2006

Wednesday 1 February

Written by: Carmel Morgan
Directed by: Neil Alderton

Maria, Tyrone and Vera are in the cafe looking at the piece about Maria and Tyrone in the newspaper. 'The stunning stylist is a real head turner,' reads Vera. After Maria has gone, Tyrone has a confidence crisis. The newspaper describes him as 'solid and dependable,' and he doesn't think that's enough for Maria. Vera tells him he's gorgeous, but he says he's ugly with piggy eyes. Vera points out that Maria has been out with all sorts of men and she keeps coming back to Tyrone.

Dev comes to Sunita's flat to pick up the babies. He wants to talk about the kiss they shared, but Sunita says she was practically unconscious with tiredness and it was a moment of weakness. This is not what he wanted to hear. He says he'll look after the twins for a couple of hours to give her some respite, and she's miserable at the thought that she needs respite, when she feels she should be enjoying motherhood.

Out in the street, Fred is telling a sceptical Rita about Orchid/Stacy. He says whatever she's done in the past, she's not conning anyone now, because the bruises he saw were real. Rita reminds him how much Stacy hurt him before. He asks her to go with him to t'hospital, and Rita agrees, 'if only so I can keep an eye on your wallet.' Audrey, sweeping up outside the salon, is watching this conversation but I don't know how much of it she overhears.

After Rita and Fred have gone, Dev comes along and proudly shows off his children to Audrey, telling her that it's early days, but he hopes a reconciliation with Sunita might be on the cards.

When Fred and Rita get to the hospital, they find that Stacy isn't there. All the ward sister will tell them is that Stacy is no longer a patient on the ward.

Dev's two hours with the twins are up, and he's back at Sunita's flat (I have to say, she's got her figure back amazingly well). He suggests that she should live at the new house, to give her more space mentally and physically. He tells her that she's the love of his life, and he's clutching on to the fact that, even though she was tired, she 'didn't exactly recoil in horror' when he kissed her. He asks her to please think about moving into the house, and she says she will think about it.

In the Rovers, Norris is quizzing Ashley and Claire about where Fred and Rita were going that morning. Ashley doesn't know, but he tells Claire that he hopes Fred will confide in Rita about Bev, because he's just bottling up his feelings.

Sunita is packing. She's moving back to her parents in Swinton – which, she tells Shelley, is near enough to Weatherfield so they can be 'ladies who lunch, shop and get trolleyed, just like the old days.' They have a bit of a reminisce over an old photo, about their lousy choices in men (Peter Barlow took the photo). Sunita says that when she saw Dev looking all proud with their children earlier, it made her realise how much he missed out on the lives of his other children. 'He was a big hole in so many lives,' she says, 'And now he's going to be a big hole in Asha and Aadi's. And when they're old enough to understand, they might hate me. Daddy had this lovely big house, but Mummy's integrity was at stake.' 'I think you mean sanity,' says Shelley. 'You've got to do what's right for you now, and right now you need your mam and dad.' 'I don't know what I'd do without you,' Sunita says, and Shelley says she's never going to find out because it's never going to happen.

Eileen is in the Rovers with Ed, who isn't drinking because he's driving. While he's at the bar, Eileen confides to Liz that not much is happening with Ed – she still hasn't even had a snog. She's looking a bit fed up, because she's a red-blooded woman, our Eileen.

Elsewhere in the pub, Norris is trying to find out from Rita where she went to with Fred that morning, but she isn't saying.

Maria has brought Tyrone an Eccles cake to the garage. She tells him her period is late, and he's over the moon at the thought that their might be a little Dobbs on the way (a Dobbette? A Dobbling?). Maria doesn't look anywhere near as thrilled.

Night time, and Fred is out in the street when Stacy darts out of a phone box, disguised in dark glasses, and asks him for money. She says she has no-one else to ask. She couldn't stay in hospital because she was a sitting target, and she has to get out of Manchester. Fred says he knows somewhere where she'll be safe.

Eileen and Liz are at Eileen's, talking about Ed. Eileen says he's not much on paper: 'Former abode Strangeways, known associate Emily Bishop, favourite book the Bible' – but she really likes him. Liz says it's obvious that Ed likes her too. Eileen says she doesn't want another friend, she wants something more. Liz says maybe Ed is shy, but Eileen thinks there's a part of him that doesn't want to get too close to her.

Fred has taken Stacy to Rita's. He says he can't let her stay with him because Ashley would call the police, and Rita says she ought to do that herself. She reminds Fred of how Stacy conned him previously. Fred reassures Rita that the man who is after Stacy doesn't know about him so has no reason to come looking for her in Coronation Street. All she needs is a couple of nights' rest. Rita says she must be mad to agree, but she will let Stacy stay.

Shelley is saying goodbye to Sunita. Her belongings and the twins are all packed into Jayesh's car. Shelley goes back to the pub. Then Dev comes along and sees Sunita and Jayesh. He asks Sunita if they're going somewhere nice. 'We're leaving,' she says. 'There's no future for you and me.' She says she'll arrange proper access to the kids for him. He wants to know why she was going to go without saying goodbye, and she says she was worried he'd talk her out of it. 'Because you know we've got a future,' he persists. She disagrees, and says her father will be a better role model for the kids than Dev ever would be. She says a life with Dev would be all 'big house, fancy car, holidays – and a total lack of trust.' Dev opens the back door of the car, shouting that she can't take his children away from him. Jayesh pushes him away, and Sunita says she's not trying to hurt him: 'I can't do it on my own. I need to go home!' 'I am your home!' pleads Dev. Sunita gets in the car, and Jayesh starts the engine. Dev stands in front of it, shouting that for two months he's been pussyfooting around, trying to do everything the way Sunita wants, trying to prove himself, grateful for the chance to spend a couple of hours with his children. Sunita opens the window and shouts, 'Do you want a medal for two months' good behaviour?' They drive away, leaving Dev shouting that he'll do anything she asks him to if she'll just stay. Their car turns the corner and he's in the middle of the road sobbing, 'Please don't go, please don't go.' Amber comes round the corner and is shocked to see him there crying. He looks at her, and turns away.

Sue Haasler




Friday 3 February



Sunday 5 February

Rita gets up to find the still rather bruised and battered-looking Stacey vacuuming the living room with the radio blaring, she wanted to do something to repay Rita for putting her up. She's worried, however, when Rita draws back the curtains, in case she's seen and the man who beat her gets to hear where she is. Rita, however, says that if her curtains remain closed all day the neighbours will be round to see what the problem is.

Over in the salon, Audrey and Fiz are doling out the tea and sympathy to the recently-dumped Maria, and wondering why Tyrone would do such a thing when he was obviously mad about her. Maria confesses that she had a pregnancy scare and while she was relieved when it turned out to be a false alarm, Tyrone was disappointed. Fiz says she knows Tyrone wouldn't get too far in a Jude Law look alike contest, but he's deep down nice. In Fiz's opinion, Maria is only bothered because he dumped her first.

Norris is holding the fort in the Kabin, and moaning about the fact to Steve and Audrey. Steve says he heard loud hip-hop music coming from Rita's flat this morning, when usually it's Shirley Bassey. He thinks it's bizarre, too, that he heard her talking to herself. Norris, of course, thinks Rita is behaving very oddly. Audrey is of the opinion that Rita isn't talking to herself, she's talking to her friend, Fred Elliot, who she's entertaining on a bed and breakfast basis!

Clifford returns to the cafe once again to see Roy and have one of the famous breakfasts. He's brought photos of his old model train layout, which he no longer has, it was broken up along with his marriage. However, he has plans to relay the railway system on a bigger and better basis and asks Roy if he will help him. Roy says he will.

Norris and Audrey go to the Rovers, and talk loudly about the fact that Rita seems preoccupied, in Fred's hearing. They then ask Fred if he would know why this should be. "Me? I know nowt about owt," says Fred. Just then Rita comes in and demands to know why Norris isn't minding the shop. Norris says that he has slaved away all morning and is now on his dinner break.

Tyrone wanders in and sees Maria sitting, desolately, on her own. He sits down and tells her that he loves her, but knows that she doesn't love him. Maria tells him she didn't want them to finish, but he asks her to answer one question, and to tell him the truth. "Am I the man you want to spend the rest of your life with?" he asks her, "to grow old with and have kids with?" Maria hesitates, which is all the answer Ty needs. "See you around," he says, and leaves.

