him he did the right thing in bringing Faye home, he then holds his hand out to shake Tim's. Tim takes his hand, and Owen yanks him towards him, suddenly turning very menacing. He tells Tim in a low voice that he is a waste of skin, and he and Anna have decided he shouldn't be allowed anywhere near Faye in the future. Tim pulls his hand away, telling Owen he can't stop him from seeing his daughter, but is told to just watch. Owen then goes on to tell him to move away. Tim points out he is going nowhere, he has mates and work here. Threateningly Owen tells him to find work elsewhere, and more mates. Tim rightly tells Owen he will be the one hurting Faye if he stops her from seeing him. Owen replies she was happy before he showed up and will be happy again. He goes on to say he is to let Faye down really gently, then sling his hook. "YOU GOT THAT?" He shouts in a whisper, two inches from Tim's nose. "Yeah, I've got that", says Tim.

Christine Warren

Written by John Kerr Directed by Nicky Higgens

Gail returns to the house after spending the night at Sally's. Kylie's kind to her. David comes downstairs and wants to talk to her and apologize. She's reluctant and takes his excuses about worries about the money and baby coming with a grain of salt. She wonders what happens next time things get on top of him? Will he abuse Kylie or the baby? She's not so sure. She goes upstairs. David thinks he just needs a bit more groveling but Kylie reckons if he'd done that to her, he'd be groveling through broken teeth and he needs to sort himself.

Faye bumps into Paul as she hurries out to go to school. Anna offers to do something with her after school and tells her she's glad to be home. Faye says it's good to be home. She goes off and Anna wonders if she's putting on a front.

Eileen is distracted while Sean talks about a bizarre dream he had. Turns out she's fretting about the councilling session this morning. He tells her to relax as Paul is arriving from the shops. Paul gives her a cuddle and she admits she's doing it for the both of them.

Leanne has a stack of flyers for student night and she's going to put a few more around. She's also advertising 2 for 1 and Nick is not happy with that. Leanne has also booked a reporter from the Gazette for extra publicity. Nick admits he's nervous about it all and Leanne takes a strop and stomps off saying he just doesn't trust her.

Ryan finally gets up. Katy teases him and asks how it went. He said he met a promoter that could put some work his way. He sits down to text "a mate" to meet up later but she reminds him they were taking Joseph for a checkup. Ryan sighs and doesn't look happy with this little scene of domesticity.

In the factory office, Michelle is crowing about a congratulatory email from a client who wants to double the next order. Carla is still down about Rob. Michelle tells her they should be celebrating as things are going well and they should go out later to shop and have a drink. Carla isn't in the mood. Kirk pops in to get some petty cash to stock up on bog roll and asks what kind he should get, quilty or cheap. Michelle prefers quilty and he grins and goes along with that. The two women smile and Carla agrees to go for a drink later.

Leanne comes out of the Kabin after tussling with Norris who refuses to put any of her flyers out. David has come out of the house and works his "magic" by backing her for her idea even if Nick isn't happy. He is encouraging especially when he finds out about the reporter.

Chesney meets Sinead in front of the chippy. She wanted to talk to him about him and Katy. She wants to know where she stands because she thinks there's something between him and Katy. He says he's over Katy as Fiz, Kirk and Beth come out of the chippy as well. Beth makes Kirk tell Chesney that they saw Ryan with a woman. Chesney looks annoyed but pretends he doesn't care to prove to Sinead that he truly is over Katy.

It's now later on and student night is about to start. Gail is in having a drink. Kylie says David had a go at her the night before, over the top even for David. Gail thinks there's something that's upset David but Nick and Kylie don't know of anything. David comes in just as Nick is having a quiet friendly word with Kylie asking her to keep an eye on David. Not sure if he's heard the conversation but it looks like Nick and Kylie are close and David backs out angrily. He bumps into someone coming into the Bistro and manages to stare down the guy who's twice David's size. He must see the inner psycho in David's eyes!

After the break, Jason and Tim are unloading the van. Tim has told Jason that Faye has gone back to Anna's and it's ok because Faye is happy. He tells Jason he's thinking of moving on and Jason realizes Owen has bullied him. He tells Tim not to give in.

Tina finds David sulking on the bench. She sits with him.

Sean bursts into Number 11 with a happy "Hi, Honey, I'm Homo!" He's on a cake run but he's popped in to see how Eileen is. She doesn't seem to be getting ready for her session. She is having doubts and looks like she's bottling out. She's worried that it won't work. Sean says she has to try and she doesn't give up, right? It seems to have worked and she agrees she's going to go. Tim and Jason bring some gear through to the back. Eileen doesn't want more clutter in the yard but agrees to one week's storage.

In the cafe, Katy and Ryan are sat there, Ryan looking glum and checking his phone. Anna tells them that Faye's moved back in. She invites them out with them tonight if they want to go bowling. Ryan isn't keen so they aren't going to go. Chesney and Sinead come in and Ches asks about the doctor's appointment. Ryan says it went well but Chesney tears a strip off him because it's none of his business. Ryan gets a phone call and Katy tears into Ches for having a go at Ryan, causing Chesney to have a go at her about Ryan. Sinead takes it all in and decides to go home. Chesney follows her out.

Tina chides David. He can't forget what Kylie's done and she's worried about him. David admits he's having trouble thinking about Kylie with someone else and he's trying to move on and forget it. She reminds him she's there for him.

Michelle and Carla emerge from the factory for their shopping trip. Carla feels a little guilty as she'd said she'd cook dinner for Peter. Michelle tells her they deserve this break.

The Bistro is hopping and another young woman arrives but this one turns out to be the reporter who is not really best pleased to be there. She reckons she always gets the dull stories. Kylie is buzzing around. She says the music isn't loud enough for students.

Steve comes into the cafe looking for Michelle and asks Beth and Kirk if they know where she is. Beth teases Steve about Michelle leaving him, she's punching above his weight after all. Steve doesn't press the point and leaves again. Kirk asks if Beth thinks he's punching above his weight too but Beth doesn't think so. Katy is still there though Ryan has left. Anna asks her if everything is ok and she says it is. Beth mutters something disparaging about things going well and Katy overhears and decides to leave.

Leanne is still chatting to the reporter. Mary comes in and decides to stay in the midst of the young people. She's a student of life, she says, though her mother always thought she failed her entrance exam. She settles in for the evening and is a lot more enthusiastic about Gail who is still there in spite of not really enjoying the scene. Nick and David chat in a corner until Leanne gestures to Nick to come over. She introduces him to the reporter while David looks sulky, noticed by Kylie.

Tim and Jason are walking down the road. Tim spots Anna and jogs over to talk to her. He tells her he has decided to move away. She's not unhappy to hear it and asks when he's going. He has to get things sorted and asks her not to tell Faye as he wants to be the one that breaks the news. Anna is snarky about him upsetting Faye. Over the road we see David go into the phone booth and call the police.

Katy brings Joseph to Chesney who's surly with her when she asks about Sinead. Katy thinks Sinead is better than Beth who's a snide cow. Chesney has another go at her for being critical when here she's going out with Ryan, that idiot. Katy says Ryan is different now. Chesney doesn't tell her about Ryan.

Mary is enjoying herself and Gail's mood seems to be lifting a bit. Mary expresses regrets at not going to university. Gail says there's always hope. Mary has a great shot at Gail, pointing out that although she's had many romantic disasters over many years, she always gets back up on her feel. Kind of a left handed compliment there, I think. David has returned. Kylie wonders where he'd gone. He said he'd gone to check on Max (Emily is minding him). The reporter is leaving and is not optimistic about the article getting any prominent features. Just as she's about to depart, however, several police officers come in. Uh oh. This doesn't look good. They ask for the owner and say they have a warrant to search the premises. They've had a tip about drug dealing.

Tvor

Hello, and welcome to Monday's second episode. I'm standing in for Karen tonight.

We begin in the bistro, where Nick's explaining they have a zero tolerance attitude towards drugs. Hmmm. . . it's a shame they don't have a zero tolerance for manipulative little brothers. The reporter is beside herself with glee - the editor sent her on a boring job deliberately but she's going to go back with a scoop. Well, she would if the police hadn't just said nobody's going anywhere.

Over at Chesney's, Katy tells him she knows what he's trying to do but it won't work. No matter how many lies he tells, it won't break up Katy and Ryan. Ches tries to explain that he's just reporting what Kirk and Beth said but Katy screams "Pathetic!" and slams the door on her way out. It's lucky Fiz has taken baby Joseph upstairs.

Now the reporter's trying to get a sound bite from the police. David's trying to defend Nick's honour. Nick's just slapping himself upside the head for letting Leanne talk him into having a student night. Beth's busy telling everyone that she didn't know Nick was a drug dealer. Mary can't wait to get away. She's got to get to Norris and tell him about all this. "He's unbearably smug if you tell him gossip he's already heard." For some reason she's allowed to just walk out the door, despite the police saying nobody's going anywhere. Gail just mutters anti-Leanne comments. (Does anyone know who's looking after Max while the whole family's at the bistro?)

The reporter's being really annoying and Nick hustles her out of the bistro. David works on Leanne, telling her there's no reason the evening has to end now - after all, she's got all that cut-price booze to shift. Without asking Nick, Leanne announces the two-for-one drinks prices will apply for another hour.

Tim's packed up all Faye's stuff and taken it round to Anna's. Owen says Anna's reading Faye her bedtime story. Tim can't believe it - a story at Faye's age? When Faye comes down she says defensively that it wasn't a story - Anna was helping with her English homework. She gets a bit upset when she realises Tim's even packed her spare toothbrush - can't she go and stay with him any more? Tim tells her that with the amount of time he'll be spending working away, he doesn't know whether he'll keep the flat on. When Faye's gone back up to bed, Anna demands to know how many more times Tim's going to undermine all her work with Faye. He's made Faye feel ashamed to be listening to a bedtime story. Ashamed? Tim protests that he was just teasing. Anyway, it's Anna's fault for babying Faye. Anna's furious. She points out that Faye was never allowed to be a normal baby or toddler. She's missed out on an awful lot, including hearing bedtime stories. "Do you know how much courage it takes to let that happen now?" She tells Tim that Faye will never again feel the security of being read to at bedtime. "See yourself out!"

Eileen's been to see her counselor for the first time and arrives in the pub to a barrage of shrunken head comments from Steve and Lloyd. She rises above them, telling them the counselor said her main problem would be so-called friends who didn't take counseling seriously. She happily tells Peter where she's been. Steve and Lloyd are surprised she's being open about it. They thought it would be confidential. "If it was confidential would I have told the Foghorn Brothers?" she asks. Peter's impressed and encouraging. Eileen tells him the counseling was scary but all right.

Back in the bistro, Leanne's clearing up flyers. She's sure the tip-off to the police must have come from the manager of the student union bar. He would have been worried about losing custom. David suggests she change the date on the flyers and have another student night next week. She shouldn't let the opposition win. Though he does mention it might be easier to just roll over . . . Ooh, for someone who doesn't know anything about psychology, he sure knows a lot about psychology!

Ryan's on the phone when Katy arrives but hastily ends the call. She tells him she's just had another run-in with Chesney. Michelle arrives home with armfuls of shopping bags but is off out almost straight away so she can show off what she's bought. Katy asks Ryan to be honest - she wants to make sure they're all right. Ryan tells her not to get too heavy and to stress less. He assures her he wants to be with her but when he hugs her his face says a different story.

Despite Nick's protests, Leanne says she's off to rustle up a crowd for next week and to talk to the student union bar manager. Now David starts work on Nick. He says once word gets out that there were no drugs found in the club, local drug dealers will see it as new territory and move in. And if the student nights continue, regular customers won't know whether they're going to have a candlelit meal or get cheap beer poured all over them. He tells Nick to talk to Leanne.

In the pub, talk has turned to how Paul will react to Eileen's counseling. He'll be dying to know how it went - or else he'll be gearing himself up to face an irate Eileen refusing to go back. Steve agrees - Paul won't have been able to think of anything else all day. Of course, they've no sooner said all this when Paul comes in ranting about some false alarm and kids throwing stones. He barely even looks at Eileen. His firefighter pal comes in too, and tells Eileen that Paul cornered one of the little toe-rags and gave him a rocket. Despite all Steve and Lloyd's hints, Paul completely fails to pick up on them. Michelle and Carla arrive and change the conversation to shopping.

Sally sees Tim in the pub and asks if Jason's with him. She's left messages for Jason but hasn't heard back. Tim asks what the problem is and Sally says it started out as a shelf falling down but now it's progressed to the conservatory leaking. She offers Tim cash in hand if he'll help and says she won't tell Jason. Tim doesn't see how that's possible because round here everyone knows everyone else's business.

Paul's still going on about the kids and thinks every child should be forced to read The Boy Who Cried Wolf. It's only when most of the others drift away to play darts that Steve can subtly remind him (by making "crazy" circles beside his head) about Eileen's counseling.

Fiz sees Katy and has a word with her about making an effort when Joseph's around. It ages for Fiz to get him settled after Chesney and Katy had been rowing in front of him. While they're chatting outside Fiz's front door, Chesney comes along and apologises. He says he should have realised there was no way to break that sort of news to Katy without upsetting her. After all, he knows what it's like to find out someone's cheating. Katy says she wasn't hurt because she knows it was all lies. Chesney tells her that if she doesn't believe him, she should ask Kirk and Beth, who are just coming along the street. Kirk and Beth both confirm they saw Ryan with another girl but Katy doesn't believe them. She thinks Chesney's put them up to lying and they're just trying to cause a split between her and Ryan.

Leanne's not back yet but Gail's going home. Nick suggests maybe Leanne didn't get his text calling her back but David thinks she probably just ignored it.

Katy's at a table waiting for Ryan. She's so defensive that when Kylie simply asks if she'd like to order a drink while she waits, Katy goes off on a rant about how she and Ryan are right for each other and though she's not proud of what she's done, she's with the right person now and that's the main thing. Then she goes into a huff and leaves abruptly, though Kylie looks very thoughtful at what she's said.

Sally is still in the pub having a drink with Tim. She asks if he really wants to move away and he says he can't stay round here because everyone knows everything about everybody. She tells him that if she'd moved every time she messed up with Rosie and Sophie, she would have lived in every town in England by now. She tells him not to make any rash decisions and offers to buy him another drink.

Katy goes back home and Ryan tells her he was just on his way. She sees him put down his phone and when his back is turned she checks the log: Dozens of call to/from someone called Jamie Lee. Ryan snatches his phone back and tells her Jamie Lee is the promoter he told her about. "It's work, I swear!"

Leanne arrives back just as Nick's decided to close up. She's been having a drink with the student union manager and has discovered he didn't call the police. He thinks the more bars in the area the better - it all adds to the buzz. They argue and Nick tells her it was a stupid idea to have the student nights. Leanne tells him her ideas are just as good as his - she has run a bar before. Nick snaps that she burned it down. He says he should have trusted his instincts. Leanne's really angry. She tells him that first she finds out he doesn't trust her personally and now she discovers he doesn't trust her professionally, either. David watches them argue.

Paul and Eileen are sitting companionably in the pub and Paul tells her how proud he is that she went to counseling. She says the counselor told her she tends to hide behind humour.

Nick and David sit together in the closed bistro, speculating on what awful heading will be on the story in the Gazette. They seem to think the reporter herself will write the heading. She won't. David tells Nick he always seems to be Mr Smooth, just passing over life's bumps and then gliding on. He never looks shifty or gets "proper angry." Leanne let him down. She's let him down before. Nick says there's no point in looking backwards. David labours the point. If it had been Kylie . . . Nick shouts that it wasn't Kylie. It was Leanne. And he doesn't always stay calm. Sometimes he just wishes people would stop going on about it! He leaps to his feet and walks away from his brother. David smirks.

The end.
Margaret Carr

We open in the Platt household, where David, Gail and Kylie are beginning their evening meal and discussing what happened at the bistro, and whether it will make the local newspaper.

Chesney returns Joseph to Katy, who says she's going to put him in the bath. She asks Ryan to give her a hand, but he's off to meet Jamie-Lee, which doesn't please her.

Chesney has gone off to the Rovers with Sinead, and they seem to be getting on well. Owen and Anna are also in the pub, and Owen gets a phone call. It's from Katy, she wants them to look after Joseph for a while. Chesney overhears this.

Eileen and Paul are having a quiet night in, in front of the tv. He suddenly gets a call on his mobile, calling him in to work to an emergency meeting with the boss.

Carla arrives at the bookies' to look at the books. Peter tries to tell her it's not necessary but she's not having any of it.

Leanne goes into the Rovers asking to see Stella, but she's not available. She's got a copy of the Gazette with her, they've done a big story on the raid on the bistro and she knows Nick is going to do his nut. She shows Michelle, David and Mandy, and David advises her not to show Nick. Leanne then rushes off to work, and David goes over to a seat and quietly phones Gail to tell her about the newspaper story.

Katy has followed Ryan to a bar in town, and spots him talking to an attractive woman. She marches over and confronts them, surprising Jamie-Lee when she explains that she's Ryan's girlfriend, as he'd told her he was single. He protests that he was just trying to get some work, but Katy isn't having any of it. They have a row there and then she tells him it's over and storms out.

In the bistro, Nick and Leanne are working, but frosty with each other. Nick tells Kylie he'd had a bad feeling about student night and took it out on Leanne last night. Kylie urges him to apologise and make up with her, telling him she'll be delighted. When Leanne next comes over to the bar he says he's sorry, but Leanne just mutters a grudging thanks and walks off. "Moody old boot!" mutters Kylie.

Chesney has taken Sinead back to his house and they're kissing on the sofa. She tells him she's had a really good time and suggests they go upstairs. Chesney looks worried.

After the break, Chesney confesses that he can't go further with Sinead as he's not in love with her. She says she knows he's still in love with Katy, but most lads would do anything with a girl. He says that he's old fashioned, but says she can stay if she likes, he'll sleep downstairs on the sofa. In the end she agrees that she will stay, as her mum has got a new fella round, and they kiss by the window, curtains not drawn. They they go upstairs so that Chesney can make the bed for her. Katy, out in the Street, sees the kiss and then sees the bedroom light go on upstairs. Ryan comes up behind her and tells her to get over there and break them up. She walks on with him behind her telling her to admit that she's jealous of Chesney. They start rowing again about Jamie-Lee, and she tells him she knows that staying in every night with her and Joseph does his head in. He shouts that she's right, she's a really fit girl and any guy would kill to be in his shoes, but he wanted her, not her and her stupid kid! She stares at him for a moment, speechless, and then turns and walks off.

David comes out of the Rovers and meets Gail halfway across the road, she thanks him (he's obviously going to babysit Max) and carries on her way to the bistro with the newspaper in her hand. She walks into the bistro and shows the paper to Nick, Leanne and Kylie. They realise then why they've had so many cancellations.

In the Rovers, Lloyd and Jenna are sitting with Eileen who wonders why they don't look happy. Jenna explains that Lloyd and Mandy are at having 'domestics'. Mandy, behind the bar, shouts that she's not deaf. Lloyd explains that Mandy is being a bit sniffy at the kind of work Jenna is going for. Mandy says that she worked hard to put Jenna through college. Lloyd reckons that Jenna must take the work where she can find it. Just then Paul comes in and joins them. He says that someone has made a formal complaint about him.

Chesney is looking out of his upstairs window and sees that Katy has gone to sit on the bench. Ryan comes up to her and they start arguing again. Chesney comes rushing over, demanding to know what Ryan has done to her now. Katy tells him she's alright, and Ryan tells him to butt out. They argue some more about the woman Ryan was with and she tells him it's over. He walks off and Chesney gives her a hug.

Back in the pub, Paul explains that he had a go at some kids for making hoax 999 calls, and the mother of one of them has made a complaint against him. He is now facing a formal investigation.

Chesney is sitting on the bench with Katy. She reckons he's loving it now, after what she did to him. She's mortified that she threw away everything they had for Ryan. He tells her not to mess with his head, and walks away.

Carla is still looking at the books at the bookies. She's horrified...she knew things were bad but this? She's seen better figures in a plus-size catalogue.

Katy has arrived back at the flat and starts packing. A sleepy Michelle comes out of the bedroom and asks what she's doing. Katy tells her that she and Ryan have split up - her son is an idiot! She tells Michelle that Ryan was 'perving over some woman old enough to be his mum', and she's boring, because she's got a kid she can't go out with him every single night. Michelle says that she was a single mum and knows how it feels. She knew Ryan wasn't up to the job, she knew it would end in tears. She wonders if Katy could make it up with Chesney, but Katy doesn't think he'd have her back now. She finishes her packing and goes out of the door.

Tim and Jason are in the pub. Tim finishes a phone call arranging a job in Newcastle. Jason tells him he should stay around and build bridges with Faye. Sally is at another table, and gets up to leave. Tim calls to her and asks her to stay and have another drink. She says she's tired and is off to watch a film in bed. "I love watching movies in bed," says Tim. Sally laughs. "I bet you do!" she grins and off she goes. Jason laughs at Tim's rotten chat-up line.

Kylie and David are also in the pub. She was sent home from work early because of all the cancellations. David asks her if Nick and Leanne are getting on all right. She tells him they're pretty dodgy, Leanne is causing Nick so much grief and he doesn't deserve it. David, hating to hear anything good about his brother, wonders if this could be the end of the road for them.

Anne Logan.

It's breakfast time and in the Grimshaw household Eileen, Sean and Jason discuss the fact that Tim fancies Sally. Paul comes down and seems a bit grumpy. Eileen reminds the others that Paul's under investigation for mouthing off at the kid who raised the false alarm.

Peter's rambling on over breakfast, seemingly in a very good mood. Carla's in a darker one. She says she'll pop into the betting shop later on but Peter says he's got it all under control.

Anna's shouting up the stairs to hurry Faye along. Katy's feeding Joseph and Owen gives her an I-told-you-so lecture. Anna tells Katy she can stay as long as she like - or go back to Chesney. Katy points out that Chesney's practically shacked up with Sinead.

A very morose Chesney's at the table playing with the chips he's having for breakfast. Sinead comes downstairs. She knows he's moping about Katy even though he denies it. Sinead points out that she stayed over but slept on her own - he's not exactly making her feel special. She decides to leave him to it and leaves.

Chesney pauses a second before following her outside. "I really am sorry," he tells her. A more realistic Sinead just tells him to watch out for broken glass with his bare feet and turns her back.

Tracy and Deirdre discuss the fact that Ken's rushed off to Canada (you lucky people!) to be with Adam, who's had some sort of collapse. Tracy wonders if he would have dropped everything to be with her (ignoring the fact that when she had kidney failure that's exactly what Ken and Deirdre did), then decides "dropping everything" is too strong. "He only walks the dog and that's about it." Rob arrives and grabs Tracy for a snog before realising Deirdre's watching. Deirdre asks about his job but he says it's classified government work. When Deirdre goes upstairs for a bath, Rob worries about the job - it's a breach of his probation. Tracy thinks she'd quite like to go into people's houses and take their valuables. Rob says the main problem is getting inside because people see him coming.

Eileen's made another appointment with her counselor and tells Paul he probably needs some relaxation exercises himself. Paul's fuming - the kids who make hoax calls need punishing, not him. Eileen urges him to stay calm.

Mandy and Lloyd discuss Jenna's job interview. Mandy thinks working in a health spa is beneath her daughter. "She's a qualified physiotherapist!" But Lloyd points out Jenna is actually a DISqualified physiotherapist. "You need to get your head around that." Mandy doesn't listen. Working in a shop is definitely beneath Jenna. And she was a medical professional. "I don't want her standing around rubbing oil into rich people!"

Peter puts some posters up in the betting shop window and invites Dennis inside.

At the factory, Michelle's made a successful sales call but Carla's miles away. She's thinking about the bookies' and tells Michelle it's the last throw of the dice for Peter. Michelle points out Carla would be stupid to drop the ball at the factory because she's worried about Peter.

Jenna is in the taxi office telling Lloyd and Eileen that she was totally honest at her interview. She's not likely to get the job. Mandy comes in and is pleased to hear it. The job is demeaning. Eileen points out Jenna hasn't had a proper rejection yet. Mandy's annoyed that she seems to be always playing the bad cop. Everything was fine before they landed in Weatherfield. "Except that I'm happy now," points out Jenna.

Fiz comes home on a break to find Chesney lying on the sofa. He tells her Sinead went home and the relationship isn't working out. Fiz thinks his heart belongs to another. She doesn't give him any wallowing room and tells him there's plenty of ironing to be getting on with if he gets bored.

Things seem to be going well in the betting shop, though it seems Dennis's first bet was just 60p (that's 94 cents in Canada, 90 cents in the USA, $1.02 in Australia and $1.15 in NZ).

When Nick once again mentions Leanne's restaurant fire, he's shocked when she points out that he always seems to make her feel like a failure. He apologises. Leanne feels like a break and Nick agrees straight away, so when David and Kylie come in they see Nick and Leanne hugging.

Michelle and Ryan are in the flat. Michelle tells Ryan that Katy is very young but she adored him. Katy arrives to collect the rest of her stuff and return the key. Michelle leaves the flat and Ryan tells Katy it was all too much too soon. It's not easy having a kid and trying to do all the normal stuff as well. This might be a revelation for him but Katy's not that interested.

Rob goes into the betting shop to taunt Peter and tell him he'll be out of business by Monday. Peter doesn't seem worried and the shop is full.

Leanne and Nick have managed to make a last-minute booking for somewhere in York but while she's in the kitchen David takes the chance to chip away at Nick, mentioning all the things Leanne's done wrong recently - running the student night, inviting the reporter . . . Nick shuts him up.

Deirdre's in the pub on her own. Gloria tells her she might get lucky and points to Brian sitting on his own.

Near the dartboard, Steve's regaling Paul and Jason with the tale of sticking his hands together with superglue. Paul's still very glum. Eileen arrives.

Rob tells Tracy about the betting shop but Tracy's not looking. She's busy dressing and stuffing to look as if she's pregnant. She plans to go with Rob on his debt-collecting run - who could resist opening the door to a pregnant woman? Rob says he doesn't know whether she's a lunatic or a genius. "Both," says Tracy.

On their way to the pub, Lloyd assures Jenna she'll find a better job sooner or later.

Katy, Owen and Anna go into the pub, where Gloria's heard about Katy and Ryan breaking up. She thinks Katy should have stuck with Chesney. "When they're punching above their weight you're in business. You can treat them as mean as you like and they'll still be there in the morning. Sean and Fiz come in and Fiz tells Katy that Chesney and Sinead have broken up, too.

Steve and Paul are the last throes (throws?) of their darts match to determine which of them will play Jason. Paul needs a double top. He puts two darts outside the scoring area but then the third goes right where he needs it. He's jubilant. At last something's gone right for him. Plop! The dart falls out. Steve tells him the double-top doesn't count, even though the dart stuck there for a while. He says that's the rule (I've looked it up - he's right). Paul doesn't think that's fair. "Play the white man, Steve," he says. "Excuse me!" says Jenna, who's just arrived with Lloyd. Paul apologises for not seeing her there. That annoys Lloyd, who doesn't think the comment would be acceptable whether or not there was someone to be offended by it. Steve agrees. "Lloyd's right - it was a dumb thing to say." Lloyd says he's just brought his daughter out for a drink and didn't expect to hear something like that from someone he thought was a mate. "Hear! Hear!" says Brian, telling Deirdre Lloyd was right to be affronted.

Paul rants that he didn't mean anything by it. Mandy arrives and, hearing the commotion, asks what she missed.

Carla goes to see Peter. He says he can't close up while he's got all these promotions going. Carla's skeptical about their value until he opens the till.

Paul and Eileen and Jason are in a booth now. Jason's very quiet. Eileen tells him she just wishes he'd use his head sometimes. Jason says he doesn't know what to think about it. Paul insists he didn't mean anything by it. It was just an expression. Gloria, collecting the empties, asks if Paul's calmed down and he says it was just something and nothing. "We're all mates." Unfortunately, Lloyd hears this and he thinks it was more than that. Brian tells Deirdre that what Paul said had ugly implications. Paul says he's had a really stressful day. Lloyd points out that so has Jenna. Steve urges Lloyd to rise above it - Paul didn't know what he was saying. Lloyd says he might feel better if Paul seemed willing to make amends. Gloria wags her finger at him. "Now, I don't want any bother." "Yeah?" asks Lloyd. "Well don't let racists in your pub then." Paul leaps to his feet, incensed. "I'm not a racist! Take that back!" He's toe to toe with Lloyd. "No!" says Lloyd. "Take it back!" Paul shouts into his face.

The end of the first episode.
Margaret Carr

Written by: Simon Crowther
Directed by: Nicky Higgens

It is still all kicking off in the Rovers between Paul and Lloyd. Everyone wants Paul to apologise for his remark, but he is refusing, as he feels Lloyd should apologise to him first for calling him a racist. He tells Lloyd that calling him a racist was far worse than what he said, but Lloyd quite rightly points out he wouldn't have called him one if he hadn't made the racist remark in the first place.

Paul seems genuinely surprised that nobody, but nobody is on his side, including Eileen, who also begs him to apologise to Lloyd so they can all move on, but Paul digs his heels in and refuses to until Lloyd apologises first.

Gloria tells them to knock it off, as they sound like kids in a playground, Mandy has had enough too, and suggests they all go home. Jenna agrees with her, saying Paul will never back down because he is ignorant. As they leave, Paul shouts after them that he is not a racist, but Mandy tells him he gives a pretty good impression of one. Eileen tries again to be the peacemaker, and asks them to let Paul buy them a drink, but they continue out the door, saying Paul has had his chance.

A knock on the door of No. 5 wakes Chesney, who is napping on the couch. It's Katy, who has come because she has heard about him and Sinead breaking up, and offers her sympathy. He isn't all that upset however, and offers her a cup of tea. Opting for a glass of squash instead, they sit down to talk.

Lloyd and family plus Steve have ended up in the office at Streetcars. Lloyd is kicking himself because he was the one to leave his local, he feels Paul should have been the one to leave. However, everyone assures him he did the right thing because it proves he is the bigger man. Steve points out that everyone in there could see who was in the wrong, and Paul was never going to back down. Jenna remarks that she doesn't believe Paul thinks he has done anything wrong.

Lloyd is still extremely angry, saying Jenna especially shouldn't have to hear remarks like that, he has been hearing them all his life and is sick of them. He goes on to say he believes Paul when he said his father used to use the same expression, and adds that probably his Grandfather did, and his father before him, but that doesn't make it right.

Mandy tells him to calm down, and accuses him of trying to prove himself to Jenna, saying he doesn't have to. He is shocked she would say that, and she backs down immediately, telling him she is sorry she said that.

Back in the Rovers, Paul and Eileen are still arguing over it. He is trying to explain to her why he refused to apologise, saying if he had done so, it would be admitting he was a racist, and he isn't one. Eileen argues that he would be apologising for offending them, but he doesn't see it that way at all. Jason, who is sitting at their table tells him straight that he was definitely the one in the wrong, and should have apologises immediately instead of making out that Lloyd was the one to blame. Jason goes on to say that he too has heard his fair share of remarks over the years, and nobody ever means it, but it gets a bit boring. That said, he too gets up and leaves. Paul sits there looking amazed, and Eileen asks him if he is satisfied now?

Chesney is prattling on about nothing in particular, but Katy is not really listening. She finally interrupts him and tells him she wishes she had never left him. She asks him to give her another chance and take her back. Chesney is not enamored with that idea, saying she is only back because things haven't worked out with Ryan, but in no time at all she would be off again with some other bloke who was better looking and fitter than him. She swears she wouldn't, she realises now what a mistake she made, and he is the one she wants to be with, and asks him if he doesn't think Joseph deserves for them to give it another go. She is convinced he only broke up with Sinead because he had heard about her and Ryan, and tells him she knows he still misses her.

Chesney tells Katy he is sorry, but he just can't take her back. She is surprised and angry, which only serves to make Ches angry too. He points out to her that she was the one who left him, left him for another bloke, she took their child and moved in with him and now expects him to forgive her, just like that! She just has no answer to that, so leaves.

Steve has gone now, leaving Lloyd, his family and Sophie to discuss the situation. Sophie is indignant, saying Paul had no right to think saying something like that was acceptable in this day and age. Lloyd corrects her, saying it wasn't right at any age. He goes on to say that unlike his best friend, Jenna's 'Dad', who used to kick off at people when they made remarks in front of him, he would go downstairs on the bus rather than have a confrontation. Mandy agrees, saying Johnny was always getting into trouble for kicking off at people, but could get away with it because he was such a huge man.

Mandy advises Lloyd to just let it go now for Eileen's sake, as she is such a good friend. She feels he has put Paul in his place, and it's time now to let it drop. She tells him he could nip it in the bud by going round there and making the peace. Lloyd turns to Jenna, asking if she agrees with her mother, and if so, he will back down and go round there cap in hand. Jenna tells him he has done nothing wrong, and Paul is the one who should come to him. Lloyd immediately agrees with her, and although Mandy agrees she may be right, she asks where being right has ever got them?

Steve has moved over to the bookies, and the Lloyd/Paul feud is the topic of conversation in there too between him and Peter. Peter too is of the opinion that while he has heard much worse sayings, Paul was still in the wrong and should have immediately apologises. Steve agrees.

Switching the conversation to the reason Steve is in there, he is asking about the deals Peter is currently offering. He has signs up, saying they will match your first bet, he wants to know what that means. Peter asks him how much he plans to put down for his first bet, and is told it is two quid. Peter tells him that entitles him to a free two quid bet on anything he fancies, so Steve is impressed and opts to put a bit more on Fizzy Lizzy, as it reminds him of his mother! LOL!!

It didn't do Steve any good however, and he lost the lot. He feels now that Fizzy Lizzy should be sent to the glue factory. Peter consoles him by saying he will buy him a drink later.

The racism conversation is still going on in No. 11 too, Paul is still defending what he said, saying it's just an expression from a different age when it was OK. Eileen snaps that it wasn't OK back then either, it's just that people got away with it more. She tells him Jason's father used to get all kinds of remarks thrown at him, and so did she just for being with him. Paul points out he definitely doesn't believe white people are better than black, and tells her she can ask any one of his work colleagues who are of a different race, and they will tell her. They would never accuse him of meaning it. She argues that he probably wouldn't have said what he said today in front of their children, and he wouldn't have said it in front of Lloyd today if he had known he was there.