In the cafe, Clifford has finished his breakfast and gets up to leave, telling Roy that he will get back to him, soonest, with regard to the railway project. After he's gone, Hayley rushes over to Roy. "You're not really going to get involved with his toy train set are you?" she demands to know. Roy assures her it is not a 'toy train set' but a model railway system of the highest class. Roy feels that he ought to help Clifford to make up for the bullying he got at school. "I think you just want to play with his trains," huffs Hayley, but then apologises and says that if Roy feels he should help Clifford then that is what he must do.

Stacey wakes up with a jump from her doze on the sofa when Rita returns home. She's getting fed up with staying in all the time so Rita suggests they order a taxi and go into the city for a couple of hours. Stacey is doubtful at first, but Rita persuades her and in a short time they both jump into a cab and head off for the shops.

Tyrone is tinkering with his burger van when Molly pays him a visit. She's brought him information on deep fat fryers, grills and barbeques.

Ed has called on Eileen, Todd and Sean are out and they have the place to themselves. Ed doesn't seem to want to take the bait and in the end Eileen is convinced that he doesn't find her physically attractive. He assures her that he does, he just doesn't want to rush things, he thinks they have a future together.

Kelly rushes over to see Lloyd who is cleaning his taxi. She's very excited, the police have phoned to say that they have caught the guy who mugged her and have recovered her watch and mobile. He offers to take her straight to get them.

Eileen and Ed are enjoying their evening sitting side by side on the sofa. She's worried that he might think she offers herself to everything in trousers. "I don't," she tells him, "I know I've got two boys with different fathers and I've never been married to either….." He assures her that as he's been in prison he doesn't judge other people's pasts. He thinks she's a very good person and likes being with her and hopes she doesn't think he's going too slowly. She tells him she can be very patient.

Kelly and Lloyd are at the police station, and she signs a receipt for the return of her belongings. She's told that as her mugger has confessed to a lot of other crimes as well, she probably won't be needed to give evidence in a court case.

Rita and Stacey arrive back from their afternoon at the shops. They get out of the taxi and stop in horror. Rita's front door has been broken open and is standing ajar, the wood panelling and the glass smashed. Upstairs there's worse, the whole flat has been turned over, with everything turned upside down, the place is in complete disarray. Stacey is convinced this is not the work of burglars, this is Stuart. He's found out where she is, he's been watching and waiting.

As Kelly and Lloyd are leaving the police station, someone calls out her name. It's Becky, a rather scruffy looking friend of hers. She's been brought in for shoplifting, (though why she's just been left sitting waiting in the foyer is a mystery to me!) but assures them it will be sorted out soon. Kind-hearted Kelly immediately opens her purse and gives her money. "If they see you've got money on you, how could you be shoplifting?" she says. Becky assures her she'll pay her back one day, so Kelly tells her just to send it to Underworld, Coronation Street. Just then a police officer comes and takes Becky away, and Lloyd remarks that Kelly will never see her or her money again. "Never mind," says Kelly cheerfully, "did you say something about celebrating?" They go off, laughing.

Molly is back at the garage, this time with coffee and sausage rolls for Tyrone. He tells her she's come at a crucial moment, he's about to start the engine for the first time. Giggling excitedly they jump into the cab and he turns the key. At the second attempt the engine bursts into life!

Rita has called Fred over to survey the damage to her flat. He apologises for the trouble he's caused, telling her the front door will need fixing and she'll need proper locks on it too. (I just wonder how someone managed to break in the front door without being noticed by other inhabitants of the Street, Rita's flat is hardly in a remote location). Rita is stressed and worried, and says she's going to phone the police. Stacey doesn't want her to do that, she's worried that the police will find out all about her and why she got beaten up, it will mean prison. Fred urges Rita to call the police but say nothing about Stacey, he'll take her over to his place are Claire and Ashley are away for the night. "Stop right there," says Rita, "you're asking me to lie to the police!" "Not lie, no," says Fred, "just be economical with the truth." Rita says she can't do it, she's seen what this man did to Stacey and he's not going to do it to her, she's phoning the police!

Anne Logan.



Monday 6 February

Outside Rita's front door Charlie is having a look at the damage while Norris watches. "Gonna need a new door" Charlie tells him. He asks Charlie to make sure its sturdy. Charlie replies, "Of course. Tell Rita she won't have to worry about some thieving scrote getting in by the time I'm finished" Norris says he might have to rephrase that. Charlie asks if Rita wants him to get her some prices. Norris says "She's is no fit state to worry about that. Mind you, if you even so much think of ripping her off" Charlie tells him to chill as he does not rip off neighbours and old ladies. David walks past and Norris asks, "I don't suppose anybody in your house heard any thing, did they?" David points to the earphone in his ear and walks on. Just then a police car arrives and a lady gets out asking for Mrs Sullivan. Norris shocked asks, "Are you it" and goes on. Norris says Rita is up stairs scared. Norris says he has tried to start a neighbourhood watch but people just don't care enough. She police woman says, "Maybe now they will"

Over at Fred's Stacy is scared when she sees the policewoman go into Rita's. "The police are there. She's gonna tell them, ain't she?" Fred replies, "If she were, she'd have told them last night when they came. Anyroad she gave you her word" Stacy thinks Rita must hate her, "You both must, bringing all this to your door" Fred thinks they should think about what they are going to do next. Stacy thinks Fred wants her to go but he says no and she's no safer at his then Rita's. "Have you no friends you can go to, away from Manchester?" Fred asks. Stacy says "No. That's why I came to you" Fred tells her she will stay with him till everything is sorted.

Corner shop and Dev is shouting at someone on the phone. Deirdre tells Liz that she has a lot to do today and Tracy while going out the door told her to look after Amy, and before she would respond she was gone. Liz suggest they have a night out and if Tracy gives her any bother she will have the gang to deal with. Amber enters as Dev hangs up. She tells him, "My mum was talking to that Sandra from the Gorton shop and she was saying how stressed out you are. And you are the only father that I've got. I can watch the shop while you go un-ming yourself" He says, "What" She tells him, "Go and shower? Shave? Put some clothes on from the wardrobe instead of the floor" Liz replies, "She's right Dev. You're not exactly at your best" Amber says she has been left in charge before and goes behind the counter.

Rita's flat and she tells the officer she thinks it was burglars but nothing seems to have been taken and they might have been frightened off. The officer replies, "I don't want to worry you Mrs Sullivan but can you think of anyone who might have a grudge against you?" Rita tells her, "I run a newsagents. I have words with people who are late paying their paper bills, kids nicking sweets, that sort of thing. Sorry I can't be more helpful" The officer tells her to get in touch if she can think of anything else, "I'd say that as long as you get good locks on that new door you will be pretty safe in here but don't hesitate to call. Don't think you'll be wasting our time" She leaves and Rita starts crying.

In the Salon Sarah asks Maria were Mauritius is. She thinks its in Spain. She and Jason and going away together with out Bethany. Maria tells Sarah she should of washed the sinks, cleaned the floor and put away the towels ages ago. Sarah says they are not busy. Maria says she is as the journalist enters. Sarah says she has been bumped and gets him to take her out for a drink later.

At the Yard Jason nearly drops Rita's door on Charlie as he gets a call. It's Sarah asking if Mauritius is in Spain. Jason asks Charlie and he does not care. Jason says he has to go. Tracy knocks on Rita's door and Charlie tells her that Jason is a doormate. "Jason answer your phone first ring. Jason go pick up some holiday brochures" Charlie says. Jason laughs back, "Jason rub sun tan oil into my gorgeous body, here on the beach. Jason go get us another ice cold beer while Charlie Stubbs is freezing his whatsits off in the freezing cold at home" Tracy tells Charlie she is free this lunch time so he gives her keys to his flat and tells her to make him lunch.

At the Kabin Tyrone asks Molly if she is free that afternoon, "I was thinking of having a trial run in the van2 She asks, "What? Take it somewhere?" He replies, "No, I know how to drive. I mean cooking. You know, just burgers and that" She asks, "Wouldn't we be better doing the whole thing? What is someone asks for sausage and onions and you only know how to do burgers" He gasps that he had never even thought of onions. She giggles, "See, good job I'm here. Hey, can you hear that noise? It's Gordon Ramsey's knees knocking. He's terrified" Tyrone laughs.

Peacocks and Rita arrive and tells them the only way they can be sure of stopping Stuart coming back again is to go to the police and tell them everything. Stacey says, "But you know what will happen to me" Fred tells her that Rita is right, "It's the only way" Rita tells her that if all three of them go she and Fred will back her up and everything will be okay.