The row escalates with Paul accusing Eileen of not being on his side. She is livid now, telling him she stood up for him in the pub, she tried and tried to smooth things over in public, but now they are in the privacy of their own home, and she can tell him how she really feels - and she feels rotten! She screams at him that Lloyd did nothing wrong - he did!

Jason comes in, and Paul asks him outright if he thinks he is a racist. Jason is reluctant to get involved, but finally tells him "No, I don't think you are a racist, but I do think you are an idiot!" Eileen screams at Paul to just go over and say sorry, but he is adamant, he is not going to apologise until Lloyd takes back his racist accusation.

Break - with one of my favourite commercials, when a vet thinks he has a cat with no pulse, and it turns out to be his assistant's fur hat - 'Should have gone to Specsavers!'

Carla and Michelle are celebrating a new account over a bottle of bubbly in the Bistro. (What happened to Carla being an alcoholic? At one time she was drinking all day from her office drawer and attending AA meetings, now she appears able to drink in moderation with no problem at all. I didn't think it worked like that!) Peter arrives and tells Carla he has had a good day, plonking a nice little gift bag on the table in front of her. (Standing behind Peter is Extra, Pete Reidy, who used to be known on RATUCS as 'The Ripper', because he resembled the Yorkshire mass murderer. He has white hair now though, and looks more like Kenny Rogers these days! You can read my interview with him too on my website linked below - he granted it on the condition I didn't mention his old nickname, he knew about it and wasn't best pleased!) Anyway, I digress... Carla opens her gift, and it is a beautiful bracelet, she is thrilled with it.

Chesney has called Sinead, asking her to come over. He wants to get back together with her. She is suspicious, suggesting he has possibly tried to get back with Katy, got turned down, so is settling for her again. He protests that it's not true. She tells him straight she won't be messed around, and if he does, she will set her Auntie on him. He finds this very funny, but I doubt he would if she really did set Beth on him, I know I wouldn't like to get on the wrong side of her. He pleads with her to give it another go, and she is willing, but tells him straight this is the last time, because she will not be messed around.

Taking Peter aside, Steve asks him what he was thinking buying that bracelet, as now Michelle wants to know why he doesn't buy her bracelets. Carla is saying to Michelle she wishes he hadn't spent the money, as his business needs it more. Michelle's theory is that women go for rich good looking men, and Peter is just trying to measure up. Tracy overhears this remark and asks Michelle what she is doing with Steve then? Quick as a flash, Michelle replies "Everything!" Rob and Peter have their usual bickering banter at the bar, and Rob makes sure Carla knows that Peter is taking risks over at the bookies.

You could cut the atmosphere with a knife over at No. 11. Nobody is talking to each other at all. It's a little better in the Streetcars office, Steve has come in with a kebab for Lloyd, asking if things are OK with him now. He says they are, but are not great between him and Mandy. Lloyd goes on to say he has to put up with remarks like that all the time, especially when he is driving cab on a Friday night, he could be kicking off every ten minutes. He ignores it most of the time, but thought Paul was a pal, but even he won't admit he was wrong. Steve offers to beat him up for him, which makes Lloyd chuckle.

Brian pops into the cab office just to let Lloyd know how much he admired his pluck this afternoon in the Rovers. He tells Lloyd he wanted to let him know he and Steve had his back. After he leaves, Steve, in an effeminate voice, says to Lloyd "I've always admired your pluck too - gorgeous!". Lloyd preens with a smile, saying "What, this old thing?" I just love the chemistry between Steve and Lloyd, may they never split them up!

Tracy and Rob are discussing how they enjoyed debt collecting together earlier. Tracy is saying how much more rewarding it is than cold calling. Gloating about the look on a poor woman's face when they took her child's play station away. Rob is not quite so gleeful about it, in fact he appears to be having a bit of a conscience about it. Tracy has no sympathy for her though, saying it was her own fault for defaulting on her credit cards.

Thinking for a bit, Tracy tells Rob they are both agreed they work well together, and suggests they open a shop, a shop where people can sell their stuff, which will ward off the debt collectors, and they can sell it on for an inflated price. In other words, a pawn shop. Rob is not against the idea, saying a friend of his runs one, and he is loaded. Tracy is quite excited, saying they could find premises nearby, and the rent wouldn't be all that much, they would be able to make loads of money. He suggests they go back to his place and discuss it further - or something .

Kylie and Gail arrive home, and David has run Kylie's bath as she requested. Leaving her jacket on the sofa next to him, she heads upstairs along with Gail, who wants to nip to the bathroom quickly before Kylie gets settled in for a soak.

Alone, David takes the opportunity and fishes in Kylie's jacket pocket, pulling out the keys to the Bistro. Oh oh, methinks he is up to no good once again.

In the next scene he has nipped across to the Bistro, and while singing "He ain't heavy, he's my brother", he is pouring some of the liquor out of bottles and topping them up with water. Oh dear, David...

Back to the racism storyline again. This time Eileen is in the cab office, trying to make Lloyd believe that Paul isn't a racist. She explains that he is an old fashioned bloke, just saying something he grew up with, and didn't think. Lloyd tells her he gave him ample time to think. She agrees, saying she knows he did, but he felt attacked and stupid. She continues defending him by telling him about Paul's boss being on his back, and him being under stress because he might lose his job. She begs him not to let this affect things, saying she might be engaged to a dinosaur, but not to a monster.

Lloyd tells her he is not even calling him a dinosaur. Eileen replies she knows he's not, but he did call him a racist, and Paul feels if he apologises, he will be admitting he is one. Lloyd tells her they both know that wouldn't be true, but for his daughter's sake he expects an apology, he is not demanding it, but expects it. Until then, as far as he and Paul are concerned, that's it!

That's it from me too until next Friday!

Christine

Written by Damon Rochefort Directed by Ian Bevitt

In spite of the fact that Roy getting out of bed to sleep walk never woke up Sylvia and Hayley, his doing yoga to soft tranquil music outside of closed bedroom doors obviously did the job. Sylvia and Hayley come out to find him in a lotus position on the floor, stretching and meditating. Hayley is pleased he's doing something positive. Sylvia just wants more sleep. Roy mentions that there's a message on the answer phone for her to contact the doctor about her test results.

Jason is cool towards Paul as he gets ready to go out to work. Paul feels put upon for something he didn't even mean. Eileen calls it casual racism and all he has to do is apologize but his pride won't let him. If he does that, he'll be admitting he is a racist which he is not. She points out that by ignoring it, she gets put into a difficult position. He needs to man up, apologize and it will all go away.

In the corner shop, Lloyd, Dev, Jenna and Sophie are talking about the phrase used, saying it's an old fashioned one. Lloyd refuses to put up with it in front of his daughter who shouldn't have to contend with what he's had to all his life. Dev agrees and Jenna worries she's only made things worse. Lloyd says it was the principle. Jenna wouldn't let Lloyd go to speak to Paul but Sophie doesn't think Lloyd should have to make the first move. Jenna's off to get a paper for the job section. Dev and Lloyd talk about how upset Eileen is.

Carla arrives in the factory to find that Michelle has come in early to field a minor crisis which she's done successfully. She notices that Carla isn't wearing the bracelet Peter gave her. Clearly she doesn't really like it but has made excuses about it being too long to be worn in a factory safely. Michelle wonders about Peter running high odds at the bookies, the things Rob was alleging about Peter taking risks. Carla says Rob is just trying to get at her and she closes the subject.

Rob and Tracy come by the bookies to find Peter outside with a cig and a coffee. They have a few more shots at Peter's expense. Peter lets it roll off his shoulders, firing back a few of his own, making fun of Tracy's job and Rob's apparent non-job (he doesn't know about the repo-man job Rob is doing).

Norris has returned home to check on Emily who is perfectly fine, thank you. He knows she's going to see her solicitor which is more the real reason he's come back. She's getting things in place to sign the house over and expects it to be complete in a few hours' time. He'll soon be the proud owner. When she leaves, he practically dances for joy.

Lloyd and Steve come into the betting shop. The subject of Paul's misspoken phrase comes up but Steve figures Paul will apologize and they'll all be friends again. Back to business. Steve notices the high odds and Peter says there's no catch. Steve attempts to put a small bet on. Peter eggs him on until he puts on a 50 pound bet on. Steve anticipates a 2000 pound win.

Meanwhile, Michelle is still going on at Carla about Peter. Carla makes an unkind remark about Steve and the cab business. Defensive, much?

Jenna comes into Streetcars looking for Lloyd. It's a bit awkward with Eileen but before she can say much more, Lloyd comes back. Eileen apologizes and says Paul's excuse is a bad day at work. That doesn't help matters.

Sophie is ranting about it all to Jason. Paul comes in and Sophie is snarky to him about being served by the Asian or the Lesbian. Totally uncalled for, really. She's really getting on my nerves. Thankfully, Dev murmurs.... "Sophie...." as a warning. Dev tells Paul that what he said was wrong and Lloyd is due an apology but Paul is furious that Lloyd is spreading gossip about him.

In the betting shop, Steve is watching the race he'd bet on. Everyone is shocked when Steve actually wins. Peter turns white. Steve is jubilant. Peter clearly doesn't know if he has enough cash on hand to pay out the 2000 pounds plus the 50 for the original bet. Michelle walks by just then and sees the happy dance.

In the cafe, Hayley, Roy, Sylvia and Norris are making small talk. Roy has been given another book on sleepwalking. Hayley remembers she must go to the doctor's office to get her blood test results. Norris tells them that Emily has gone to her solicitor's but Sylvia doesn't ask why, stifling his plan to crow about it for the moment. Hayley rushes back to work but throws a bit of a worried glance as she leaves.

Peter pays out Steve's bet, having to clean out his own wallet for the last bit. Steve asks about why Peter doubled the odds on a horse that wouldn't have run on those odds. Peter proclaims that he's a bookie and that's just the way he does things. Steve calls Lloyd and brags.

In the cab office, Lloyd tells Eileen about the win. Paul comes back in to find them chuckling. Paul starts finger pointing about Lloyd talking about him all over the street. He was going to come over and apologize before he realized that. They start shouting again and Paul storms out. Eileen scolds Lloyd for adding to the problem with an over the top remark about the National Front and leaves him to cover the switch.

Tracy is making her cold calls, reading from a script and sounding very bored. She's frustrated because the customer hung up on her again. Deirdre says she needs to spruce it up a bit and takes the head set to show her how it's done. She makes a call and starts reading the script with a lot more drama but when it turns out to be a patient she knows from the clinic, the call turns into a laugh-a-minute. Tracy gives up and decides to go to the pub.

In the pub, things are quiet. Steve splashes his cash around as Tracy comes in and asks him to buy her a drink to make up for her rotten day. She has a vent about how rude people are on the phone. Gloria talks about the incident with Paul and thinks Lloyd went over the top. She reveals that she's part Cherokee on her mother's side. Her great grandmother joined a Buffalo Bill show and fell in love with a Native American with a Tomahawk act. She doesn't make a song and dance about it. Tracy thinks Lloyd was right to react as he did. She protests that she's many things but she's not a bigot. Steve says she dislikes everyone equally. Michelle comes in to see them laughing together and gives Tracy a dagger look.

Hayley comes into the clinic. Deirdre is back at work. She says that the doctor does want to see Hayley but it's probably fine. Then she realizes she shouldn't have said that because after all, she doesn't really know and if she says it's fine and it isn't, they could be sued. Hayley is instructed to sit down and Deirdre says they have a new doctor, not a patch on Dr. Carter.

Michelle tells Steve she knows he won on a bet. Michelle says she knows Peter's been giving ridiculous odds and it's going to bite him in the backside. Steve flashes his wad of cash, saying he's won 2 grand! Michelle looks horrified. Rob comes into the pub to find a dejected Tracy. He gets them drinks. Back to Michelle and Steve. She's pleased for him but has to go tell Carla. And back to Tracy and Rob, who tells Tracy he's repossessed a fancy sports car and offers her a ride before he has to turn it in.

Outside, Michelle finds Carla just leaving the factory and tells her the news. Peter had to pay out 2 grand. What if someone else gets really lucky today?

Tvor

Hi there, standing in this week and I am already late so over to the mean streets of Weatherfield, original events were written by Damon Rochefort and directed by Ian Bevitt with copyright the property of ITV Productions.

We open at the bookies where Carla wants to know if Peter is closing early or has simply run out of money. Ah observes Peter you've heard. Carla lets loose saying that the whole of Manchester has heard about the bookie handing out money and she lets rip. Peter reckons some punters have to win - the punters should be gambling not him. They bicker and she points out that she is making a profit after keeping many people in work and he is throwing it away.

The new doctor (Dr Carter was fed up being underused and left) is telling Hayley about the unusual liver functions could have many causes so to be on the safe side they want to do some more tests. Hayley reports some abdominal pain and she wants to book an ultrasound with the hospital - and they want to do it quickly to avoid delays. Hayley asks if she should be worried, after all she is never ill. The doctor says that it is about time she got her money back out of the NHS.

Back at Roy's Rolls, Roy is worried about how long Hayley is taking. Sylvia observes that waiting rooms hold people forever. Sylvia tells Roy not to worry and sends him to cook dinner whilst she finishes off in the caff.

Peter has retreated to number one and tries to explain the situation to Dreary. Tracy and Rob arrive and set about winding Peter up. Dreary suggests they leave - both of them. Tracy does not want to stay where they are not welcome and once they are gone Peter observes that he thought nothing could cheer him up and smiles at Deirdre.

In the Kabin Doris is sweeping and moaning about the contract for the gift of the house. Rita reminds him that he is being given the house and he should be grateful. Apparently he also gets the power, water and telephone bills, rates and even has to maintain the house he moans - continuing even as behind him Emily herself comes in. Rita announces her arrival - well eventually. Doris tries to pretend that he was talking about another woman. They have no dinner in the house and Rita shames him into taking Emily out for a meal at the Bistro, Rita offers to cook dinner - but then Dennis is cleaning the oven. So it ends up being a meal in the bistro for four. Doris heads off to have a shave.

Steve is still in a good mood due to his win and Carla cannot find Peter. Rob wants to know how much Steve won - £2k. Rob reveals to Carla where Peter can be found next door.

Hayley tells a pack of lies and alleges it is all down to stress. She says they should all have dinner and all's well. Sylvia and Roy swallow the story and Hayley hidden behind the corner breathes a huge sigh of relief.

After the break in the cab office Jenna and Sophie come in and agree to meet Lloyd later in the Rovers. Lloyd is waiting for Paul to apologise and vice versa and as this is about the silliest story line ever will be ignored in the rest of this update.

Peter is still moaning about Carla to Deirdre when there is a knock at the door - when Carla arrives. Peter flounces out and Deirdre offers Carla a cup of tea and says she might be able to help. However it is not long before the red wine is out and being drunk. Dreary lets slip out being the other woman and she knows Carla loves her. Peter is not drinking - the problem is the bookies. Dreary reckons it is male pride - and losing £2k is the way it is sometimes. Carla does not like seeing money wasted - but he really is gambling at the moment and she cannot keep baling him out. Dreary says Carla is part of the family now and with a wonderful turn of phrase asks Carla to consider her as "Switzerland with glasses". So there we are, Dreary is now officially SWG!! Carla thanks SWG for her help.

In the Bistro Emily thinks that a bottle of champers would be good but this convinces Norris that a bottle of Poilly Fume at £30 is good value for money. Dennis wants a large steak and Rita wants lobster. Norris looks concerned.

In the Rovers Rob has got £3k commission for collecting the car - and this is going towards the second hand shop - which will be their new business - which Tracy can be a part of if she contributes equally. She says she will find her share.

Rita wants another bottle of wine - but Norris points out her glass is not empty. So Rita empties it. Norris has a cob on so Rita tells him they are pulling his leg and will share the bill - but he insists he will pay. Dennis wants to know what happens if Norris dies first and of course there is a clause in the contract and it reverts to Emily. Norris thinks this is unlikely as Emily is a lot older and her aunt lasted until she was 103 and women live five years longer. Dennis suggested that they could have married - but both Norris and Emily agree the current arrangement is better.

Roy has dozed off on the sofa watching tv. Sylvia goes to bed and Hayley cuddles her husband. All is peaceful.

Peter and Deirdre sit on Maxime's bench and discuss the bookies and the situation. She tells Peter to go home to Carla but he fancies a night off and asks if he can borrow the sofa. Peter tells Deirdre says he has been skint before - but this is bad and another day like today and he will be out of business.

So there you have it. Switzerland with Glasses, the best line this year.

See you all again soon.

K Richard W

Peter gets up after a night on the sofa, and joins Deirdre at the breakfast table. She asks how bad things really are at the bookies. They're bad, he says. She tells him they have a some money put aside... but he says he's losing enough as it is, he wouldn't want to lose their money. She says she would hate to see him go bust, but he's confident he can turn things around. She then asks how things are between him and Carla, he says he's been working on an apology and Deirdre is glad.

Sylvia comes down and finds Hayley busy laying tables in the cafe. She tells Sylvia that she woke up early and thought she'd do something useful. Sylvia is just asking what woke her up so early when Roy comes in and Hayley doesn't have to answer.

Eileen and Jason are chatting over a cuppa when Paul comes downstairs. Jason puts his cup down and says he has to rush off for work. Paul tells him that if he has a problem with him then he should say it to his face. Jason doesn't respond.

Peter arrives at Carla's office and says he's sorry, and tells her he's done a lot of thinking. He says he appreciates all she's done for him, and he knows the business isn't just his any more, it's theirs.

Tracy quietly lets herself in through the kitchen door of the Barlow's house and goes straight to the cupboard in the living room. She pulls out what looks like a building society pass book and stuffs it into her pocket just as Deirdre comes into the room. Deirdre assumes she's there to take Amy to school, but Tracy asks if Deirdre can do that, she says she has a 'business thing' to do. Deirdre is immediately suspicious and assumes that Rob is behind it, and they start to squabble as Amy comes into the room. Deirdre then agrees to take Amy to school, but Tracy tells her to forget it.

Back at the factory Peter tells Carla that he's never had a girlfriend who earned more than him before, he's finding it hard. Carla says it doesn't matter who earns the money, and Peter tells her that he's going to turn his business round, he took his eye off the ball but with her support he'll make it work.

In the Kabin, Rita is measuring Norris's height against the wall. He's convinced he's grown because he is now a home-owner. Just then Emily comes in and he tells her that it's all down to her. He has a sense of well being, he's grown in stature. She then hands him a handful of bills that have arrived " for the attention of the home-owner!

Peter and Carla are outside the factory, and he's about to go off and open the bookies. She hands him a wad of cash for the till, just as Rob comes past. "Is she giving you your pocket money?" he calls out, and continues to try and goad Peter. Peter however, isn't riled and goes off saying he has a business to run. When he's gone, Carla calls Rob over and then gets really cross with him, telling him to grow up. She says that he's the only loser around. Peter may have made some mistakes, but he's ten times the man Rob will ever be. She tells him to stay away from her. "Do you hear me? Stay away!"

Carla goes into the bookies which is busy with lots of punters. She sees posters on the wall still offering better odds than any other bookmakers. She says she thought all that was going to stop, but he tells her he's calculated the odds and it's all under control. She's not convinced, however, and eventually he agrees to take the posters down, although it will take longer that way to get into the black. She tells him that slow and steady is good. She then tells him how she tore into Rob for having a go at Peter. "Good for you," he says.

Rob and Tracy are in the pub, and he's moaning about Carla, how she married money and had a massive head start, she's never had to do anything on her own. Tracy makes all the right encouraging noises, telling he's better than Carla, and that frightens her in case he takes away everything Carla has. She then produces a brown envelope stuffed with money and hands it to him. He asks where she got it, but she won't say.

Back in the Kabin, Norris is quibbling over the bills, he points out that for the last 3 months, Emily has been at home on her own most of the time, consuming most of the gas and electricity. She points out that when she owned the house, she paid for everything. He reminds her that at that time, he paid rent and that was to cover his part of the bills. "So you want me to pay rent now?" she asks. He hastily tells her no, but then suggests that they split the bills 50/50. She tells him that the contract that was drawn up passing ownership of the house to him, included a clause making all household bills his responsibility. "Did you not read the small print?" asks Rita, and says that Emily is giving him a whole house and he is arguing over a few measly bills. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself!"

Deirdre walks into her living room and finds Tracy rummaging in the cupboard again. "What are you doing?" she asks. Tracy jumps and makes up a story about looking for baby photos. Deirdre then asks if Tracy is up to something, she knows her too well, and she doesn't like Rob. Tracy says that she and Rob make a good team and they are going places, she has big dreams.

Hayley and Fiz are in the cafe, chatting over a cuppa. Fiz tells Hayley she hopes Roy realises how lucky he is to have Hayley on his side. Roy overhears and says he does, yes. He adds that Hayley has been magnificent and he would be lost without her. Just then Sylvia comes in with some aromatherapy candles that Roy had asked her to get. He says that they should do everything they can to minimise the stress in their lives.

Rob and Tracy are walking down the Street and he asks again where she got the money. Tracy then confesses that she 'borrowed' it from Amy, who has a savings account she puts her birthday and Christmas money in, and that Ken has been paying into regularly to save for her uni fees. "You robbed your daughter's piggy bank?" says Rob, incredulous. Tracy says she used it to invest in Amy's future, she will make more money from it and will pay her back every penny, with interest, it will be the best investment she's ever made.

In an effort to get the situation to blow over as soon as possible, Eileen has persuaded Paul to do something normal, like go to the pub. They walk down the Street and as they get to the door, Tracy and Rob arrive. Tracy asks if Paul would like her to go and and check there are no black people in there " or what about Asians, or Jews or the Welsh? "Is that your idea of a joke?" asks Paul, and turns round and walks off.

Peter and Carla are in the pub when Rob and Tracy walk in. "Mind if we join you?" asks Rob. "Yes," says Peter, adding that they all know how they feel about each other. There's a bit more squabbling until Rob and Tracy do eventually go and sit somewhere else.

In Eileen's house, Paul is sitting moodily with a can of beer, Jason is reading the paper and Eileen is trying to make conversation. Paul asks what she's doing, it's like he's the elephant in the room. He says that he's had a label slapped on him that makes him the lowest of the low " this punishment does not fit the crime.

Peter follows Rob into the gents. He tells him that Carla was right, Rob is a pathetic little boy who blames his mummy for ruining his life. He then tells him to leave him and Carla alone. "Or else what? You'll set my own sister on me?" sneers Rob as Peter leaves, but he looks worried.

Anne Logan

It's morning in the cafe and Peter's full of the joys of fried bread. Carla's annoyed because she thinks he's only in such a good mood because he "won" his encounter with Rob. She warns him not to make a habit of baiting Rob.

Hayley's checking her hospital letter when Sylvia comes in and the letter quickly goes into Hayley's bag. Sylvia asks about it and Hayley insists everything's fine and denies she's jumpy.

Tracy's full of the joys of starting their own business but Rob's very grumpy for exactly the same reason Peter's so happy. Tracy tells him the best way to get revenge would be to make their business a success, especially if the betting shop's going under at the same time. She says their business is her way out of this dump.

Hayley still refuses to admit there's anything wrong. Or she does until Sylvia says she'll mention to Roy that she's worried. Then Hayley confesses that she has to go for an ultrasound this afternoon. They're interrupted by Roy coming upstairs to demand that Sylvia come downstairs to help in the cafe. When he's gone, Sylvia offers to go with Hayley but Hayley insists she'll go on her own.

In the factory office, Carla's on the phone to a customer and is getting all of his order details muddled up. When the call ends she confesses that she's worried by the Peter-Rob arguments and that Peter's hell bent on teaching Rob a lesson. Michelle thinks it'll all blow over.

Peter stands outside the betting shop, smoking (a cigarette, not with rage).

In the cafe, Jason goes to sit with Eileen. She's ready to knock Paul and Lloyd's heads together. She goes into a rant about Paul, telling Jason how stubborn he is and how he doesn't realise what the arguing is doing to her. Paul appears at the table - he's heard most of the rant. Jenna chooses that moment to come into the cafe and Paul shouts at her to ask her if she's come to have a go at him and all. He stomps off.

Maria and Audrey are in the pub. Audrey's very cheerful and tells Maria how much she's looking forward to her birthday next week. She's off home to wait for the gas man - the company is insisting on reading the meter this time, instead of estimating the bill. Marcus has brought Maria's phone to her and he comments on how cheerful Audrey is. Maria tells him Audrey will be 73 next week. Poor Sue Nicholls - she's not even 70 yet.

Michelle and Carla see Tracy in the pub with some estate agents' details and hope she's moving away. But when Rob is at her side, Tracy tells them they're starting a business together. Michelle laughs. Carla warns her that she couldn't be going into business with a bigger liability. Tracy decides to look at the details of the business premises back at home and she and Rob go to leave. But their way is blocked by Peter coming in. There's a stand-off as Peter demands that Rob ask nicely to be allowed past him. Mandy tells them she doesn't want any trouble. I'm a bit worried about Mandy's terms of employment. She was hired to do the cooking but she often seems to be in sole charge of the bar at mealtimes.

Beth and Fiz discuss the afternoon cake run but Hayley seems miles away. Fiz asks if she's OK and Hayley says she is. She says she's leaving work early to run an errand and that's why she wasn't interested in the cake run.

The bookies' shop is quite full, including Dennis, Steve and Jason among the punters. Dennis says the posters have come down but the odds are still excellent. They're better than anything available online, apparently.

Rob comes in and wants to put a hundred pounds on Free As A Bird at 25 to 1 (Jason's considering betting on Day Release - anyone sensing a naming theme?). Peter takes the bet.

Free As A Bird pulls up lame and doesn't even finish the race. Peter's very very smug. That's until Rob decides to put 100 pounds . . . no, wait, . . . 250 . . . no, hang on, 500 pounds on a four-race accumulator. That's where the winnings (if any) on each race are automatically reinvested on the next race in the accumulator. The whole shop has gone quiet. Peter takes the bet. "You'll lay it off, surely?" asks Dennis. (Laying off is when a bookie spreads the bet around several other bookies so they all share the risk). "That's right," says Rob. "Go running to the big boys." This taunt is enough to make Peter say he won't be laying it off. Carla chooses that moment to come in to borrow Peter's keys because she's locked herself out.

Mandy meets Jenna in the street and things are a bit tense between them. Jenna wonders why Mandy doesn't seem to like her seeing Lloyd. Is she jealous? Mandy says she likes the fact that Jenna and Lloyd get on so well but Jenna says everything seems a struggle with Mandy these days.

Carla's worried that Rob might win. Peter assures her that won't happen. She tells Peter he can't afford to pay out on the accumulator in a million years. Rob wins the first race. She's even more worried now.

In the cafe, Roy lectures Sylvia and Fiz on the history of meditation at the same time as he's boxing up the factory cake order. Fiz tries to change the subject by asking where Hayley's off to this afternoon. Sylvia tries to cover by saying Hayley had some shopping to do.

Eileen sees Paul in the pub and tells him about the betting spectator sport happening in Barlow's Bookies. She tries to talk to him about the argument with Lloyd. Paul wonders why nobody suggests that Lloyd could modify his own stance a bit. He's happy to apologise for upsetting Lloyd if Lloyd apologises for calling Paul a racist. He's annoyed again and goes out. Eileen appeals to Mandy for help. They're both being driven mad by stubborn men.

Rob's had his third win.

Audrey's back at the salon but not nearly as cheerful as she was earlier. She tells Maria and Marcus that while she was waiting for the gas man she noticed a patch of damp that extends right across her living room wall. Marcus tries to cheer her up by saying their flat has damp and the sitting room hasn't been painted since the last war. Oops. Too late, he realises Audrey's the landlady. So she's not cheered up. Maria pushes him out of the door, telling him to take Liam for his snack.

Rob's luck has run out - the last horse in his accumulator comes in second. Peter's smug and tells Carla Rob's lost 600 pounds in there today. He can't help taunting Rob and asks him if the money was supposed to be for the new business. Carla tells them both to grow up. Then we hear that there's a stewards' inquiry on that last race. "This hasn't finished yet," says Rob.

The end of episode one.
Margaret Carr

Written by: Martin Allen
Directed by: Ian Bevitt

There is a lot of sweating going on in the bookies, quite a bit from Rob, but quite a bit more from Peter and Carla. The latter wants to know how much money they have on the premises, and Peter tells her there is £1,500 in the safe and £300 in the till - they both know it won't be enough if Rob should win. Suddenly there is an announcement that the horse they thought had won has been disqualified for interference (whether it was the horse or the jockey that was doing the interference we are not sure), anyway Rob is ecstatic because this means his horse has won. Even if he wasn't jumping up and down and whooping at the top of his lungs, we would still know it won, because Peter is standing there with his head on the counter in abject misery. Rob comes over and slaps his slip down, demanding his money from Peter.

Hayley has arrived at the hospital for her ultrasound scan. She asks the sonographer where exactly they will be looking, and is told the instructions say to check all around her liver area. Hayley asks her if her doctor has told her what she is looking for, but as she has been instructed to say, the sonographer tells her she is only able to do the scan and report back to her doctor. (It always seems the medical staff are being mysterious when they won't divulge a patient's condition, but they are instructed not to, they are not doctors, and don't know the medical history or treatment options, so could alarm a patient unnecessarily - at least that is the way it was when I was managing a radiology practice). Hayley at least doesn't get belligerent about it, and accepts she will have to wait to hear the results from her doctor.

Rob has won £35,190.00 and all the punters are standing around waiting to see Peter pay it out - which of course he can't do. Rob of course is delighting in rubbing Peter's nose in it. A stricken Peter tells him he is not paying out - not a single penny - the bet's void. Everyone gasps, and Rob tells him he can't do that. He points out he has his betting slip, and he has witnesses. Peter tells him he doesn't care what he's got, he is not paying. Losing his temper, he tells Rob to get out of his shop. Rob, who has guessed he doesn't have the money to pay out tells him he will take him to court, plus he will tell everyone he meets that Barlow's Bookies doesn't pay out, and if they are not already finished, they soon will be.

Dennis pipes up to Peter that he is being out of order, but Peter petulantly replies that he doesn't have to pay anybody that he doesn't like. Rob is ready to hit him then, but Carla steps in and tells everyone to leave the shop with the exception of Rob, and they will sort it out.

Lloyd arrives at the Corner Shop, and asks Jenna how she got on at the job centre. There was nothing on offer there as usual. He tells her he thinks he understands now how wars start, she asks if he is talking about Paul, and he is, but tells her things are not much better between himself and her mother either. Jenna commiserates, saying she too had a run in with her earlier, but there is nothing new about that. Talk of the devil, Lloyd gets a text from Mandy to summon him to a meeting later in the pub for a talk. Jenna offers to go with him, thinking her presence might lessen the tension between them a bit.

Back in the bookies Peter is telling Rob he can have his original stake back, but that's all. Needless to say, Rob is not about to accept that. He points out that his betting slip is Peter's legal obligation to pay out if it wins, and he wants £35,000. He tells him he understands he doesn't have that kind of money on the premises, but he expects him to go to the bank and get every penny of it.

Peter digs his heels in, saying he is not going to pay him a penny over his original stake money, but Carla tells him he can have what cash they have, and empties the till and the safe, ignoring Peter's protests. While she is in the office getting the money from the safe, Peter tells Rob he is lucky Carla's there, he retorts that Peter is lucky he hasn't already called the law in to deal with it.

Taking the £1,800, Rob tells them it's a start, but Carla tells him that is all he is getting, so be satisfied. He is definitely not satisfied though, he wants the other £33,500 and tells them they haven't heard the last of it.

Roy is fretting about the whereabouts of Hayley, quizzing his mother about this shopping trip she had said she was on. Sylvia tells him it's nothing to worry about, she made a last minute decision to go shopping, which is why she hadn't mentioned it to him. Roy has trouble grasping this though, never having gone on a retail therapy spree himself, he just can't relate. Brian, who is waiting to be served joins in on the conversation, except it has now turned to the differences between men and women. Sylvia expresses that women are far better at shopping than men, case in point, she asks who bought the jacket Brian is currently wearing. He proudly tells her he picked it out himself. "Thought so", says Sylvia. :-) (How to crush a man with two little words!)

Back in the hospital, Hayley is trying once again to get some information out of the sonographer, asking her if she saw anything while she was looking around. She ducks out of it by telling her they can't always tell much from the scans. Hayley logically asks what then is the point of them, and is told they are helpful, but she might need further investigation. Panicking now, Hayley asks her if she is saying there is something wrong, and the woman patiently tells her she is not saying that, but she might need a CT scan which will show things in more detail. Hayley begs her to tell her if she can tell there is something wrong, but is told firmly that her doctor will get the results immediately, and will be in touch with her.

Steve and Dennis are filling Michelle in on the fiasco in the bookies back at the Rovers. She is concerned, as she thinks Peter probably doesn't have the money to pay out. It then occurs to her that if Steve knows all about it, he must have been in there himself, and is not best pleased! Steve assures her he didn't bet a penny, and Dennis confirms this, saying it was Rob flashing all the cash in there today. Tracy overhears this last bit, and wants to know all about it. Dennis tells her Rob had bet £600 in there. Her face turns to thunder, and she storms out of the pub, with Dennis calling after her "But he won though!!". Turning back to Steve and Michelle, remarks he would hate to see her when he loses.

Tracy doesn't have far to go before she collars Rob and demands to know if it is true that he bet 600 quid in the Bookies. He tells her he did, and won £35,000, which Peter is refusing to pay out. She immediately thinks he has lost the 600 quid, but he assures her he was given eighteen hundred, so they are thirteen hundred up. She is still furious with him, and drags him off home to talk about it.

Audrey is now in the Rovers, and is approached by Maria and Marcus who both apologise for upsetting her earlier by mentioning all the repairs that need doing in the flat. Audrey tells them no apologies are necessary, in fact asks them to give her a list of things that need doing and she will do her best to get some of them done, as she realises you have to spend money on property to keep the value up.

We are now in No. 1, and Tracy is tackling Rob about gambling the money for their business. He can't see anything wrong with it, because he won. She screams at him that even if he takes him to court, if Peter doesn't have the money, he still won't get it. She is still furious with him that he gambled with her money, and Deirdre comes in the front door just in time to overhear Rob defending himself by saying it wasn't exactly her money, it was Amy's piggy bank money that she had raided. Deirdre's mouth drops open, and she bursts into the kitchen demanding to know if she heard right - that Tracy had taken money from Amy's bank account, and put it on a horse. Tracy mutters "It wasn't like that". Shaking with rage, Deirdre replies "Oh really? Then what exactly was it like?"