Outside David spots a dog tied to a car outside Bev's old flat. He says hello to it and offers one of his chips. The owner emerges from the flat and he asks why the dog is tied to the car. She smiles, "Saves me locking it. No-one would try to nick it while Mutley is tied to it" He asks, "And what if someone steals the dog?" She laughs and asks him if he'd like to try it. David moves his hand rapidly away from the dog's mouth as he asks, "Why? Is it fierce?" She laughs, "No, he's dead soft really" He asks if she is just moving on and she tells him, "No, I've been here a little while" He tells her he hasn't seen her around, or the dog come. She tells him, "A friend has been looking after him" David says, "Ah right, well yeah, not very good for him keeping him cooped up in a flat I suppose" She replies, "And feeding him chips is?" David says sorry and she smiles, "I am only joking. I'm Jo, by the way" They shake hands, David introduces himself and asks if she wants a hand carrying things in. She tells him she can manage and tells him, "You keep Mutley company. That's the best help you can be"

Police station and Rita is worried about what the police will do, "I spent a night on the cells not that long ago just for speaking my mind. They might think lying to them is a lot worse" An officer appears and asks her to step into the interview room and she says, "Too late to worry about it now" Stacey panics and says, "She's worried about a night in the cells. That's nothing compared to what they will give me. Once they know I conned you they will think I just sweet talked you again" Fred assures her that he and Rita will back her up. He says "And once they know what that Stuart has done, they will realize how scared you are" Stacy says, "They'll just see me as some Thai bride con artist and they won't believe a word I say. I'm sorry Fred" Stay gets up and walks out.

Charlie's flat and Tracy wants to go to The Clock for lunch but Charlie tells her, "I am not getting all ponced up just for lunch. Do you know how to cook steak?" She laughs, "I said I don't cook, not can't cook" He hands her two potatoes, "Steak under the grill, potatoes baked in the oven. Hardly counts as cooking even" She throws the spuds in the oven and tells him he can do the steak. He smiles, "And what can I do while they are cooking" She smiles and says he can pour her a drink.

Over at the Corner shop Amber asks Dev about why he never told her he was her father, "Didn't you ever want to take me out? Buy me things?" He replies, "I've told you this before. It wasn't like that. Your mum and I had a deal. I didn't do presents, I kept a roof over your heads and gave her a guaranteed job. We had a ...a thing. She got pregnant. We would never have got married. It just wasn't like that. If Sunita hasn't opened up this whole can of worms...." Amber cuts him off, "Your life would have been sweet and I'd have never known! You could have told me it was a secret. I am good at keeping secrets" Dev looks at her and says, "You watch the shop for a minute, I'll make us some tea"

Tyrone's chip van and Molly tells Tyrone she thinks his burgers are done. He asks, "And would madam like fries with her burger?" She laughs that she will only have a few as she has to watch her figure. He replies, "Why? I think you've got a lovely..... er... well I mean, you look just right. You'd look funny skinny. Anyway, I bet you get loads of lads telling you that" She replies, "Not really. Not for ages anyway. It was impossible meeting anyone working for my dad and I love working at the kennels but.... why are you asking anyway?" He replies, "I was just wondering. I'm giving birds a wide berth for a while anyway" He gives her his first burger and chips. She asks, "Eurgh, where did you get this bread?" He tells her hey were selling it in big bags in Freshco. She replies, "Yeah, well you know what else they sell in big bags, don't you? Manure. Burgers fine, chips perfect but sorry Tyrone, I'm my dad's daughter and that bread is rubbish. I'll get him to make some special" Tyrone says he cant afford his prices. She says, "Yeah, but you can afford mine" He asks what that will be and she proffers her cheek towards him. He plants a kiss on it and they both burst out laughing. Her mobile rings and she reaches across and answers it, "Hello, Tyrone's Takeouts. How can I help you?" and both of them start giggling.

Dev asks Amber if she would have wanted to know who her father was if it hadn't been him. She tells him she would, "But you could have made it a lot easier on yourself if you'd just told me. We would have known everything" Dev hands her tea and says, "See, that's the difference in you being fifteen. We never know everything" he puts his finger on her forehead and they are both taken aback at their first physical contact. Dev blusters that he still doesn't really know why she has come round and jokes, "Is it that you've been deprived of birthday presents and expect me to make up for lost time?" She asks, "You offering?" He tells her no, "I think you'd respect yourself far more earning your own money. Get a job" She tells him she works for her mum but doesn't get paid. He replies, 2Work here. If it's alright with your mum, of course" Amber asks, "With you?" He tells her, "Hey, not many people get paid to have bonding time with their father" She says, "You'll pay me? And not slave rates 'cos I'm family?" He says, "But no bad mouthing me to customers, okay?"

Back to Charlie's flat and Tracy tells him it wasn't The Clock. His mobile rings. It's Jason wanting to know where he is. He tells him he will be with him in five minutes and says to Tracy, "Not a happy bunny" She replies, "Nor will I be if I get left with this washing up" He tells her he will make it up to her that evening. She asks hopefully, "At The Clock?" He replies, "Nah, I thought a takeaway and a bottle of wine, maybe two" She asks what he does with his money and he laughs, "What makes you think I've got any?" She replies, "Oh come off it. A builder with his own business living in a tatty little place like this?" He tells her it suits him for now, "Now if I had someone living with me it would be a different story" She asks, "Oh really? Ready for a family are you?" He replies, "You never know. When it feels right. So you on for tonight?" She says, "Well the alternative is staying in with my lot so yes, a takeaway and a bottle of wine sounds really good" He smiles, "Good, you can bring your toothbrush if you want to" She replies, "Okay, you'll be asking me to move in next" He asks her, "Why don't you? Or would mummy not approve?" Tracy replies, "And since when did I listen to mummy?"

Amanda Souter

Good evening readers and Corrie fans! Before I crack on with this update, I feel that I must offer sincere apologies for being the cause of a major delay and complication in the delivery of your updates this past week. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I was unable to notify colleagues that I would have to take yet more time off, but, touch wood, everything should go smoothly from now on. Thank you for most people's continuing support and kind words and to those minorities who offered inane and unjustified complaints, I'll happily swap places with you, if my only problem is getting a late Coronation Street report.

Onto this evening's second episode and Tracy is delivering some news to the Barlows. It lands as bad news, although personally, I would have taken it as fabulous news. Tracy is moving out to chez Stubbs and sets about packing right away

The stubble clad Romeo himself is returning to the builders yard after an extended lunch break and Jason, who doesn't look like he's over-exerting his work efforts himself, reminds Charlie that if he had taken 4 hours for lunch, he would have had it in the neck. As Jason recounts a tale of annoyed customers (something I am perfectly sympathetic about, working in a retail customer service department) Charlie is in a world of his own. The nightmare world is the horrific realisation that he has just asked Tracy Barlow to move in with him.

Rita has a perfectly understandable beehive in her bonnet (hence why it matches the colour of honey...haha...no, ignore me) and wastes no time in ranting at Fred for leaving her at the station. She is furious that he's been taken in by Stacy and demands of the former Thai bride that she goes to the police.

Sarah is in full catty form at the salon and offering customer service that should realistically get her sacked. She firstly starts talking about maria's date but, gaining no reaction, turns her attentions to baiting Violet with her plans with Jason that evening. however, once again, her attempts at trouble fall on deaf ears (perhaps they are clogged with shampoo)

Emily sees Rita in the Street and the brave shop owner tries to make out that she is okay. However, as soon as Emily's sympathetic words begin, Rita is sobbing her heart out.

ken and Deirdre persist in their baffling attempts to get Tracy to stay but nothing, it seems, is going to stop her from moving in with Charlie

As Eileen dolls herself up for a night on the town, Ed pops round to invite her for a drink. After some playful banter characteristic to Eileen, she agrees to go out with him for the drink before meeting the ladies.

Frankie is also preparing for the night out and Jamie compliments her, saying that she will have men falling at her feet. Frankie admits that she has had insufficient dating experience for this to mean much, prompting Jamie's suggestion that she should go out more to get into practice.

Poor Rita is telling Emily how the trashing of her flat has sparked memories of the Alan Bradley era and she is too terrified to go into her own home. As she sobs into her friend's shoulder, all Emily can do is offer words of comfort.

Tracy is all packed and ready to go and Deirdre makes one last bid to change her mind. However, Tracy is not to be moved and goes out to get a few bits from the shop. An exasperated Deirdre comments that she can't go out after such a stressful day (she's had worse!) but Ken and Blanche see no reason why she should let Tracy stop her letting her hair down.

Eileen and Ed are heading for a beverage at the local when they spot Rita changing her locks. Ed offers help and insists when Rita refuses. She comments that Eileen has landed on her feet with such a nice man and both Eileen and Emily agree, further prompting the viewers to know that this mustn't be the case.

Tyrone is full of excitement concerning his new business venture with Molly and he says that he's down with romance now, aside from the odd one night stand (what a romantic!)

The four ladies are getting ready to set off and Violet warns them to behave themselves.

At the bar, Emily confronts Emily over the state of Rita, telling him that all the awful memories of Alan Bradley have come back and she may not ever be the same. A stressed Fred tells her he can't do anything but Emily tells him to remember how good a friend Rita is and that she doesn't deserve any of this.

Deirdre is getting admiring glances and the interject ion of Liz and Frankie claiming that Deirdre is divorced does nothing to stop his flirtatious advances.

Maria is relating to her date about how she deserved to be dumped by Tyrone because of how she cheated on him. He still holds on to his belief that he was mad to let someone like Maria go.

Deirdre has just received a smacker of a snog from the stranger and she pulls back saying she's married. The man leaves and Deirdre is shocked by what she has done. Her friends however, find it hilarious.

Fred has a meal prepared for Stacy and he tells her that, as Ashley and Claire return the next day, she can't stay forever. She asks where she can go and then turns on the charm saying her and Fred could be good together.

Tracy makes her arrival on Charlie's doorstep and after an initial chuckle, he relents and permits her entrance. But the next person to walk in doesn't get the same warm welcome Charlie is so famous for. He certainly isn't pleased to see Amy.

Back at Fred's, Stacy continues to play on Fred's feelings saying everything could be as it was before only it'd be true this time. Enraged, Fred gets to her feet and tells her that she'll never change. Despite her protests, he yells that she is leaving tomorrow and she is lucky he isn't chucking her out tonight!

But things are about to take a nasty turn... Until next time

Duncan Lindsay



Wednesday 8 February

Written by: Mark Wadlow
Directed by: John Anderson

'Does that thing have an off switch?' Charlie wants to know. It's unclear whether he means Amy's musical toy, or Amy herself. Either way, his flat is a complete riot of children's toys and paraphernalia and he can't get out fast enough, even though Tracy tries to tempt him with dippy eggs and soldiers. He's almost persuaded to stay, but mention of Amy's potty training is enough to propel him off to work eggless.

Stacy has another go at persuading Fred to let her stay. She says she's terrified that if she leaves the house she'll run straight into Stuart. She tells Fred that she has feelings for him: 'How could I not after all you've done for me?' But it's once bitten, twice shy for Fred and he tells her that if she isn't gone by dinner time he'll call the police.

Breakfast at the Barlows. Deirdre is nursing a hangover and lamenting the lack of Tracy and Amy. Ken quips that it's 'two down and one to go,' which makes Blanche go all uppity, and she comments that 'They've converted the old baths into a warden controlled complex. Cornfield View, it's called.' 'Should be Sewage View if it's at the old baths,' comments Ken, helping himself to sugar. 'But if you're really interested, I'll run you down.' Deirdre says Blanche isn't going anywhere, and then starts going on about Tracy again. She says she misses having to empty the bath of plastic toys before she gets in it. 'You should get out more,' says Ken. 'Not if last night's anything to go by,' says Blanche, adding that she heard Deirdre's taxi at 1am. Ken says he's just glad she had a good time, and it's nothing to be ashamed of. Deirdre takes some plates to the kitchen, and she looks rather guilty.

In the Kabin, Norris is being brusque with a white haired male customer who has been standing looking at the magazines for 15 minutes. While he's doing that, Fred comes in wanting a quick word with Rita in private. He and Rita go through to the back, and he tells her that he's given Stacy her marching orders.

Charlie is complaining about his new lodgers to Jason. Jason has some advice about tidying up kids' toys – after all, he's going out with a single mother too. He says Charlie should consider it as a 'buy one, get one free' deal. Charlie says he never wanted a kid, least of all someone else's, and he's not sure he wants Tracy now either.

David is in the Corner Shop, asking Amber if there might be any jobs going. She says at 15 he's under age. She doesn't count because she's family, but she says Dev 'doesn't want any other child labour on the payroll. Looks bad.' During this conversation Jo has come in, and she says she might have work for David, 'Good money, hours to suit.' 'Great!' says David. 'When can I start?'

Charlie has come home for lunch, to find Tracy in seductive mode in her little red dressing gown. 'I can't just drop everything when you click your fingers,' he grumbles. 'So how about you click your fingers – and I drop everything?' purrs Tracy. He clicks. She drops.

That white haired man is back at the Kabin, where Rita is alone. He locks the door and puts the closed sign on, and as Rita comes forward to protest he grabs her wrists (he might be white haired but he's quite powerful-looking) and says 'I don't want any trouble. Just tell me where Stacy is.' 'Stuart!' gasps Rita.

To the Rovers now, where Eileen, Liz and Frankie are delighting in telling Deirdre just how badly behaved she was the night before. She's appalled to hear that she snogged somebody, and says she's never touching another drop of alcohol as long as she lives.

Rita is tearfully trying to convince Stuart that Stacy has gone and she doesn't know where she is. He doesn't believe her, and says that he loved Stacy but she conned him. Rita says she did the same thing to a friend of hers. 'So why did you hide her?' Stuart wants to know. 'I was put in a difficult position,' sobs Rita. He accuses her of being Stacy's accomplice, and raises his fist, saying he doesn't want things to turn nasty but he might have no choice. Rita says she's stood up to bigger bullies than him.

At the Rovers Deirdre is wondering whether she ought to tell Ken about her illicit snog. The others are strongly against this idea, and Liz tells Deirdre that she was the model of restraint, looking temptation in the face then resisting (Frankie is giggling at this), so what's the point in telling Ken she went out and was faithful? Frankie gets up, saying she's 'going to take the bull by the horns,' and leaves.

She goes over to the garage, and tells Nathan she's thinking of buying a car and would like his help, and there'll be a drink in it for him. He asks what kind of car she's after, and she says 'something fun and sporty that I can go charging round the country lanes in with the roof off.' 'Someone after my own heart,' says Nathan. That's not all she's after.

Fred has bought some flowers for Rita and goes to the Kabin. He finds the door locked and calls Rita's name. She screams, 'Fred! It's Stuart!' before Stuart grabs her and puts his hand over her mouth. Fred shouts that he's going to call the police and runs home to the phone. While he's making the call, Stacy comes down the stairs carrying a holdall. 'Stuart's got Rita locked in t'Kabin!' Fred tells her, and she dashes out.

She gets to the Kabin just as Nathan is about to break the door down, but when Stuart hears her voice he opens the door. He grabs Stacy and tells her she's going with him, but Fred is there and he takes hold of Stacy and Nathan grabs Stuart, wrestling him to the ground. Frankie asks Stacy if she's okay. Fred rushes into the Kabin to find Rita upset and shaken but otherwise unharmed. He hugs her and says, 'Thank God you're alright.'

Domestic bliss just isn't happening for Charlie. Coming home after a hard day's work, he's not thrilled to find the flat smelling of poo ('She nearly made it to the potty but she did help Mummy clear up!'), toys everywhere, and Tracy looking forward to a quiet night in, when he'd rather go out. He decides to go out anyway, and goes to the pub.

At the Kabin, Fred has made Rita a cup of tea. Nathan says the police have taken Stuart away. Fred thanks him for his 'timely intervention,' promising him free drinks at the Rovers later. Rita lets him have a complimentary copy of Auto Trader magazine. Stacy is about to go with the police to make a statement. She apologises to Fred and Rita for the trouble she's caused, and Rita says she hopes Stacy won't drift back into her old ways but will start afresh. Poor Rita is in a very bad state. She wants to tidy up the shop and get it open again, but she's very wobbly and upset, and Fred tells her to just leave it. 'Some of these things are shop-soiled,' she says, ignoring him in a vague, shell-shocked sort of way. 'I'll mark them half price.'

In t'Rovers, Nathan shows Frankie the Auto Trader magazine. Frankie tells him he's a hero for the way he acted earlier. Nathan asks her out on a proper date, and she says, 'I thought we'd have to look at at least three cars before we got that far,' and admits it was all a ruse. He's quite pleased. He has a very nice smile – beautiful teeth.

Also in the pub, Eileen and Ed are trying to decide what video to rent. He fancies Dead Man Walking ('it's very powerful'). 'Have you seen Dumb and Dumber?' Eileen says.