Steve and Michelle bump into a very dejected Peter. Steve asks him how he is and is told as well as he can be for a bankrupt man. Michelle is none too sympathetic, telling him he should have thought of that before he gambled with Carla's money. Steve hushes her up, saying he doesn't need to hear that right now, but Peter agrees with Michelle, saying he knows he should never have accepted Rob's bet, he just wanted to beat him at all costs, and it didn't pay off.

Tracy is still protesting that she didn't steal Amy's money, rather she borrowed it to invest in her future. Deirdre's not buying it though, and wants to know what business Tracy is talking about. She tells her she will soon see. Deirdre is still beside herself with anger, looking at the bank book she sees it has been completely cleaned out. Tracy protests she has only done the same thing Peter did with Simon's money, invested it in the bookies. (Which is true - so much for that poor kid's future!). Regardless, Deirdre sticks up for Peter, saying at least he knew what he was doing in that business, unlike her. Rob is still trying to get it across to everyone that he won the bet, so everything is OK, but it's not OK with Deirdre, she is crying tears of anger now, saying she and Ken had scrimped and saved to put that money aside for Amy's future. Tracy assures her it still will be, and she will increase it big time. Rob is saved by the bell, it's Carla calling him, saying she wants to talk to him about the money, so he beats a hasty retreat.

Hayley gets off the bus and is about to head into Roy's Rolls when she gets a phone call from her doctor's office, her GP wants to see her right now, which really surprises her, as she has only just left the hospital after having the ultrasound, and didn't expect to hear the results for a while. She tells the receptionist she will be right over.

Rob arrives to talk to Carla, and she immediately lays into him for laying the bet in the first place. She points out he has worked there, and knew full well Peter wouldn't be able to pay out on a bet like that. She berates him for playing stupid games with Peter. Rob is not backing down however, and tells her the bet was legal, and he is owed money that he expects to be paid. Carla gives him two choices, either they pay him what they can lay their hands on, and Peter goes bankrupt and out of business, or he gives them time to pay and will be paid in full eventually. Rob is not liking the latter idea, as he doesn't trust them to come up with the money, even though Carla gives him her word. She points out if he takes them to court, the cost of it will wipe out his winnings before they even get there. Thinking for a minute, Rob tells her he might wait for his money on the condition she begs him to. She is horrified at the thought of having to do that, but he insists, saying she has treated him like dirt lately, and it's the only way she might get what she wants this time. Carla swallows hard, and begs him to give them time to pay back the money he is owed. Smirking, he tells her that was sweet to hear, and he will think about it.

Next we swing over to the Rovers and are greeted by a great shot of Extra Jonny Grimshaw (wonder if he is related to Eileen?) bending his elbow just inside the door. Through the door comes Lloyd and Jenna to meet up with Mandy, she tells them to take a seat and will join them in a minute. Audrey is sitting in a booth with Marcus and Maria, and they have a list of improvements needed for their flat. She is shocked at how many things are on the list, but Marcus tells her he decided to put everything down, so she could prioritise and get them done in the order of importance. Folding it up, she puts it in her bag, saying she will study it over the weekend. After she leaves, Maria has a go at Marcus for upsetting Audrey by giving her such a long list. She is concerned that Audrey will take it out on her in the salon.

Lloyd is nervous, wondering why Mandy wants to talk to him. His nerves are not helped by Eileen and Paul coming in just at that moment either. Jenna tells him to just ignore him. Eileen suggests to Paul they sit over there, indicating towards Lloyd. Paul shakes his head, saying he's not sitting near him. Eileen points out she actually means him to sit 'with' Lloyd, and Mandy agrees, helping Eileen to usher him towards the booth. Lloyd is of the same mind as Paul, he wants them sitting there just about as much as Paul does. Eileen is adamant though, saying they either let this go on and ruin everyone's lives, or they all sit down now and sort it. Mandy again agrees with Eileen, and with such a united front, the two men don't really stand a chance.

Carla is telling Peter about her encounter with Rob, saying he is thinking about allowing them time to pay. Peter is not very grateful, which makes Carla very angry, especially as she had to swallow her pride and beg her brother. She rants at him at how his stupidity got them into this trouble in the first place, and feeling sorry for himself is not going to get them out of this mess. He agrees, and tells her he knows what will help the situation, he is going to sell the bookies.

The conversation is not exactly flowing in the Paul/Lloyd booth. Nobody feels they have anything else to say on the subject. Eileen tries to get the conversation rolling, but puts her foot in it by asking Jenna if she doesn't have to deal with 'this sort of thing' all the time? Jenna asks her if she means she has to constantly deal with racist remarks, but Eileen tells her no, she meant with her being gay and all. Lloyd jumps on Eileen, asking if she is calling his daughter a double weirdo. Eileen protests, saying she was just asking if Jenna had to put up with remarks about her sexuality. Things go from bad to worse, at least Paul is keeping his mouth shut on this one, he is just sitting there rolling his eyes.

Finally Eileen turns to Paul and insists he apologise to Lloyd, saying this thing was never going to end unless he does. Paul says to Lloyd "I'm sorry Lloyd OK? For the way everything's turned out". Lloyd was obviously expecting an apology for the racist remark, which he didn't get, but Mandy insists he accept Paul's apology, saying it was the best he was going to get. Taking a deep breath, Lloyd accepts Paul's apology to Eileen's relief, and Mandy insists they shake hands. Eileen happily suggests they all have another drink, but Paul and Lloyd are still eyeing each other warily.

Hayley is at her GP's office now (the doctor looks more suitably dressed to get married than to minister to patients. She is wearing a semi see-through white lacy top that would definitely suit a blushing bride). Anyway, she sits Hayley down and tells her the ultrasound showed a blockage in her bile duct, and she would need a different kind of scan to show exactly what is going on. Hayley is a bit confused, as she didn't know until now that she had a bile duct. The doctor explains that her liver produces bile which runs along the bile duct, and this blockage is preventing it from getting through. Hayley asks if it is serious, and is told it depends upon what the blockage turns out to be.

She goes on to say she has fitted her into a cancellation spot to have a CT scan on Monday, which surprises Hayley that it is happening so quickly. The doctor just tells her the sooner they find out what it is the better. Hayley asks if it could be something serious, and is told it could be something like gall stones, but the scan would tell them. Hayley is not stupid though, she knows if the NHS are acting this quickly they suspect something more serious than a gall stone, and she insists on being told what it is they are suspecting.

Peter and Carla are discussing Peter's decision. She hates to see him throw in the towel after twelve years, and asks if it would help if she put more money into the business. He tells her he is not going to gamble with any more of her money, and it is now time to cut his losses and run. He is just praying that Rob doesn't sue, because if he does, he will really be in trouble.

Hayley has arrived home, and Roy is delighted to see her. He asks what she bought on her shopping trip, and she tells him she didn't buy anything in the end. He presses her to know what she was looking for, but she is very vague about it, saying it was nothing in particular. Sylvia jumps to Hayley's defense, telling him women don't have to have a reason to go shopping, they like to browse around, stop for a coffee and watch the world go buy. That concept is beyond Roy's comprehension, why would anyone want to buy a coffee out when they can have one for free here.

Still puzzling about the complexities of women, Roy heads downstairs to finish up. Sylvia immediately wants to know how Hayley got on. Hesitatingly, she tells her about having to go for another type of scan on Monday, because they suspect she has cancer. Sylvia wants to know what kind of cancer, and Hayley explains they don't know for sure yet, but she thinks it has something to do with her digestive system.

Sylvia tells her she must tell Roy, but fighting back her tears Hayley tells her she can't yet, not until she knows for certain, because it may be nothing. Sylvia wants to know if it does turn out to be cancer, how serious it would be, and is told it will depend on how early they have caught it, and how far it has spread. Hayley looks at Sylvia with tears in her eyes, and whispers "I'm scared Sylvia". Poor Hayley breaks down in tears as Sylvia hugs her and holds her tight - leaving this updater a total blubbering mess! Oh Hayley - if you have to die, please don't do it in the second episode on a Friday, I will never be able to write it - I really won't!

Christine

Written by Ellen Taylor Directed by Durno Johnston

Roy has had three nights' good sleep. He's made breakfast for Hayley and Sylvia who are whispering in the corner. Sylvia chides Hayley for not telling Roy about the tests but she won't until she knows what she's dealing with. The less worry for Roy, the better. Sylvia doesn't think Hayley should go on her own but Hayley's fine. It's just a scan!

Maria has an armful of flowers and a balloon for Audrey's birthday. Audrey is pleased. Anna and Owen happen by. Audrey asks Owen to look at a damp patch in her living room. She's worried it could be more than a small job.

Carla and Peter are walking towards the factory. Peter is going to see an estate agent today. He refuses to take any more money from Carla. He may even be able to pay her back if Rob doesn't sue him first.

Nick arrives at the Bistro. He and Leanne have been away and are all loved up. Kylie moans about wanting a foot massage. Leanne hands over spa vouchers for both Kylie and David for holding down the fort over the weekend. David pretends it's happy that Nick and Leanne are on good footing again but when the women go out of the room, David questions Nick. Are things really ok? Nick explains that the stress just got on top of him. David points out a man can only take so much stress. David heads out to work, with a scowl behind Nick's back, and takes the phone in hand after Nick leaves.

Tracy comes down for breakfast. Deirdre starts right in on her for taking Amy's money. Tracy insists it's an investment. Tracy is confident she can double the money but Deirdre reckons Rob is not the ideal business partner. Tracy wonders why her mother is down on her all the time, even given the fact how many times and ways Peter has screwed up. Deirdre reminds her that Peter hasn't stolen from Simon. Deirdre doesn't think Rob will want to move in with Tracy and Amy and will drop her when he gets bored. Tracy is put off that Deirdre has no confidence in her.

Fiz is taking the cake orders. Hayley declines as she's counting Beth's completed knickers. She's frantic because she's 10 short and the order has to be out by 2 p.m. Beth asks Fiz to recount for her. Beth has taken umbrage and thinks Hayley's bullying her. Carla runs in, having heard Beth's caterwauling. Hayley mentions she needs some time off and Fiz says she's recounted and it's all there. Carla asks Hayley into the office where Hayley apologizes. Carla's kind and asks if anything is wrong. Hayley says not but then asks for the afternoon off and tells her why. She's got to have a CT scan. Carla is shocked and can tell Hayley's worried. Hayley hasn't told Roy, she says. Carla offers to take her to the hospital but Hayley says she'll get the bus.

Roy is on the phone, Fiz is helping herself to cakes to fill the order because Sylvia is nowhere to be seen. Roy is trying to book tickets to a Latin dance show for Hayley as a treat. Roy notes that he's next in line. Fiz leaves with the cakes while Tracy moans about no service. Roy tries to get his mother to come downstairs but there's no answer so he has to hang up before getting his tickets to serve them. Meanwhile, Tracy has been moaning about her mother but then tries to talk Rob out of suing Peter. He won't get any money if Peter declares bankruptcy. Tracy has an idea. They have Peter and Carla over a barrel. They have premises. Rob and Tracy need premises...

Hayley's waiting for the bus. Carla drives around the corner and insists Hayley get in. She jokes that Hayley can't tell anyone because she's meant to be a bitch and this would ruin her reputation!

Now we're in a busy salon. David has forgotten Audrey's birthday and is trying to make up for it. He runs out to buy biscuits. Deirdre is in the chair moaning about Tracy. Audrey thinks all of David's "moments" are behind him. Audrey asks Deirdre to the Rovers for birthday drinks, they need to bury the hatchet (over Lewis, remember?) Owen arrives and has bad news. The damp is right through the living room to the kitchen. It's not going to be cheap. He's going to do an estimate. Happy Birthday.

The Bistro is busy. A man in a suit arrives looking for the owner. He's from Trading Standards. They've had a complaint that the alcohol is being watered down. He has to take samples of the spirits. Nick sighs. Is he jinxed?

Tim pops into the cafe and asks if he can take Faye to the cinema on Saturday. He wants to spend time with her before he goes. In spite of Anna being quite happy he's leaving, she still churlishly makes excuses and says Faye has a sleepover, knowing full well Faye would jump at the chance to be with her dad. And oh look, there's Fiz, Beth and Sally who seems to be slotted in here a lot lately. You can see where that's going, can't you? In the face of all that attention, Anna backs down and invites Tim for his tea. Beth can see that Sally fancies Tim and she and Fiz snicker about Sally putting on airs. Sally asks Tim if Jason has mentioned about coming to look at the work she needs doing. Tim offers to go see to it himself. Beth mentions to Roy and Sylvia that Hayley was picking on her. Roy defends her stoutly.

In the hospital corridor, Carla is reading a women's magazine out to Hayley to distract her. Then she asks Hayley what her and Roy's secret is. Hayley says she and Roy don't really have much in common. Hayley is summoned for the scan and insists that Carla not wait for her.

Nick is embarrassed that the inspector is pouring samples in front of the customers. Leanne grills Kylie whether she's left the bar unattended. David saunters in to the scene of his crime and pretends shock that there's been an accusation. Nick is sure the tests will prove his innocence and David says Nick is the most honest man he knows.

Rob and Tracy see Carla arrive back at the factory. There's more bickering when Carla asks if Rob is going to sue. Rob says they have a proposition but they aren't saying what it is until Peter gets there too. Carla ushers them all down the road to the betting shop.

Sally shows Tim the wonky shelf, making small talk about Faye. Tim finds that the shelf was anchored with the wrong size wall plugs. Sally blames Kevin and mentions that she used to run a hardware shop. She makes a point to say she's single, she and Kevin haven't been together for a couple of years. Tim says he has an ex too, a recent breakup that didn't work out. Right. Both single. Sally says she's got to get back to work and Tim offers to fix the shelf, the leak in the conservatory and a few other jobs Sally needs doing. They laugh together.

Peter isn't happy to see the dastardly duo arrive but is curious when Carla comes in behind them. Here's the deal. Rob isn't going to sue if Peter lets them have the shop for 6 months rent free, after which they will pay rent. Peter and Carla aren't inclined to let them have it even though they don't say what kind of business they'll be opening. Fine, then, Rob spits, he's suing. Peter backs down and says he'll do some sums and get back to them. Peter looks completely defeated.

Hayley has been brought into the consultant's office. He outlines that there's a blockage in the bile duct but the news isn't good. The blockage is caused from a tumour and she's got pancreatic cancer.

Oh heck!

Tvor

Written by Ellen Taylor and directed by Durno Johnston

The scene opens with Hayley's consultant explaining to her what will happen next. She has to have a minor procedure followed by the main operation - a "Whipple's Procedure"- in three to four weeks. Hayley jokes that it sounds like an ice cream but she's well aware it's no laughing matter especially when she's told they may not be able to remove the tumour, depending on where it's located. She asks the doctor to be honest with her - what are her chances of recovery? She's given the sobering news that, even with the operation and chemotherapy, only one in five patients are alive and well five years later.

In the Rovers, Carla and Peter are discussing more prosaic matters. It goes against the grain but Peter accepts he doesn't have much choice other than to allow Rob to take over the shop as payment for the bet.

Back at the hospital Hayley is still trying to take in the news. She doesn't feel ill so asks whether they could have made a mistake? The problem is her type of cancer can be symptom-free for a long time. The nurse reassures her she's in the best possible hands. They suggest she should tell her husband so he can give Hayley the support she needs but of course they haven't met Roy …

At the cafe Roy is in a cheerful mood, blissfully unaware that his world is about to fall apart while we see Hayley standing outside Weatherfield General with a look of total shock on her face.

In the Rovers Peter's giving the good news to Rob. He tells him he can have the shop rent-free for the first six months. Rob wants him out by the end of the week so Carla tells him if he wants a shop that badly she can lend him the capital. But he doesn't want her help, just like he didn't want it all those years ago when Carla stepped in and beat up Danny Harris in front of all Rob's mates because he'd stolen his bike. Peter's so upset by the whole situation that he goes off to one of his meetings while Carla heads back to the factory. On the way she meets Hayley who's back from the hospital. Carla asks how she got on but Hayley doesn't want to talk about it and insists on returning to work.

In the Bistro the inspector has finished checking the drinks. He tells Nick that if the results show they've been watered down he could be looking at a hefty fine or even a prison sentence. Leanne says that any one of the bar staff could be guilty but she shoots an accusing look at Kylie and observes she has been known to enjoy a drink. Kylie is outraged, pointing out she's seven months pregnant..

Over at the factory there's the usual banter going on between Beth and the girls. They discuss the calorific content of wine and Beth claims she's really quite healthy, what with the fact that she gets plenty of exercise courtesy of Kirky and she doesn't smoke. "You just look like you do," says Sally. While all this is going on they don't notice Hayley studiously working away and desperately trying to cope with the turmoil of thoughts that must be going on inside her head.

Audrey is trying to celebrate her birthday in the Rovers but what with her damp patch and the list of repairs needed on the flat she's not feeling overly cheerful. Things don't improve when Deirdre arrives with a gift - the latest creation from her pottery class. Apparently it's a vase for Audrey to put on display in the salon.

Deirdre goes over to the bar to buy a round of drinks and encounters Tracy and Rob. She's horrified when she learns about their new business venture. "A pawnbroker's!" she exclaims at which point everyone joins in the debate about whether it's more or less immoral than a betting shop. Rob claims that they help people out of their debt whereas a bookies drags them into it. "Well, I think it's disgusting," says Deirdre. Tracy predicts they might all be on their high horse now but when they can't afford to pay their rent they'll come running.