Rita and Fred are in Rita's flat, and she confesses that earlier on she thought 'anything might happen.' Fred hugs her and tells her she's safe now, but she's inconsolable.

Charlie gets home from the pub, and Tracy grumbles that it's safe for him to come home because Amy's in bed. She says Charlie hasn't even looked at Amy since she moved in, and he has to make an effort. He says he didn't expect Amy to move in – he assumed she would stay with Deirdre, or go to Steve. 'She's ma daughter!' says Tracy (at least Tracy has moved on from calling her 'ma baby' all the time). 'I thought this was what you wanted!' Charlie doesn't reply so Tracy adds, 'How wrong can you be?'

Eileen and Ed are snuggled up on the sofa watching the film, but Eileen is looking frustrated at the lack of any 'romantic interest' from Ed. 'Won't be a minute,' she says, and goes off into the kitchen, screams loudly, and comes back. 'That's better,' she says.

Charlie is pointing out to Tracy that his flat – one bedroom, shelves full of car magazines, no washing machine, all DVD's are shoot-em-ups – is 'not what you call child friendly.' Tracy says that's easily fixable, but Charlie says that he himself is 'not what you call child friendly.' 'You're asking me to choose between you and ma daughter,' says Tracy. 'Well, she wins, hands down, every time.' She says the people who warned her against Charlie were right. She turns to leave but he races across the room, grabs her and shoves her against the wall. 'I'm not letting you go!' he says. 'I care too much about you!' He kisses her and switches into 'nice Charlie' mode, saying that he should have known what he was letting himself in for, and he's just too used to getting what he wants. Amy calls out from another room, and Charlie says he doesn't want Tracy to go, but Tracy says Amy probably just needs a drink or something. Charlie steps away from her and says, 'Lager okay?' He and Tracy both smile.

Sue Haasler



Friday 10 February

Hello, and welcome to another episode of the How Can Charlie Stubbs Look So Good and Behave So Badly show -- the Friday episode.

We open in his flat where there is a very annoying noise. Yes, Tracy is talking again. Oh, and there's some children's television show on, though Amy doesn't seem to be in the room. Charlie is looking for his keys and it doesn't help his temper when Tracy plays the "warmer, warmer, colder" game. "Hey! Just remember whose flat you're in!" snaps Charlie. She tells him his big effort didn't last long. He glares at her and leaves for work.

There's another really annoying noise in the Kabin. Norris. No, no, it's Ed installing a new alarm system -- it makes a noise almost as noisy as Norris, who objects to the alarm and worries that Ed tampering with it will affect their insurance cover. He has to shut up quickly, though, because Emily comes in and the noise drowns him out! They suggest that Rita get some rest, but she doesn't want to. Emily tells off Norris, because he said he was going to get up early enough to go over and do the papers. "I did," he says, "but she was here already."

Annoying noise is the theme tonight (Maybe ITV is planning to give the episodes titles, as in Friends. "The Annoying Noise" episode). Have you ever heard Maria sing? She's bopping about the salon, doing all the work while Sarah sits and reads the paper. "I want all the details about last night," Sarah says, not taking her eyes off a full-page story, "Dobbs dumps dream girl." Maria can't believe it. She thought she was just out with a lad, not being interviewed. "I never wanted the world to know our business." Sarah advises: "Then you never should have gone bragging to some other bloke about how Tyrone dumped you -- a bloke that's a journalist." "He was dead nice to me," Maria says, in a valiant attempt to defend me and my colleagues.

Over at the garage, Tyrone is shocked by the story. "What's she gone and done that for?" Nathan things it could be a good thing. "There's nothing women like more than a love rat."

Frankie is teasing Deirdre about needing to take tips from her on how to pick up men. As Frankie goes into the cafe, Deirdre glares across the road at the builders' yard and is spotted by Jason, who alerts Charlie to "mother-in-law giving daggers at ten o' clock." Charlie objects to the m-i-l term. "Well, you're living with her daughter," says Jason. "No, technically, she is living with me." Jason doesn't think the term makes much difference. "When Ken and Blanche kick the bucket, Tracy might expect you to take her in."

There might be no construction work going on around the builders, but there's plenty in the taxi office, where Lloyd and Steve are building a house of cards. I wonder if that's a metaphor for their business. They obviously aren't rushed for work. Eileen's not even at the switch but is sitting in an easy chair. Ed comes in and, despite Steve claiming he needs her to work, Eileen says she's free to go out with Ed tonight. "I used to have authority before you became my partner," Steve tells Lloyd. "Lowering the tone, mate," says Lloyd. "Speciality of mine." Ed leaves and Steve offers Eileen a discount on wedding cars. She blows his house down and then knocks their heads together. True.

Violet is telling Jamie that the problem with going out with a barmaid is that when he's finished work, she's just starting. Jamie still wants to go out clubbing after she finishes. Frankie tries for a double date with them, but with no luck. Tyrone comes into the pub and Maria tries to apologise. Tyrone asks why she gave the journalist an interview, then. Maria says it wasn't exactly an interview. Tyrone wants to know how much she was paid. Molly arrives and tells Tyrone she's secured a pitch for the van this weekend, but they've got heaps of work to do. This really cheers him up and he rushes off, leaving Maria looking after him. Frankie comes in and comments to Nathan that his lip looks sore and he won't be doing any snogging for a while, er, not that she's, expecting, er, implying that she and he, er . . . She stops, and Nathan tells her he's booked a table at an Indian restaurant for tonight. Danny sees all this and takes Jamie aside to ask him about it. He thought Frankie and Nathan was a non-starter. "Well, maybe they just can't stay away from each other, eh?" Jamie says cheerfully, leaving Danny looking anything but cheerful.

Maria is walking down the street when she sees Tyrone giggling with Molly as he does a Rolf Harris impression (yes, really. Would I lie to you?) and tries to build a burger, using old tyres, to put on the top of the van. Molly rubbishes it and when Tyrone says a proper plastic model burger costs too much, tells him she's got a couple of fake baps! At least, her dad has -- the council wouldn't let him put them outside his shop.

In the Indian restaurant, there's a slight disagreement between Nathan and Frankie when it turns out he doesn't want to share their dishes and she should just choose her own. "What sort of person doesn't share?" she asks. "One who knows exactly what he likes and sticks with it," he tells her.

In the Rovers, nagging Sarah is having a go at Jason because she's been trying to nag him by phone and he didn't call her. But it seems he was organising a holiday (they go in 14 hours!), so he's forgiven. A slightly sozzled Danny is giving compliments to Violet. When Jamie comes in, he offers to buy him a drink. "Haven't you got someone waiting for you?" Jamie asks pointedly. Danny takes the hint and leaves. Deirdre comes in looking like thunder and heads straight for Charlie. "Tracy's not one to be walked over, you know," she says. "She's not going to stand for stopping in while you spend the night in the pub." Charlie can't believe she's telling him to go home to her daughter. He says Amy is still getting used to going to bed in a new place, so he's giving Tracy the space to deal with it. "Well, Tracy can be sensitive when she wants to be," Deirdre says. He says he can be sensitive, too, and believe it or not, he hopes everything works out between him and Tracy. Deirdre asks about Amy. "Well, you don't get one without the other. They're a family. And I'm glad they've chosen to be with me. Now that's something for you to worry about."

He arrives home to discover it clean, tidy and filled with candles.

Deirdre says goodnight to Emily and Rita, and Rita asks Emily if she'll come in for a bit. Rita almost agrees when Norris comes to the door and scares her off. She pooh poohs any offers of being walked home, but with her back to them her face tells a different story. She lets herself into the house, but is startled by Danny suddenly appearing and making her drop her keys.

Frankie is talking about her nasty habits when she's away on family holidays (she makes the beds, even in luxury hotels). Nathan doesn't really want to hear about Danny, but she doesn't have any stories without him. She discusses the break-up. She suggests that if they see each other on Valentine's Day, it'll be a story just about the two of them.

Tracy is also getting romantic and tells Charlie she doesn't know why Shelley would complain about being locked up in a bedroom with him. He says that's as long as Amy doesn't walk in on them. He tells her to take care of Amy and look after her. She admits she's been through all his stuff and there's no sign of any family. He says he had a mum for a bit. She had some hard luck story about his dad. "She had another son with her next bloke." He doesn't anything about his brother or where he is. He doesn't know where his mother is and doesn't care. "Is that why you hate women?" Tracy asks him. "Are you going to leave me?" he asks her. She asks him if he'd care if she did. "Let's go to bed," he says.