We return to the factory where Beth is pointedly counting out her pile of work behind Hayley saying she doesn't want to be accused of slacking. "Are you listening?" she asks when Hayley doesn't appear to react. Suddenly, Hayley comes to and bursts into tears, to Beth's total horror - she didn't mean to upset her. Seeing what's going on from her office, Carla calls Hayley in and closes the door. Hayley finally breaks down and tells Carla that they've found a tumour.

In Carla's office she and Hayley are having a heart to heart. Carla says she must go home and tell Roy but Hayley is terrified of how he'll cope. She thinks he needs her to look after him so Carla tells her now she needs him. Carla is gentle and understanding as she tells Hayley she can only carry Roy so far.

Sally goes home to find Tim screwing the handles back on the kitchen cupboards. He's done all her odd jobs and more besides. They start to talk about Faye. Sally asks why he's not going to stay and be a proper part of her life. Tim replies it's too late. "I think it's a shame," says Sally. But is it Faye she's thinking about?

Nick's feeling depressed with all that's happened. Kylie's sure the drinks haven't been watered down; she reckons someone with a grudge phoned trading standards. But who? Maybe an ex girlfriend, wonders Leanne, adding there are plenty to choose from.

Audrey's birthday gathering in the Rovers is going from bad to worse. Nick texts to say he can't make it and with no offer forthcoming from Gail, Audrey has to buy the next round of drinks. When Beth tacks her pint onto the order it's the last straw and Audrey decides to leave.

Meanwhile, Rob and Tracy are celebrating with a bottle of bubbly and take great delight in rubbing Peter's nose in the plans for their new business.

Hayley arrives back at the cafe ready to talk to Roy but he's full of excitement with his own news: he's obtained two tickets for Midnight Tango next month. As Sylvia catches sight of Hayley's face she instructs Roy to let her speak. With tears in her eyes, Hayley tells Roy that she has pancreatic cancer.

At Anna's she is testing Faye on her biology homework when they're interrupted by the arrival of Tim. Faye gets sent upstairs to tidy her room while Tim speaks to. Anna. He says he has to speak to Faye about the fact that he's leaving and he's going to do it tomorrow. "Just don't let her think it's her fault" says Anna.

Back at the cafe Hayley is telling Roy and Sylvia that, with the op and the chemo, the consultant says there's a very good chance of recovery. But what is upsetting Roy the most is that Hayley lied to him before when she told him the results of her blood tests were normal. He says he should have known there was something wrong and he should have been there for her today instead of her going through it all on her own. Roy's sorry, Hayley's sorry but Sylvia says it doesn't matter who is sorry. The fact is, she tells Roy, Hayley has a big challenge ahead of her and they're both going to be with her all the way.

"What happens next?" asks Roy. As Hayley explains, Sylvia leaves the two of them alone together. Hayley and Roy look at each other without speaking and then Roy gently reaches out and clasps Hayley's hand in his.

Karen

It's 5 am, and Hayley and Sylvia find Roy in the flat furiously scrubbing a table - in his sleep. Hayley gently leads him back to bed.

Paul is getting ready to go to the formal meeting with his boss regarding the trouble he's in over the kids who made the hoax calls. He's really tense and on edge, and is worried that he'll use the wrong word, say the wrong thing. Eileen tells him that this is totally different, he's done nothing wrong. He takes this as a veiled reference to what happened with Lloyd, where he apparently did do something wrong, and snaps at her about it. She sighs and tells him to start 'playing the grown up', and goes out to the kitchen.

Back at Roy and Hayley's, he's looking up Hayley's illness on the computer, finding out all he can about it, personal stories, what treatments are available, everything he can. Hayley doesn't seem that impressed, and Sylvia urges him to let the poor girl have her breakfast.

Carla and Peter are wandering down the Street, she asks him what his long term plans are. He doesn't seem to have any - daytime tv perhaps? She tells him he can come and work at the factory, but he dismisses the idea, he's not a charity case.

Paul is just taking leave of Eileen at the front door when Sophie and Jenna walk past. "There's our local racist," comments Sophie, loudly, and so, of course, a slanging match breaks out, with David coming along and joining in too. Jenna eventually drags Sophie off, and a somewhat dejected Paul goes off to his meeting.

Roy has made Hayley some green tea, she says she hates it. He tells her so does cancer, it's full of anti oxidents which will do her the power of good. Eventually, to please him, she takes a gulp, then gets up and puts her cardigan on. He's horrified to learn that she's going to work, they should be planning her questions for the consultant. She takes another swig of the green tea, says it's disgusting, and kisses him before heading off out of the door.

Jason is round at Rob and Tracy's new shop, (and Peter's old one) measuring up for the alterations they want to make.

Carla comes into Underworld and is also horrified to find Hayley there. Hayley tells her she needs to be busy, she wants to lose herself in undies.

At the Bistro, Nick and Leanne are discussing the watering-down of the spirits. Leanne reckons it was Kylie, but Nick tells her that Kylie is not that malicious, and besides, being 7 months pregnant she would have better things to think about. Leanne then suggests they look to the suppliers, maybe someone their end has been literally syphoning off the profits.

Carla goes to see Deirdre, moaning about Peter's sour face and martyred look. Deirdre points out that Peter is a Barlow, the apple didn't fall far from the tree. She tell her though, that she knows that Carla is the love of his life, but losing the bookies has knocked his confidence. Carla says that she wants Peter to come and work at the factory, but so far he's refusing. Deirdre reminds her that Peter has been his own boss, he wouldn't be happy being Carla's errand boy. Carla thinks for a minute, then seems to get an idea, and, telling Deirdre they should bottle her, she jumps up, saying she knows just what she's going to do, and rushes off.

Roy is peering at his laptop in the cafe, and snaps it shut when Anna comes up and asks what he's looking at. She goes off to moan to Sylvia, saying that she wanted to ask if she could go early as Tim is coming to tell Faye that he's leaving. Sylvia has no patience with her, and tells her to do them all a favour and go! Roy gets up then, and with laptop in bag, heads for the door, telling Sylvia he's off to the library, he can't hear himself think.

Peter is in the shop, bartering for some of the fixtures and fittings. He turns down Rob's paltry offer of £55, saying he'd rather throw it all in a skip.

Hayley goes back to the cafe asking where Roy is, as she has to go to the hospital for her 'procedure'. Sylvia tells her he went to the library, and offers to go with her. But Hayley can't be late and there are customers in the cafe, so she rushes off on her own.

Round at Anna's, Tim tells Faye he's moving away in two weeks time. He says he has to go where the work is, but leaving her is the hardest thing he's ever to do. She's devastated and tells him not to go. When he says he has to, she replies that Owen told her Tim was all talk. He tells her he thinks she's amazing, clever, funny and good at maths and netball. She's beautiful. Anna sits with them with a face like sour milk, although you'd think she'd be pleased as she certainly doesn't want Tim to stay around. Hugging Faye, she tells Tim to leave.

In the Bistro, Nick has been speaking on the phone to the suppliers who have told him it's absolutely impossible for the spirits to have been tampered with at their end.

Peter and Carla have met up there and are sitting at a table. Kylie tells David that Carla ordered champagne to be put on ice, and she's just waiting for the nod to bring it out.

Eileen and Paul are in the pub, he tells her that there was no result from his meeting, they are waiting for all the witness statements to come in. Just then Sally comes in with Sophie behind her, and spotting them, comes over and has a go at Paul for shouting at a teenage girl (Sophie) in the Street. Eileen retorts that Sophie gave as good as she got, and Paul tries to say that she was making false accusations. The next minute the two women are shouting at each other and it looks as if they will come to blows but Tim comes up behind Sally and pulls her back, and Paul pulls Eileen away.

Back in the Bistro, Carla pushes a key across the table towards Peter. She asks him to come and be her co-pilot in the factory, and also marry her. He looks stunned.

Tim and Sally are sitting down now, and he says he's seen a different side to her now, but he means it as a compliment, his money would have been on her! She asks how it went with Faye and he tells her it was heartbreaking. Sally thinks that Anna is being very unkind, Tim is a loving dad who just wants to make up for lost time with his daughter. Tim says now Faye hates him for deserting her. "That's easily remedied," says Sally, "stick around." She goes on to say that he shouldn't break his daughter's heart for the sake of keeping the peace between him and two total strangers.

Hayley has arrived at the hospital and Roy comes rushing up behind her.

Peter is still trying to get his head around what Carla is suggesting. She tells him she wants them to be partners in everything, business and pleasure. "Marry me, work with me," she says. "With you - not for you?" he says. She tells him it will be a 50/50 deal - well actually 49% for him, 51% for her, but that's splitting hairs. They lean in together, talking it over.

David is over at the bar, watching. He wonders aloud what is going on. Leanne says it looks like the alkies are getting spliced. "At least they'll be out of our hair," says Nick, and Leanne kisses him. David turns and watches Peter and Carla kiss each other, and does not look a happy bunny.

Dressed in a hospital gown, Hayley and Roy sit in the waiting room, waiting for her to be called. He starts to talk about what he's discovered at the library. She's nervous and tearful and asks him to hold her and stop talking. He puts his hands awkwardly on her shoulders. A nurse appears and says they are ready for her now. She and Roy walk through the door together.

Anne Logan

Roy and Hayley are back, with Roy annoying Hayley by fussing around her. They tell Sylvia the procedure went well and Hayley will see a nurse in a couple of weeks. Hayley wants to carry on as normal, against Roy's advice. But she tells him she doesn't want the only conversation around her to be about cancer. She doesn't want to be the car-crash by the side of the motorway with everyone slowing down to look. "I don't want anyone knowing."

Deirdre's having a philosophical discussion with Tracy. I can't help thinking that these are discussions Ken would have had with his step-daughter, rather than Deirdre. Deirdre tells Tracy that whatever way you look at it, Tracy and Rob will be profiting from other people's misery. Tracy insists they'll be providing a service. They're interrupted by the arrival of Peter and Carla. When the new shop is mentioned, Carla calls it a pawnbroker's. Tracy insists they'll be giving a hand up to people who need that helping hand. The happy couple announce their engagement. Deirdre's thrilled. Tracy sneers. "When it all goes pear-shaped, come to me and Rob with your engagement ring," she tells Carla.

Roy's very distracted, serving up bacon barms without the bacon. He can't concentrate and tells Sylvia he has to speak to Hayley's consultant. Sylvia tells him the consultant is a very busy man but Roy insists on going. "Hayley won't thank you for it," Sylvia warns. "I don't need my wife's gratitude," Roy snaps. "I need her to be well!"

Jenna and Sophie are in the cafe. Jenna tells Sophie the argument with Lloyd isn't her argument but Sophie defends herself by saying anything that affect Jenna is her business. And not only has Paul upset Jenna but now he's upset Sophie and Sally as well. Lloyd comes in just in time to hear this and is immediately furious with Paul. Sophie says Paul had a go at her in the street and even though Jenna tries to tell him Paul was provoked, Lloyd's not listening. Mandy has to physically hold him back to stop him going on a Paul hunt.

Hayley comes downstairs. She plans to go and sit on the Red Rec and enjoy the sun. Sylvia tells her Roy's just popped out but doesn't tell her where he's gone.

Eileen's battering dust and dirt into submission. She tells Paul it's therapeutic. Paul apologises for the effect the arguing is having on her but Eileen's still furious. She's having to put up with Lloyd at work and Paul at home and things have gone too far for them to just sit round a table and sort it out.

Roy's at the hospital demanding to see the consultant. When the receptionist finds out he doesn't have an appointment she refuses. But Roy's making such a commotion the consultant comes out to see what's going on. Despite the receptionist's protests he says he can give Roy five minutes after he's finished seeing a patient, as long as Roy stops making a disturbance.

In the factory, Beth's worried about Craig being right mardy lately. Fiz thinks it'll be a phase. Kirk claims he never went through such a phase and hasn't changed at all since he was a boy. Michelle says Ryan went through a phase like this and the phase hasn't stopped yet. Carla and Peter come in late and everyone discovers they're engaged and Peter's going to be working there now. This is a big disappointment to Kirky who thought Carla said Beyonce was going to work there. "Fiance!" Fiz tells him. Carla seems disappointed that her engagement news is greeted with awkward silence rather than unbounded joy.

Roy has unloaded all of his print-outs from t'interweb and is trying to baffle the consultant with science. The consultant would prefer to use treatments where there's actual evidence that they work, rather than treatments recommended by internet misinformation. The consultant says he understands how worried Roy must be but it's impossible for him to discuss a patient's treatment without the patient there and consenting to it. A very grumpy Roy shoves his papers back into his bag.

Audrey is in the salon, giving Rita a hair-didn't. Apparently Owen's pulled off some of the wallpaper and the damp patch now takes up half of Weatherfield. Owen's already started work, pulling out the affected plaster. She's beside herself with worry. When Audrey's out of earshot, Rita tells Maria and David that Audrey needs something to take her mind off the house. She didn't have a proper birthday party so Rita's going to organise one in the bistro tonight.

Roy's back and even more upset than when he left. Sylvia tries to tell him the consultant's hands are tied. Hayley arrives back full of the joys of sitting on the Red Rec eating her fruit and nut. Roy's appalled. She should be resting and eating a good nutritious diet, not gadding about on the Red Rec with chocolate. "How could you let her out?" he shouts at Sylvia. Hayley points out she's not a Jack Russell. Rita comes in to tell them about the party for Audrey. Roy starts to answer: "I'm afraid . . ." but Hayley chips in over the top of him. "Wouldn't miss it for the world." This upsets Roy but when Rita's gone Hayley tells him it's her life and she's going to live it.

Michelle objects to Peter working at the factory but Carla says she's signed over 49 per cent of the business to him. Michelle's appalled. His ow

n business failed because he was reckless. Carla says it won't affect Michelle's job and there's room for three people in the office. Anyway, Peter's going to start at the bottom and learn the business inside out, beginning with the packing department.

In the pub, Tracy tells Deirdre she's convinced Peter and Carla won't last five minutes. Deirdre wonders why she's being so negative. They bicker and Deirdre says again that Tracy's new business is exploitative. Tracy snaps that that's a lot of syllables for Deirdre. Why doesn't she stop listening to Ken and splash out on a few opinions of her own? She stomps off to the loo, leaving Deirdre at the bar.

Eileen's at the bar chatting to Tina and Tommy. She says her boss and her boyfriend are fighting over the position of village idiot. "I didn't know Kirk had retired," says Tommy. They're interrupted when Gary and Izzy come in and Tina goes to serve them.

Kirk's giving the benefit of his wisdom to Peter. He recommends that Peter get his own pair of scissors if he's going to be a success in packing. It's the end of the day and Kirk and Beth are off to Audrey's do. Carla and Peter are off into town to buy an engagement ring.

Roy refuses to go to the party. He tells Hayley there's evidence of a link between alcohol and tumour growth. Hayley blithely says she won't drink alcohol, then. "One of us has to treat this situation with the seriousness it deserves," Roy says. Hayley tells Sylvia it's just Roy's way that he wants to fix things.

"Surprise!" Audrey arrives at her party and Nick hands her a glass of champagne.

In the pub, Gary and Izzy talk about Jake coming home next week. Gary says they have to let Tina know because it's going to be difficult for her seeing him around the place.

Sylvia and Hayley arrive at the party. Hayley accepts a glass of champagne. Audrey mentions her damp problem and Rita teases Norris with the idea that it could be his place next. He's confident in the solidity of a good terraced house, though. At least, he is until Emily mentions the Hewitts' old house, No 7, falling down and Rita explains that Len rebuilt it. Norris is slightly panicked at this and wonders if he should get a survey done (that's a building inspection to the Antipodeans among you). "Caveat emptor," says Sylvia. But then she tells Norris that of course he didn't buy, he just took responsibility for. "I think Emily saw you coming." Emily seems to smile into her champagne.

Paul meets Jenna in the street and wants to apologise for upsetting Sophie. They agree they'd like things to get back to normal but then he goes too far by asking her to have a word with Lloyd. "Talk to him yourself!" she snaps and turns to walk away. Paul puts his hand on her arm and this is what Lloyd sees from the other end of the street. He tells Paul that if he threatens Jenna again he'll wipe the floor with him.

Norris is still fretting about the house when Roy comes into the bistro. He sees Hayley holding a glass of champagne and loses control. "You promised me you wouldn't drink!" Hayley tells him he's making a scene but Roy doesn't care. "I won't stand by and watch you kill yourself!" This gets everyone's attention and Fiz asks Roy what's wrong. "Everything's fine," says Hayley, clearly wound as tight as a watch-spring. "No it's not!" Roy shouts. "It's time you faced up to that. You can't carry on like nothing's wrong. You're gravely ill and could die." He's betrayed Hayley and she glares at him.

The end of the first episode.
Margaret Carr

Written by: Chris Fewtrell
Directed by: Durno Johnston

Hayley is looking at Roy with disbelief at his utter betrayal. Fiz of course immediately wants to know what he meant, she of course wants to know out of concern for Hayley, whereas Beth, who also wants to know, wants to purely for the gossip fodder.