Violet is quite tipsy and cannot remember the security code for the Rovers alarm. "I've had more to drink than I thought," she says. The camera follows where she's looking and we see a giant burger and a giant fish. Tyrone and Molly have been working hard. Jamie offers Violet the spare room.

At the Grimshaws' Jason has the living room spread with clothes as he packs. When he goes upstairs, Ed tells Eileen someone might have to keep her company for the next week or so. He kisses her. She stops him, saying she usually does the sex thing first, not the relationship. He says she'll always know where she is with him.

Rita is on the sofa and turns off the TV. Then she goes through and fetches a duvet. It's clear she's not going to sleep. She turns the television back on and it covers the sound of her weeping.

The End.
Margaret Carr



Sunday 12 February

Here's the update for Sunday 12th February, an episode where, as Valentines day approaches, love is in the air.

It's Sunday morning and Frankie comes downstairs to find Jamie asleep on the sofa, Violet is in his room. She tells him she wouldn't mind the two of them sleeping together, but he tells her affectionately to keep her nose out.

Tyrone and Molly are operating their burger van at a car boot sale, and doing a roaring trade. Along come Hayley and Roy, they're bargain hunting, Roy has discovered someone who specialises in selling vintage ordnance survey maps. As Tyrone places some rather black and charred looking bacon into rolls, Roy comments that the condiments look a little sticky. "There's nothing wrong with my condiments, thank you very much," says Tyrone. He goes on to say how they've heard of the song "Son of a Preacher Man" well, Molly's the son of a baker man. "Daughter!" Molly corrects him, "no woman likes to be thought of as manly, does she?" she says to Hayley, who looks a little uncomfortable. Ty turns Molly aside and whispers something to her.

Jason steps out of his front door, suitcase in hand, and sees Violet stepping out of Jamie's front door. He's still in his dressing gown, and as they kiss each other goodbye, Jason puts two and two together and comes up with the wrong answer. Not blessed with brains, this boy! Applying the usual double standards, he then has a go at Violet as she walks off down the street, calling her a dirty, little slapper, and complaining that she made him wait ages to get her into bed, "And now you go to bed with any old loser," he says bitterly. (He seems to have conveniently forgotten that he was in and out of bed with Sarah while still going out with Violet.) She tells him it has nothing to do with him, and storms off down the street.

Over in the Platt household, Gail and Sarah are struggling to shut Sarah's suitcase. She's really excited to be going away with 'a fella' and although she's miss Bethany it'll be nice to be just her and Jason. David enquires whether Gail is taking them to the airport and Phil tells him that they both are, Gail has put off going to a car boot sale. David tells him he ought to be careful, he's got a funny history with car boots. Phil comments to Gail that David is making jokes about the time he trapped his hand in the car boot, but Jason arrives just in time to cause a distraction.

Rita is over at Emily's, cooking Sunday dinner for the book group, with Norris as helper, and knocking back liberal amounts of vodka as she does so. Emily and Ed are in the living room, discussing the talk he just gave in church. She confesses that she was having a crisis of faith and then Ed came along and made everything better.

Ty and Molly are still cooking in their van. They manage to spill a tub of chopped onion on the floor, and Ty scoops it up and plonks it onto the griddle! "I bleached the floor," he says to Molly, oblivious to the fact that the two of them have been standing all over it. He obviously needs a course in food hygiene. He then burns his finger and the two of them share an almost intimate moment as she tries to minister first aid.

The book group lunch is by now well underway, with a discussion about what their next book should be. Grace is all for a Shirley Conran novel, while Norris wants The Thirty Nine Steps, and Ken would like a new novel called A Ladder in her Stocking, about an old woman wondering if she'll ever encounter physical intimacy again. Norris looks quite shocked, and Blanche says she'd rather encounter her bus pass. Rita by this time is looking well the worse for wear, she's nearly asleep at the table. The conversation turns to old age, and Rita slurs that they are all old and single "I'm not," sniffs Audrey and Ken says that he isn't either. Rita repeats that they're all old and every day they get a bit more old, wondering whether they'll ever experience physical intimacy again. She gets quite tearful then, droning on about the drawbacks of being old and single, and tell Ken to give her a paper and pen, she'll write the book.

Tyrone and Molly pack up the burger van and leave the car boot site. Molly tots up the profits, they've made over eighty pounds.

Eileen and Ed are sitting doing a crossword puzzle. She's extremely prickly with him, obviously still smarting from the fact that they have not encountered physical intimacy.

Over at the Platt's, Phil walks back into the house, telling David that Gail has just popped to Dev's to get a bottle of wine. As he unpacks the supermarket shopping he tells David he has something for him, and produces a cd – Westlife! (Personally I can't believe there's a teenage boy anywhere in the UK that would appreciate a Westlife cd – what planet is Phil on?) David is disgusted. "Do you seriously think I would listen to this?" he says, rudely. He throws the cd down and starts to walk up the stairs. A row then breaks out as Phil shouts at him to get back and pick it up. "Make me!" taunts David, and Phil loses his temper and grabs hold of his arm. Dragging him to the understairs cupboard he opens the door and holds David's fingers round the frame, threatening to shut the door on them. "Please don't, Phil," whimpers David, terrified. Just then they hear Gail coming in, Phil releases his hold and David rushes off upstairs. "What's happened?" asks Gail. "Put it this way," says Phil, laughing nervously, "he's not a big fan of Westlife."

Roy and Hayley are in the pub, studying one of the vintage maps that Roy acquired at the boot sale, along with Frankie and Nathan. Jamie comes in to see Violet, telling her he needs a hair of the dog.

Molly and Tyrone are bouncing along in the van, flushed with the success of their venture, and also feeling rather flushed with heat. They put it down to global warming, but when we see a distance shot of the van, we see that it's on fire!

David is out on the street, when the new neighbour, who's now living in his dad's flat, (sorry I can't remember her name) asks him if he'd like to come in. He agrees.

Tyrone and Molly pull up at a crossroads, getting hotter by the minute and wondering why so many people have been waving at them. They see a woman across the road gesturing wildly at them. "Sorry, we're closed!" cries Molly, laughing. She winds down the window and suddenly the sound of crackling flames and the smell of burning prompt her to look behind. "Tyrone!" she screams.

Eileen is sitting with Ed, bewailing her lack of success with men. She says she knows that men only fancy her when they're drunk, she knows she's not Kate Moss, but on the whole is happy with how she looks. Ed tries to convince her that he does fancy her, "If I was offered Kate Moss a hundred times, I would still take you," he says, and kisses her. He starts to unbutton her blouse, and when she protests, tells her that they'd better get up those stairs. She says she doesn't want him to do something he'll regret. "I fancy you," he says, "so how can proving that I do be wrong?" And off they go up the stairs.

Tyrone and Molly are driving like the clappers with the back of the van fully ablaze. Ty drives straight into the park and into the lake. They get out, with Molly screaming. Tyrone opens the back of the van and pulls out a can and, collecting water, throws a few can-loads into the back. When the fire seems to be out, they wade to the shore, shrieking with laughter. As he tries to help her out of the water they suddenly stop and look into each other's eyes, and then share a tender kiss! Aaaahhhh!

Annie Logan



Monday 13 February

Good evening all, this is the update for Monday night's double episode, packed into a digestable lump of pure quality by everyone's favourite reporter...ha, fooled you. It's actually me.

It's the morning after the night before and Eileen wanders downstairs to find the object of her previous night's desires sitting down with a cup of tea. Slightly miffed, Eileen comments that she thought he'd ran away but Ed explains that years in prison has trained him for early rising.

Charlie is playing a strange game with Amy's doll and she is clearly unamused by his efforts to entertain. Tracy, however, is slightly easier to please and she is happy that he can make play along with her daughter after all.

Eileen still seems put out by Ed's lack of enthusiasm concerning their night of passion but Ed tells her that he regrets nothing and is falling in love with her. We then follow him down the Street to Emily's house, where he is greeted by the ever so polite Norris. The bigoted little man tells Ed that Emily is 'worshipping a different church today' and has gone shopping.

Amber acknowledges a certain chemistry between Deirdre and Dev (something us viewers would rather forget) and demands to know if there is any local that he hasn't slept with. Right on cue, Emily enters and Dev proves her wrong, but Amber can't hide her amusement when Emily tells Dev that she doesn't know what she'd do without him

As Roy prattles on to Hayley about a train set, Kevin loses his rag and behaves like a typical awkward customer (believe me, I know) and agitatedly demands quicker service. Hayley meanwhile, observes that Ed, who is sitting alone at a nearby table, looks troubled.