Not having any choice at this point, Hayley tells them she has pancreatic cancer, and while Fiz gasps and gazes at her in utter horror, Beth rabbits on about stars who have died of it, like Patrick Swayze. Hayley looks despairingly at Roy, how could he do this to her? Sylvia shuts Beth up, as only Sylvia can, and Fiz hugs Hayley, telling her if there is anything she can do for her, to please ask. Hayley tells her not to worry, they have made the diagnosis, and that is half the battle, and tells her to please go back to enjoying herself.

Off to one side, she turns to Roy and asks him how he could do it to her. His defence is that she wasn't listening to him, so had to say something, and besides it was only to Fiz and Beth. Hayley agrees, saying that's alright then with Beth being the soul of discretion that she is. (NOT!) She quietly takes her glass of wine back from Roy, and drains it right in front of him.

Lloyd and Paul are still arguing in the street. Paul is denying he was threatening Jenna, but Lloyd insists he saw him with his own eyes. The fight escalates, and just as it looks as if it might end in fisticuffs, Eileen comes out of the house and drags Paul inside. Afterwards, Lloyd asks Jenna if she is OK, she is, but Mandy is not, she is sick and tired of the whole thing, and storms off home.

In the Rovers, Tina is talking to Tommy about the fact that little Jake will be coming home next week as he is doing so well. Tommy can see that while Tina is pleased that Jake is thriving, she is still a bit upset that it is Izzy and Gary who are excitedly getting ready for him to come home and not her. He suggests they go away for a little holiday, but Tina feels running away solves nothing.

The topic of conversation in the Bistro now is poor Hayley. Fiz is uncomfortable about it, and tells Kirk and Beth they shouldn't be discussing it. However, Beth is of the opinion they should be talking about it, because it is less an elephant in the room, more the whole herd. She has already shared Hayley's secret with Marcus, and asks him what he thinks her prognosis is. Sarcastically he tells her he isn't an Oncologist, and is no expert on cancer. She retorts he should know, as he works at the hospital. He bites back that chefs work there too, and they are no wiser on the subject than he is. However, he tells them that something he does know is that pancreatic cancer has one of the lowest survival rates. This brings the party spirit down with a bang.

Beth must have been busy, because Hayley is the hot topic in the next cluster of people too. This time Rita is talking about her deceased husband Ted, saying his was a brain tumour, but they can do wonders nowadays. Unfortunately, the person on the receiving end of these pearls of wisdom is Hayley herself, poor Hayley who didn't want all this sympathy and discussion of her very private illness. Norris is not helping matters either, quoting horror stories of growths the size of grapefruit that he has read about in magazines.

Emily then, thinking she is helping, offers her spiritual guidance with her vicar. Even Roy can't stand to listen to this any more, and tells her curtly that his services will not be necessary thank you. Both she and Rita offer any assistance that Hayley may need, and move on. Out of earshot, Roy derides Emily's offer of spiritual guidance, saying she might as well have offered the services of the local witch doctor. Hayley snaps at him that she was only trying to help, which is a sight more than he has done. He apologises for breaking her confidence, but justifies it by saying it's probably better people know about it, because she can see how people have responded with much sympathy. Hayley jumps down his throat, saying sympathy is exactly what she doesn't want. She said for the first time in days she had been there earlier, feeling normal, almost enjoying herself, forgetting her own problems for half an hour until he arrived. He mutters he understands how she feels, but she snaps back that he has no idea how she feels. She explains she went for so many years being different, when all she wanted was to fit in and be accepted as normal. Now it is going to happen all over again, and there is nothing she can do about it. She knows people from now on are going to treat her differently, look at her with pity in their eyes, she is never going to be able to forget about it and lead a normal life because it will be there round every corner.

Slamming down her glass, she storms out of the Bistro, Roy goes to follow her but Sylvia stops him, saying she will go after her, and he should give them a few minutes.

Peter and Carla are in town looking at engagement rings. What she wants is massive, what he can afford is minimal. She points out that if they are getting married, their assets will be combined, so it doesn't matter who pays for it. He protests that he can't allow her to buy her own engagement ring. She agrees, on the condition she doesn't have to promise to obey, he's fine with that, because he knows she wouldn't even if she promised it!

The atmosphere is not good in No. 11. Eileen is furious with Paul for scrapping with her boss in the street. He comes up with the brilliant suggestion that she should possibly quit her job. See this red rag - see this bull? She screams at him that she is not about to quit her job because he can't get along with her boss. Protesting he was only thinking of her, she flies even further off the deep end, saying if he had been thinking about her for one minute, he would have fixed this problem a long time ago. Household atmosphere not improved one iota.

Roy is sitting down now in the Bistro, giving Hayley a bit of space. Fiz joins him and apologises for not being able to shut Beth's mouth on the subject. She tells him how devastated she is with the news, telling him how much Hayley means to her. Roy tells her she means a lot to many other people too, (me included), and goes on to say they have been so blessed and happy for so long, they were probably due for something like this to come along, but he only wishes it had been visited upon him instead of her.

Just then Rob and Tracy drop by their table, and both give Roy their condolences on the news about Hayley. Roy is angry now, saying Tracy of all people is probably the only one who should be saying she is sorry. He points out that she has been Hayley's biggest cause of stress over the years, she protests he can hardly blame her for Hayley's cancer, but he can, and he does. He tells her that research done on fruit flies shows a causal link between stress and cancer, and she has been a constant cause of stress in Hayley's life for years. Tracy is not taking that lying down, and argues it is far more likely that the drugs and hormones she has been taking over the years because of her transsexuality has caused it. Fiz leaps to her feet now, and screams into Tracy's face to back off! Nick intervenes before it turns into a cat fight. Rob steers Tracy away, and Roy decides it's time he went home.

We are now back in the jewellers, and Carla is excitedly looking at all the beautiful diamonds. Being a woman of taste, she obviously goes towards the most expensive rocks in there, falling in love with one in particular, one with a one carat diamond set in platinum with a princess cut that sparkles like a mirror ball. The salesman hands it to Peter to slip on her finger, and it's a perfect fit. She doesn't want to take it off, not even when they are told it costs £4,500. Peter nearly faints, and tells him they need to look at some cheaper ones. Carla is disappointed though, and begs him to let her have the one on her finger. However, just as she reluctantly agrees to look at a cheaper one, he tells her she can have the one she wants, but they will have to do what they discussed outside - i.e. pay for it between them. Carla doesn't care how they pay for it, as long as she gets to keep this new best friend! (i.e. 'diamonds are a girl's best friend' - geddit?) :-)

Roy gets home, and wants to discuss the situation with Hayley. She tells him point blank they are not going to discuss it. She may have cancer, and the world may know about it, but she has a refuge in her head, and he is not invading it. Sylvia reminds her about her bath that will be shortly overflowing. Roy, trying desperately to make amends, tells her he will have a nice meal waiting for her when she gets out of her bath. He has bought some nice organic broccoli that is renowned as an anti-carcinogen.....he gets no further, as Hayley, screaming under her breath takes off to have her bath. A puzzled Roy looks at Sylvia and asks her what it was he said wrong, she tells him to just leave Hayley be. She wants time alone, and he must respect that.

Roy is fretting about the length of time Hayley has been in the bath, Sylvia points out it has only been ten minutes. He frets too about her whole attitude over having cancer, Sylvia pulls him up short by asking him how he had felt the last time he had cancer. He concedes he doesn't know first hand how she feels, but tells Sylvia it is doing her no good to keep lashing out at him. "Awww, poor you", says Sylvia sarcastically. Roy barrels on regardless, saying if he thought for one minute that raging against him would do her good, he would welcome it with open arms, but he is trying to help her, trying to give her the help she needs, and she is raging against him.

Sylvia puts down her newspaper, takes off her glasses and tells him straight that in her opinion he hasn't given Hayley's needs a second thought. Roy protests that he has spent every waking hour researching Hayley's condition, and has left no stone unturned in seeking out a solution. Sylvia matter of factly asks him if he, as a cafe owner, thinks he knows more than the team of specialists who are in charge of her case. He replies "Obviously not, but...", Sylvia interrupts him by pointing out that if this can be fixed, he can rest assured that it won't be by him, and, she points out that deep down he knows this. He protests by starting to say that an understanding of the pathology of... but he is interrupted by Sylvia once again. She tells him he is hiding again, losing himself inside the interweb as she calls it, instead of facing up to the real world.

She then leans over and quietly tells him that what Hayley needs is the love and support of a husband, not the speculation of an ill informed armchair quack. With a tremble in his voice, Roy tells her he was only doing what he thought was best, he genuinely wanted to help her. Sylvia replies that she knows, and he can, better than anyone else alive. All he has to do is hold her hand.

Conversation in the Rovers is still racism, this time it is in a booth between Mandy, Lloyd, Jenna and Sophie. Mandy is of the feeling it has all gone way out of proportion, that it was just one idiotic remark, and after all, this is Weatherfield 2013, not Alabama 1960. Sophie, who wasn't around in 1960, and certainly wasn't in Alabama feels they can't just let people get away with it. Lloyd is of the same mind, he feels the principle is the same, and she shouldn't be taking it so lightly. Mandy retorts that he is a cabbie, not Malcolm X.

Jenna begs them to just change the subject as she is sick of all the arguing. However, Mandy isn't through, she tells Lloyd he shouldn't be scrapping with a Neanderthal on the street, calling schoolboy chants. He protests he was just trying to protect his family, but she tells him it is more like he is just trying to make up for not being there to protect Jenna when she was growing up. He fights back that if that was what he was doing, whose fault would that be? Jenna has had enough, and runs out of the pub, followed by Sophie.

Tina brings Tommy a beer, and tells him it would taste a lot better if he was drinking it at a bar on the beach. To his surprise, she has changed her mind about going on that holiday, and now feels it would be good to get away for a week, Tommy is not arguing.

Jenna hasn't gone far, both she and Sophie are now sitting on Maxine's bench. She is sick and tired of listening to her parents fighting, especially as it always seems to be about her. First her job, then it was her girlfriend and now it's Paul, she feels it is tearing them apart. Sophie tries to comfort her, but gets nowhere. Jenna feels this is all Paul's fault, and he doesn't realise what he has done to her family. She knows he will never back down, and that her father is wasting his time holding out for an apology. Not in the mood for company, Jenna gets up and leaves. Alone, Sophie pulls out her mobile and we hear her asking for the number of Weatherfield Fire and Rescue - now I wonder why she wants that?

Hayley comes down in her dressing gown, having relaxed a bit in the bath, but is still wary about getting into any conversation with Roy, so announces she is off to bed. He begs her to stay, as he has made her something to eat. Not thrilled at the thought of being forced to eat broccoli and drink green tea, she tells him she will pass thank you very much. No no - our Roy has come up trumps and made her favourite cheese on toast, along with a mug of builder's tea with three sugars, just the way she likes it. (What is builder's tea anyway? I don't remember having it when I lived in the UK, we always drank P.G. Tips).

Hayley is suitably impressed, and sits down to enjoy her feast. He apologises for not being much of a husband lately. She asks where Sylvia has gone, and is told she has gone back to the party. She chuckles at the mother partying while the children stay home in their slippers. Roy smiles at her fondly and tells her it is where he is the happiest. He goes on to tell her he has been the happiest while with her than at any other time in his whole life, and feels it was the fear of losing it all that made him retreat into research, he explains he just couldn't live with the idea that it might all be curtailed. Hayley tells him she knows he meant well, but he questions that, saying he was looking for answers for himself, when he should have been thinking of her needs, and for that he is truly profoundly sorry. Hayley of course understands and forgives him.

Audrey is bemoaning the fact that Owen has found yet more damp in her house, which is going to cost her a lot of money to fix. Rita asks if she can claim it on her insurance, she tells her she plans to look into it. Dennis asks Emily if her building insurance is up to date. She looks blankly at him, and Norris explains what it is, anxious to know himself if she has the house covered against all perils and acts of God. Emily tells him she has always felt that the best insurance against acts of God is regular worship. Audrey pooh pooh's that idea, saying any faith she had has been sorely tested lately, and she is just about ready to go and deal with the other bloke. Gail points out it could be much worse, she could be in Hayley's shoes. Audrey agrees with her, saying it's only bricks and mortar when all said and done. Once again the subject of the group is Hayley, and it ends with them all raising a glass to her recovering health.

Talking of Hayley, her spirits are very much lifted by Roy's delicious cheese on toast, she tells him nobody makes it like he does. He tells her he always enjoys seeing the look on her face when she takes the first bite, and loves making it for her. She apologises to him for getting angry with him earlier, but he tells her he has been more angry with himself. She explains that sometimes when he is going on about things, she wishes he would just hold her. Clearing the table, he replies she should have said. "I'm saying it now", says Hayley. Taking her in his arms, they cling tightly to each other, and this updater wells up once again.

Pulling away from him, Hayley tells him that while they are being honest there is something else they must talk about. Roy doesn't want to, and tries to change the subject, but she firmly tells him they have to talk about it, and face up to it. She goes on to say that if his research has told him anything, it has told him she might die. He protests that some people survive it, and she replies that she intends to be one of them if she possibly can, but she knows the odds, and they have to face the fact that she might die. Breaking down into tears now, she sobs that she doesn't want to go, she doesn't want to leave him, that she always thought the best was yet to come for them. Roy tells her he is sure it still is. She tells him she is scared, but it's OK to be scared, she read it in one of the leaflets. Roy tells her, with a catch in his voice, that he has never been so scared of anything in his life. He tells her he wishes he could take this from her. Hugging him to her, she tells him not to be daft, that her one consolation is that it isn't him, because she couldn't bear the thought of living without him. Roy holds her by the shoulders, looks into her eyes and says "Neither of us are going to be alone, not for a very long time, I promise you that". The credits roll as they cling desperately onto each other.

Oh stop doing this to me Roy and Hayley, I can't bear it!

Christine

Written by Chris Fewtrell Directed by Terry Dyddgen-Jones

Paul has made breakfast for Eileen though it's a bit burned. He's all apologetic and doesn't know what else he can do. He's said sorry, does Lloyd want a bit production? Jason mutters that he only wants to know that he means it. Too right. Paul regrets what happened. Jason and Sean take off for work. Eileen tells Paul that Jason doesn't think he's a racist but he's disappointed in him. Paul promises to rise above anything Lloyd may say, no more aggro. (virtually guaranteeing there will be.) Eileen hates being in the middle and Paul sympathises.

Gary is struggling to put a baby change table together. Why? Because baby Jake is coming home today. Today. Talk about last minute. Gary is excited about the baby coming home and Izzy makes fun of him for having trouble with the flat pack instructions because he's supposed to be a builder. Gary is already piling guilt upon himself feeling he's letting his son down already. Izzy encourages him.

Anna serves Mandy and Lloyd in the cafe. They bicker. Jenna comes in with Sophie and tells them she's got a job interview as a receptionist at a spa in a posh hotel in town. Mandy is surly about it, Lloyd is happy for her. They start in rowing again, dragging Paul's name into it. Jenna lets them know she's sick of the whole mess.

Hayley comes into the cafe, ready for work. Anna brings up Hayley's illness, she'd heard from Norris and expresses her support. Roy is off to the cash and carry so Hayley asks Anna to keep an eye on Roy. Anna offers anything she can do. As everyone does.

David and Kylie have arrived in the Bistro. Nick is beside himself. There have been some scathing reviews about the Bistro on t'interwebs. Leanne dismisses it but Nick's paranoia has been further fueled. All the reviews were anonymous and Kylie says they never had any complaints. Nick is positive someone is out to get him and he's going to confront the staff. Leanne thinks he needs to be more sensitive about it. David offers advice, he needs to lay down the law. Unsurprisingly, David looks rather shifty.

Izzy and Gary stop off in the cafe. They chat about Hayley for a minute. Izzy says they can't pick up the baby until later. Katy is there, too and joins in the conversation about sleepless nights but offer their help whenever needed. Gary expresses some concern about Tina with the baby coming home but is told Tommy and Tina have gone on a week's holiday.

Rob comes out of the Kabin and is on the phone with his probation officer who wants to set up a visit. (Isn't he supposed to be going to their offices regularly?) Carla and Peter come out of the factory so Rob takes the opportunity to pour scorn on the situation. Rob criticizes the engagement ring and hits home with the remark about who actually paid for it. A further chip to Peter's self esteem. Carla tells Rob that Peter has a partnership in the factory but Rob has lots to say about that too. Tracy implies Peter will be the tea boy.

Paul and Eileen encounter Lloyd, Mandy, Jenna and Sophie. They exchange a civil hello and keep on going. There, see? No aggro. Paul and Eileen go round the corner where Paul takes a call from his boss who wants to come see him in person. Paul thinks it's probably about the hoax caller case.

Apparently, Nick's little chat with the staff has caused at least one or two of them to walk out. Leanne is not best pleased to hear that and reckons he went in there with guns blazing and shouts at him for it.

Paul's boss has come to the house. It's not good news. There has been a complaint about him, accusing him of racism. Paul immediately assumes it's Lloyd making further shots and trying to ruin his career. He assures his boss one man has a grudge against him. The manager is reasonable and trying to do the right thing giving him a heads up ahead of time but unfortunately as a formal complaint, it has to be followed up officially.

We're in the cab office where Eileen has her feet up and Steve is restless. It's been quiet. Steve contemplates having a biscuit and mithers Eileen as to whether he should or shouldn't. They banter about the biscuits in a cute little scene. They talk about Paul and Lloyd. Eileen thinks they've made their peace. The two of them grab all the biscuits out of the jar.