Eileen is telling Steve of her worries that Ed has gone off her but, after initial joking, Steve sincerely tells her that Ed probably just needs some time. He sets off to have a few hours with Amy, only to meet Deirdre who has some rather unpleasant news for him

Tyrone spots Molly across the street and bumbles over for a cringe worthy joke that would send most females running. However, luckily for Tyrone, Molly isn't most females, and ten jokes later, we're still wondering how to see the funny side while they guffaw merrily on our screens. Steve has stomped round to confront Charlie, but, as expected, Mr Stubbs isn't about to take any jip from Steve and pushes him to the ground ordering him to stay out of his business. As Steve prepares for round two, Ronnie tells him to cool it, reminding him that Charlie and Tracy deserve each other

Dev is moping through the shop having had a call from Sunita. He tells Amber that he is only allowed a two hour supervised visit and wonders if it could be any worse. Amber points out that he may have two teenagers turning up uninvited in the future but Dev warmly (and uncharacteristically) smiles and tells her that it wouldn't be a bad thing.

Charlie has either lost his touch or Tracy is just so much more devilish than he is but somehow he ends up babysitting for a crying Amy. Despite his order-like protests, Tracy still goes out of the door, leaving him holding the baby in the most literal sense.

Shareen arrives at the shop and is greeted by an unwelcoming Amber. Amber has met her match however and Shareen orders her to tell Dev she popped by, before embarking on a series of patronising insults.

Roys Rolls has an unexpected guest in the form of rail track obsessive Clifford and Hayley is less than delighted to see him. He presents her with a figurine and claims that it is her, but Hayley points out that it's just a normal character painted red. Hayley notices Ed is still present but he has soon left and Roy tells Hayley to mind the cafe while he and Clifford waltz

off on more railway business.

Ed and Eileen are sitting together in the pub; something which doesn't pass by unnoticed via Gossip lane. While Norris criticises Ed once again, Sean berates him. Blanche is then prompted to demand the details of the situation from Sean

Ed is telling Eileen that there is something she should know and she is convinced she is about to be dumped. He tells her that, far from it, he wants nothing more than to be with her but there is something he must do first. He asks if she wouldn't mind waiting for him and he leaves his drink behind. Following a slight delay from the wisecracking Steve, Ed visits Emily and tells her that he can't move on with his life and become a better person until he atones. He has something to tell her...but so has someone else it seems, as the phone rings.

Charlie is reaching the end of his tether as Amy plays with a particularly noisy toy. He storms over and removes the batteries unceremoniously, leaving Amy to burst into tears. Tracy, following a day of hectic shopping, joins Blanche for a drink and tells her disgusted grandma that she has left Amy in Charlie's care.

Emily returns from her phone call to Frida and starts to talk about her niece until she realises something is pressing upon Ed's mind. However he is more concerned on something his finger was pressing on and he tells Emily that he was the one who pulled the trigger on the night of the robbery all those years ago. Emily gasps with horrified realisation: "You killed my Ernest!' Ed proceeds quickly after this bombshell to reason that now she knows him, she should see that he is a changed man. Emily, however, is still digesting the fact that she is sat before her husband's murderer and remains silent.

Eileen is still waiting back in the pub and it's up to Sean to try and cheer him up. After a joke concerning an existing wife of Ed's fails to do the trick, he tells her that Ed just needs to sort his head out and he will be back with her in no time. Ed, however, has more pressing matters at hand and is struggling to get Emily to see his point of view. She tells him that he has no idea what he has done to her and that he should never have lied his way back into her life. Ed takes Ernest's photo but Emily snatches it back and orders him to leave.

As Tracy sits in the pub, Charlie is wrestling with nappies. Racy is oblivious to his growing rage and seems set on another battle with Ronnie. Ronnie, however, has a plan, claiming that if the two of them pretend to like each other then it will confuse the warring Steve and Charlie Eileen is even further down in the dumps after Ed has still failed to show up. Deirdre sits down by her friend and changes the subject, saying the man she kissed the other night has turned up and demanded that she moves him up the planning permission procedure…or he'll tell Ken! Roy faces discomfort as he tries to make Ed leave the cafe and ends up faced with a broken man in tears. Roy blusters that he can finish his letter but Ed leaves nevertheless, having finished the best version of the letter he can manage. He needn't have bothered though, as Emily just tears it up and tells him to leave her alone.

Amber has presumed that Shareen is another secret lover of Dev's and annoys him by presenting him with a timeline of affairs he's had. He orders her back into the shop without another word. Having been turned away by Emily, Ed is standing gloomily by his car. As Eileen approaches, he climbs hastily in and speeds off into the night. Charlie has had a phone call from a friend he hasn't heard from in a while and arranges to meet him for a few drinks as soon as he's sorted something out. We can only presume at this stage that this something is Tracy.

Sean is trying to comfort Eileen by saying Ed probably didn't even see her. When she is adamant that he did he changes tack and says she's best off without him and she should move on but she snaps that she can't just do that easily like he can Dev has told Amber that Shareen is another of his daughter's and she's not impressed. She soon forgives him when he apologises for his behaviour and she releases an inane suggestion that they apply to go on Trisha

Tracy and Ronnie are competing for Weatherfield's biggest bitch title at Shelley's expense. As Shelley warns Tracy ominously about Charlie, both women offer nasty comebacks. Well, tray, don't say you weren't warned!

Clifford is telling Roy about the woes he has had with his train set. He was once offered the choice between his marriage and his trains and he chose his wife. But, once he had dismantled the whole train set, she left him anyway. The only thing keeping him going is his quest to rebuild the entire train set and make it equal to it's former glory...or better!

Norris returns home to find Emily in a distressed state. As she speaks philosophically about Ernest, Norris initially believes her to be unwell and delirious...until she tells him that Ed has admitted to killing him

Frankie is of the same opinion as Eileen…that Deirdre should not give into blackmail. Only trouble is, she already has!

Eileen goes over to the pub and apologises to Sean for snapping and he has soon forgiven her. Charlie storms over to the pub with Amy in tow and humiliates Tracy in front of the whole pub telling her she can keep her child as he is going out on the town and he might even cop off because he can't be bothered with her.

Emily is pouring her heart out to Norris who claims that he will call the police. She reasons that there is nothing they can do, and what's more, nothing she herself can either.

What have we learned from tonight's episode?
-When you're in prison, a half six rise is customary
-Eileen doesn't induce insomnia in men
-Buffalo aren't suicidal
-Emily is a shopaholic on the sly
-Ed's a good kisser
-People expect builders not to turn up
-When stressed, it's essential to worship cream cakes, white wine and chocolate
-Two dafts don't make a sensible

Tonight's Awards
-Question with the most potentially offensive answer: 'Who do you think I am?" Charlie
-Most impossible feat: "I tried to stop you acting like a complete pillock" Ronnie to Steve
-Attribute most in character: "Do you not think that's a bit strange?" Hayley about Ed
-Understatement of the week: "I'm in a bit of a state" Deirdre
-Daughter most unlike her mother: "She's a right little charmer" Tracy about Amy
-Most difficult dilemma: "She made me choose between my marriage and my railway" Ernest about his wife

Duncan Lindsay



Wednesday 15 February

Written by: Catherine Hayes
Directed by: Tom Poole

Emily's phone is ringing, but she ignores it. She's sitting in a darkened room, a framed photograph of Ernest visible through the gloom behind her, looking quite stricken.

Valentine's Day is one day late in the Street (on account of Tuesday being one of the very few days without an episode) and Gail is writing a card to Phil. David is on his way out to walk Jo's dog, fending off questions from Gail about this "older woman" in his life. On his way out he meets Phil, who is clutching the obligatory bunch of flowers (not roses, though, so I'll give him points for imagination) and a card in a red envelope. "Are those for me?" simpers Gail. "They're lovely!" "So are you," says Phil (the phlatterer).

Tracy isn't impressed by the range of Valentine cards for sale at t'Kabin, though Deirdre observes that it'll take more than a card to get back into Charlie's good books, and says Tracy should just accept it's over. Tracy flounces out to try the stationer's in the shopping centre which is, apparently, "more upmarket." In the background during all this, Norris has been on the phone, but isn't getting a reply. He tells Rita it's Emily he's trying to ring, and under very slight pressure from Rita he tells her and Deirdre that Ed was the man who killed Ernest. Rita and Deirdre are shocked, and they march straight over to Emily's to administer sympathy and support.