Paul has filled in his boss about the situation. Paul thinks everyone at work knows about the call but is assured his coworkers know him better. There will be an investigation and there might be disciplinary measures. Paul is assured it will all be done fairly but he's not so confident. He's angry and feels it's all going to get twisted.

In the corner shop, Jenna is happy the encounter with Paul went peacefully. Sophie is still angry at what Paul's done but Jenna thinks things are going to get better from here on. Sophie, looking guilty, admits she called the fire brigade and reported Paul for racism and tries to justify it because Jenna had said then that Paul would probably get away with it so Sophie ensured that he didn't. Jenna is furious, really, really angry and lets Sophie have it at full volume before running out with a whining Sophie hollering after her, "are we still allright???"

Outside the hospital, Izzy and Gary come out with the baby. Gary's fussing about the breeze. They bring the stuff and baby carrier to a cab that's got a ramp down. Gary fits Jake into the baby seat. They coo over the little lad who's starting to fuss. Izzy says he's probably just reacting to being out in the world. Gary tries to soothe him but the baby works himself up into a good cry which flusters Gary who thinks he's doing something wrong.

Peter is in the factory kitchen looking for everything. All the tea and sugar and biscuits are all in containers with different names on them. Sean straightens him out, saying it's tradition, and he's not going to quibble with the long dead. Hayley comes in just at that moment, causing Sean to jump and apologize for the phrase used. Hayley pretends to scold him. Peter comments that she must be getting tired already of people walking on eggshells around her but advises her to milk it, she'll never have to make herself another cup of tea!

Rob and Tracy are painting in the shop, a bright blue. Tracy wants Steve to put advertising flyers in the taxis. They banter over the name. Tracy likes Barlow's Buys. Rob likes Donovan's Deals. She still thinks her idea is catchier. She starts up a bit of a paint fight (reminiscent of Shirley Valentine, in my memory). They run around a bit but end up snogging and Rob has agreed to Barlow's Buys.

Nick is sulking in the Bistro. Kylie says the kitchen staff is sulking too. Leanne gripes that it's all his fault and asks him about the float. Nick had been counting it at the bar that morning before he went off on the staff. They realize nobody has seen the money but Nick thinks it's probably gone.

Baby Jake is snoozing in a basket with Izzy and Gary looking over him. The doorbell rings and it's Anna and Katy come to have a look. All the women coo over the baby with Gary standing off to the side. Anna asks Gary if he's fed the baby but Gary admits the baby was happier with Izzy doing it. He seems to feel a bit left out so he goes to put the kettle on.

Leanne shouts at Nick for leaving the money on the bar but he points out the restaurant was closed at the time. David comes in to see them bickering and is told that 50 quid has gone walkabout. Nick reckons the same person who watered the booze and wrote the reviews is to blame. David agrees. (because it's true!) It's all aggro and Nick wants to call the police. Leanne doesn't think it is worth calling in about that bit of money but Nick wants to stop it before it gets any further.

Down the street, Paul has been downing beer and stewing in it. He's furious. He throws an empty can against the wall. Outside, Lloyd and Steve are sauntering down the road. Paul shoots out the door and spies them. He watches them and tells Jason that Lloyd is laughing at him. He runs down the street towards Steve and Lloyd with Jason taking up the back. Looks like it's High Noon!

Tvor

Written by Susan Oudot and directed by Terry Dyddgen-Jones

Paul's on the warpath again. He thinks Lloyd's dropped him in it with his boss and without waiting to find out lashes out at him outside the Rovers. At that moment the police turn up. In fact they've been called to the Bistro but they take far more interest in the fight that's breaking out. A horrified Jenna steps in and tells Paul that it wasn't her Dad but Sophie who called the fire station.

Rob and Tracy are giving the shop a make-over, in between some 'recreational breaks' in the back office, when Deirdre turns up to see how they're getting on. Rob stops to take a phone call - it seems on old mate of his has some stock they may be interested in. Tracy looks put out when Rob tells her she can stay behind and carry on with the painting when he goes off to meet his mate. Deirdre makes it quite clear she doesn't trust Rob as far as she can throw him.

Peter is the new boy in the factory and he's been asked to check the orders. Carla reads off his list .. g-strings, thongs, thangs ... what are 'thangs' when they're at home? It seems the girls have been having a bit of fun with Peter. Everyone has a laugh, including Hayley. "It's good you can have a laugh when you've got ...when you're ill and all that ..." Beth begins. It's all a bit awkward and Hayley rushes off home with Roy, declining Fiz's offer to go round and see Izzy and the baby.

Round at Gary and Izzy's there's tension in the air. Every time the baby cries Gary thinks there's a problem but Izzy seems to be coping just fine which makes Gary feel both inadequate and left out.

Nick rushes out into the street to talk to the police, hotly pursued by Leanne. He called them to investigate the matter of the watered down booze and missing petty cash but Leanne thinks he's over-reacting and dealing with it the wrong way. We see David in the background, enjoying the fact that his plan seems to be working. Nick is angry with Leanne for being unsupportive and she flounces off to sound off to Stella. But Stella advises Leanne that Nick is probably just worried about her and Simon.

Lloyd, Mandy and Jenna are in the cab office telling Eileen about the fight with Paul in the street and how Sophie called the fire station when a police officer walks in. He wants to know what's been going on. Lloyd says it was something and nothing but Jenna jumps in with her version of events, explaining how it began with Paul making a racist remark. Eileen goes off to find Paul who, she's told, is waiting at home with another police officer. Lloyd says he doesn't want to press charges but he's told that may not be up to him.

As Eileen marches home she spies Sophie and gives her what for. Sally arrives on the scene and tries to defend her daughter but Eileen is furious and points to the policeman standing outside her house. "Sophie, what have you done?" asks Sally. Eileen's next target is Paul. She storms into her sitting room and gives it to Paul with both barrels. He lamely tries to explain that someone called the fire station and he thought it was Lloyd. "You've been accused of being a racist and then you go and smack a black guy. Sound," says Jason stating the obvious. Eileen is still shouting at Paul when the police arrive. She tries telling them it's all been a misunderstanding but they haul Paul off down to the police station to give a statement.

Sophie and her mum are back at home and Sally is asking her about what she's done. Sophie thinks she's done the right thing by reporting Paul to his bosses but Sally explains that there's a difference between what you think and say at home and what she's done. But Sophie's biggest concern is that she's upset Jenna and she thinks she may have lost her because of it.

Beth, Fiz and Sean are round at Gary and Izzy's to see the baby. Gary's in a right state what with Jake crying and the fact he can't get him to stop. He reluctantly hands him over to Beth who seems to have the magic touch. Sean observes she's probably bored Jake into submission. Gary sits there looking like he wants to thump someone.

Jenna's tending to Lloyd's wounds in the cab office when Sophie arrives. She's come to apologise to Lloyd but Jenna jumps down her throat. Steve walks in and tells Sophie it's probably best to leave it. Next to turn up and apologise is Eileen. She tells them that Paul's been taken down to the station. "Oh Eileen," says Steve, putting a sympathetic arm on her shoulder.

Back at Izzy and Gary's, Fiz is now having a turn with baby Jake. Izzy says she thinks he needs changing and Gary rushes over. Sensing the tension in the air Fiz drops hints to the others that it's time to leave. As soon as they've gone, Izzy asks what's wrong. "Why does there have to be something wrong, just because I want to do my bit?" asks Gary. Izzy can see something's upsetting him - but what?

Deirdre is having a drink in the Rovers with Rob and Tracy when Carla and Peter come in. Carla is bending over backwards to be civil but Peter and Rob just can't help sniping at each other. Rob calls Peter Carla's new pet project, referring to his job in the factory. "The difference between me and you is that we're partners," says Peter, looking at Carla. "Fifty fifty?" asks Rob. "Yeah, I thought not," he adds as he catches the look on Peter's face.

Lloyd comes into the Rovers with Jenna. Mandy asks if he shouldn't be at home resting but he flies off the handle at her for interfering and telling the police he'd wound Paul up. Karl tells him to calm down and says if he carries on like that he'll have him barred so then Lloyd has a go at him. Lloyd is angry with everyone and sick and tired of the whole situation (aren't we all?!).

In the cab office, Eileen is talking things through with Steve. She's come to the conclusion that there's a common denominator in all of her failed relationships: herself. "Which would make you a fraction of the problem," says Steve, attempting to be witty. There's not really much more he can say to help, so Steve resorts to giving Eileen a hug.

Someone else who doesn't know what to say is Roy. He and Hayley are in the cafe and he tells her he's been worried about her all day. But Hayley doesn't want to talk and so she leaves him to go upstairs and run a bath.

Stella goes into the Bistro with Karl to have a word with Leanne. She starts by telling her that Karl's booked them both a two week holiday in Spain but Stella's real reason for going in is to ask Leanne something. She would like her and Eva to be her bridesmaids. "You've already made your mind up to marry him and I accept that but anything else and I would be a hypocrite," replies Leanne. Well that's her told. Stella walks out upset and Nick accuses Leanne of being harsh. Leanne tells him that's rich coming from him seeing as he tried to throw the advice she's tried to give him back in his face. Once again, David is in the background, watching them have a go at each other ...

Back at Izzy and Gary's, baby Jake is still crying and Gary's at his wit's end. He's sure they're doing something wrong but Izzy seems quite relaxed and takes the baby from him. She asks why he was so rude and off-hand when the others came round earlier. "I'm sorry," Gary shouts and then looks even more annoyed as Jake settles in Izzy's arms and stops crying.

David's relaxing at home on the sofa when Nick goes round for a chat. He confides in his brother about the problems he's having with Leanne. He tells David that she's blinkered and never sees anyone else's point of view. David acts all sympathetic and then makes a suggestion. Why don't Nick and Leanne go round there for their tea tomorrow so they can sort stuff out? Besides, after all he's done for him and Kylie, that's the least they can do David tells Nick ...

Eileen's at home getting stuck into a bottle of wine when Paul finally comes home from the cop shop. He tells her he's being charged with a public order offence. He asks Eileen if she understands now why he got so angry with Lloyd. But Eileen's run out of sympathy. She tells him he can stand there blaming whoever he likes but the truth is he could have ended it and he didn't. "I'm going to bed," says Eileen.

Karen

Eileen comes down in the morning to find Paul ironing his shirt in preparation for his meeting which, he informs her, is at 12.10 pm. She tries to joke with him but he's tense and edgy. Then he scorches his shirt! In a furious temper he stamps off upstairs to get another one.

Another one who is stressed is Gary, baby Jake won't feed. Izzy tries to tell him to be calm and patient, but Gary hands the baby to her and stamps off to work.

In the cafe, Hayley tells Sylvia that Roy has progressed from sleep-walking to sleep-cooking, he was making omlette's at 4am. He's mortified and apologetic and says he's tried to de-stress, but he doesn't know what to do. Hayley needs her sleep, never more so than now.

In the Platt residence, Gail asks David if he's going to help with the family meal that he's arranged. He pulls 50 pounds out of his pocket. "Oh, not only do I have to cook it, I have to shop for it as well?" says Gail. David points out that he'll be at work, but that Nick and Leanne need their support, what with the trouble they're in, and it's a long time since they had his gran round.

Peter comes out of his flat and shouts at Rob, who has apparently been throwing stuff noisily into a skip since 7am. Carla tries to calm him down, and leads him away just as Tracy comes along. As Rob gloats at his success in winding Peter up, Tracy tells him to be a bit smarter about it, Peter is still their landlord after all.

Stella and Eva cross the cobbles. Eva is wondering why Stella is so bothered that Leanne won't be bridesmaid, she's so selfish after all. Stella sees David outside the salon and asks if she can book an appointment for later, so Eva then goes off to work.

Steve and Lloyd are in the cab office when Mandy comes in. She tells Lloyd she's off to work – if she's still got a job. She snaps that he gave Karl a right mouthful, it was embarrassing. Lloyd asks her if that's all she came in, to have a pop at him? "No," she says, and is about to continue when the phone rings. Lloyd turns to answer it and Mandy walks out.

David goes into the bistro and asks if Nick and Leanne are still coming for dinner later. Leanne assures him that they will, and snipes at Nick for thinking that someone has it in for them. "Give it a rest, it's not The Bourne Identity," she snaps. David then asks Leanne what's up with her and Eva. He says he heard Eva talking about the wedding and how Leanne doesn't want to be a bridesmaid, and how selfish Leanne is. Having put the poison in, David then makes a hasty exit, leaving Leanne furious!

Izzy takes Jake round to see Gary at work, but before Gary can get his hands on the baby, Izzy decides he needs changing and, turning down Gary's offer of help, wheels herself off to Anna's to do it.

Paul sees Sophie outside the shop and asks if she's all righ. Sophie just glares at him and goes back inside.

A seething Leanne marches into the factory and starts a slanging match with Eva who hasn't got a clue what the problem is. Then, with Hayley caught in the crossfire, she starts to push Eva around. Carla and Peter quickly run out from the office and hustle her out.

Lloyd is in the cab office, moaning on to Steve about relationships in general. Steve susses that all is not going well with Mandy.

Peter escorts Leanne back to the bistro and tells Nick what has happened at the factory. Nick suddenly decides that it must be Peter who is behind the tricks, trying to sabotage the bistro. Peter laughs and tells him that he and Leanne are doing a great job of that all on their own. As he leaves he turns and reminds Leanne that Hayley has got cancer, so it would be appreciated if she didn't push her around. Within moments Nick and Leanne are squabbling with each other again.

David returns to the Platt household to find Kylie and Max watching tv, while Gail frantically prepares carrots in a wild, demented fashion, and tells him she bought a joint of pork for the meal. She asks if he got the wine, but he forgot. Exasperated she goes off upstairs for a shower and change of clothes. David wanders over to the oven and turns the heat right down.

Paul goes back to Eileen's house, and tells her what happened with Sophie. He's upset by it and says he doesn't recognise himself any more.

Izzy wheels herself into the living room and tells Gary that Jake has finally settled. He snaps that he could have done it, he's not completely useless. Izzy is taken aback and asks where all this has come from. He tells her that he can't do it, Jake cries when he picks him up, he cries when Gary tries to change him..... Izzy tries to tell him not be daft, not many blokes are good with babies, but he'll get there. "How?" asks Gary, "when I'm at work most of the time?"

Audrey arrives at the Platt's house, and David lets her in, dropping little snippets into the conversation about Leanne sniffing around Peter again. Gail is in the kitchen, appalled to find that the meat isn't cooked. Audrey asks for a drink, but of course there is no wine. "Didn't you bring any?" asks Gail. Just then Nick and Leanne arrive, but they haven't brought any wine either. Nick goes off back to the bistro to get some, and Audrey sends David over to Dev's shop to get some snacks, it looks like dinner is going to be a while yet. A very puzzled Gail keeps muttering that she knows she put the oven on Gas Mark 5.

Behind the bar, Eva is telling Stella that Leanne thinks she's been slagging her off about the wedding. Stella points out that she actually has. "Yes, but she doesn't know that, does she?" says Eva.

Peter and Carla are in the pub, and Rob and Tracy come in. Rob tries very hard to wind Peter up again, but Peter isn't playing. He and Carla go off to sit down.

David gets back home from Dev's, to find Gail, Audrey, Kylie and Leanne sitting around talking about Nick and the bistro. Just then Nick comes in bearing platters of food – 6 of the finest steaks, dauphinoise potatoes and green beans. To David's annoyance his plan has back-fired and once again Nick is the blue-eyed boy! As they all busy themselves getting ready to sit down and eat, Nick quietly tells Leanne he's sorry, and she says that she's sorry too, and they kiss. They all sit down at the table. "Well done for saving the day, Nicky boy," says Kylie. "Yes, what would we do without you?" says Audrey. David looks very sullen and sulky!

Hayley, Fiz and Roy go into the Rovers, still talking about what happened when Leanne came into the factory. Peter jumps up and offers to pay for their drinks. As they go off to sit down, Tracy leans out and strokes Hayley's arm. Hayley sits down, seething and stressed, saying that when Tracy Barlow offers sympathy, that's a bridge too far! Fiz says they need a holiday before Hayley has her operation. They protest about work and the cafe, but Fiz says that's all easily sorted.

Back at the Platt's dinner table, Audrey is relating stories of Nick's babyhood, much to David's annoyance. Kylie takes David aside and tells him that the dinner party was a great idea of his, it's nice to see Nick and Leanne happy again. She says that what would make her happy is some chocolate ice cream, so he offers to go and get her some.

Lloyd is in the taxi office, when Paul comes in with four cans of beer. Saying that he's come in peace, he comes round the counter and tells Lloyd he's sorry, for all of it. Lloyd says he wants to put the whole thing behind him, things are terrible between Jenna and Sophie and not much better between him and Mandy. Paul tells him they're awful too between him and Eileen. He and Lloyd shake hands and Paul leaves him a lager to have later.

David is in the dark in the office at the salon, sitting at the computer. He rings Kylie to say that he's going to have to go to the garage for ice cream, Dev's was shut. Putting down the phone, he presses print. Out comes a sheet of paper and we get to see what's on it. "Do you know what your husband was doing – and who with – on Christmas Night?" He folds it up and puts it in an envelope with Leanne's name on the front.

Anne Logan

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Updates written by K Richard Whitbread, Martin Rosen,Duncan Lindsay, Christine Warren, Ann Logan, Margaret Carr, Tvor, Karen Jankel.

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