Claire is in t'butchers', asking Ashley if he sent her two Valentines. Only, she got one from him earlier, and now another one has arrived, and she can't work out if it's his writing. Ashley says nowt, but Fred says "appen she has a secret admirer, working as she does in a predominantly male profession." She goes out quite pleased, and Ashley tells Fred it was he who sent both cards, but he doesn't mind Claire thinking she has a secret admirer.

Poor Emily. She's telling Rita and Deirdre how much she misses Ernest and how she regrets that he went into work that day. Deirdre says it must be comforting to remember him, but Emily says, "I don't want to remember him – I want to talk to him. I don't want to spot someone in the street who reminds me of him, or reminds me of what he looked like 28 years ago. What use is that? Everyone loses someone they love, and I loved Ernest."

Like Claire, Gail has received two Valentines. But the second one is apparently from the late Richard Hillman. She tells Phil that someone is playing a sick joke and she's not going to take any notice, but it has obviously upset her.

Cab drivers seem to attract Valentines like a glass of dandelion and burdock attracts wasps in summer. The wall of the cab office is just covered in them, and Steve and Lloyd are being competitive about who got the most. Eileen snaps at them to change the subject, from which Lloyd deduces that "Mr Ed" never sent Eileen a card. To add further insult to Eileen's injury, Claire comes in and tells them about her card from her secret admirer. Lloyd says it might be him, but Steve says it definitely isn't Lloyd: "I know what I'm talking about," he says confidently. Oh dear. Claire may be getting the impression that her "secret admirer" is Steve.

Tracy has taken a card in a red envelope to Charlie, but it isn't a Valentine – she tells him it's an apology card (they have all sorts of cards in that upmarket stationers in the shopping centre). He says he felt that she was using him when she left Amy with him. She says she lost track of time, but he says he likes the Rovers too but he has to admit it "isn't Shangri-La – the world doesn't stop as soon as you get inside." This little joke is Tracy's signal that he's persuadable, and after a little more application of the Tracy Barlow charm she is once again admitted through the hallowed portal of his front door.

Hayley is very annoyed when Clifford comes into the cafe and dumps a box full of model railway on the counter. Clifford says she has no soul, which makes her even crosser. She says she does have a soul and she supports Roy in everything he does ("She does," agrees Roy), but there's a time and a place for everything. Clifford takes the box upstairs to the flat.

Also in the cafe are Phil and Gail. Phil is telling her that he didn't send the "Richard Hillman" card. She says she knows that, but Phil thinks it's what other people will say. Gail says maybe David will make a quip about it, but she isn't going to let Richard Hillman ruin any more of her life.

That Claire is a silly old thing. She's at the counter in the cafe, and when Steve comes in and puts his hand on her shoulder and says her hair looks nice, she takes this as proof of him being her ardent admirer, and tells him she can't work for him any more. "I resign, and that's my final word!" she says, going out without getting Lloyd's corned beef and lettuce sandwich. Steve looks mystified, as well he might.

All the rage and grief that Emily has so carefully suppressed over the years is coming out now (Eileen Derbyshire is acting her support tights off, she really is), as she tells Rita and Deirdre that she won't forgive Ed for what he did to Ernest. Even worse, she says that if she can't do her Christian duty and forgive Ed, "What's my life been about?"

Charlie and Tracy have been making friends again in the way they know best, and Tracy has a smile on her face the size of a half moon. But it rapidly fades when Charlie tells her he's happy for her to move back in – but without Amy. "I don't want her with us – absolutely, definitely, no." Tracy looks thoughtful.

In the cafe, Sean is advising Eileen to go round to Emily's to find out Ed's address, so she can go and see him and find out where she stands with him. Eileen agrees that it's the right thing to do. Their lunch has been delayed because Roy has been upstairs playing trains with Clifford, who has now gone home. Hayley is very unimpressed to hear that Clifford will be back that evening. She says she may as well declare herself a railway widow and go off to the Rovers for a couple of hours. Roy says this is an excellent plan, which isn't what Hayley wanted to hear (it being Valentines Day and so on).

In t'Rovers, Steve tells Ashley and Betty that Claire has resigned. Betty wonders if he was teasing poor Claire, but Steve says all he did was have a joke with her about the Valentine she got. Ashley correctly works out that she must have got the impression Steve fancied her. Then Claire comes in, and says she's glad she resigned, and now Steve can concentrate on harassing some other poor girl. She says he put his hand on her shoulder. "Only so I could see the sandwiches better – I was hardly molesting you," Steve says. Ashley admits that he sent both cards. Steve says it's because Ashley loves her twice as much as anyone else. "He were repeating himself, like Fred," says Betty. "Like Fred," says Ashley. "You were repeating yourself?" says Claire. "He was repeating himself," says Steve. Ashley and Claire say they love each other, and Claire agrees to un-resign herself from her job.

Audrey thinks it was Phil who sent the card to Gail, and advises Gail to dump him. Gail doesn't believe Phil could do such a thing, and tears the card up, saying she doesn't want it talked about again.

Eileen goes to Emily's, and Emily invites her in. Emily and Norris explain about Ed being Ernest's killer. Naturally, Eileen is shocked and asks them if there might be a mistake. Eileen says that Ed told her himself. She apologises to Eileen for introducing Ed to her, saying she misjudged his character. Eileen says it isn't Emily's fault, and gets up to leave, looking understandably upset.

Sue Haasler



Friday 17 February

It's Friday and we jump right in.

Charlie's buttering a mountain of toast as he talks to Tracy about Amy. "She's really quite sweet," Tracy says. "So am I when you get to know me," Charlie points out. He and kids just don't get on. Tracy says she used to be like that, until Amy came along. Charlie points out that Tracy and Amy are actually related -- that might have some bearing on Tracy's opinion of her. He says it's simple. "If you want to move in, fine. Just talk to Amy and get her to make some other arrangements."

Eileen is out in the street. Norris comes out of the door and does a quick about-face and heads back inside as if he's on a bungy cord.

Inside number 3, Norris is huddled against the stairs. "What's the matter?" asks Emily. "Eileen," he says. "What's she doing?" asks Emily, quite sensibly, I thought. Norris looks offended at the questions. "Well, nothing," he admits. "She was just going past. But what do I say?" He doesn't know whether to offer his commiserations or pretend nothing's happened. Emily tells him Eileen's got enough to cope with and won't be worried about him. She tells him it'll be safe to go out now.

Deirdre is trying to talk some sense into Tracy, who left the family holding the toddler yet again. All Deirdre wants is some communication, but Tracy isn't happy. Blanche has a go, too, saying it's not Deirdre's job to bath Amy and put her to bed, but if Tracy isn't there there's no option. "It's not that I mind doing it," starts Deirdre. "Well, what's the fuss about, then?" asks Tracy. They don't want to be taken for granted. Tracy's ready for that. "I thought that's what families were for -- people you could take for granted would help when you needed it." Ding, ding, end of round one and a win on points to Tracy, I think. She takes Amy out for a walk in the park, telling them as she goes that there's something she needs to say to all of them later.

In the taxi office, Steve is trying to get details from Eileen about what happened. Lloyd comes in for some change and almost gets his head bitten off. She tells Steve that she's been put straight about Ed by a kind neighbour. "When I say kind, I mean cruel, heartless and interfering.

There's a strategy meeting going on at Number One. Deirdre and Blanche are busy rehearsing pithy sentences to take Tracy down a peg, but Ken points out that Tracy hasn't done a bad job with Amy and he's sure that if they just make it clear they don't like her staying out all night, everything will come right.

In the Kabin, Rita is asking Norris how Eileen took the news. Norris is discounting the possibility that Eileen was very upset. She's probably moved on to the next fella by now, he says. Steve comes in and Norris asks how Eileen is now Emily's told her the truth about Ed. Steve asks what the truth was, and Rita tells Norris that maybe Eileen wouldn't want it broadcast. But Norris is almost climbing over the counter in his excitement at having some gossip to tell someone. He tells Steve the truth about Ed. Steve is disbelieving.

Tracy turns up at the yard with Amy, but Charlie is still hard-hearted. "You're not just doing this show who's boss or something?" Tracy asks. Charlie accuses her of talking to Shelley, but Tracy denies it. With resignation in her voice she says she's off to tell her family about it.

Steve goes back to the taxi office and reveals he knows the truth. He tells Eileen it's just as well she knows the truth, too. Imagine if she'd carried on seeing him, or married him even, and found out the truth in five years' time. "Or ten," she says. He nods. "Or twenty. Or what if I'd never found out," she goes on. "And I'd've been happy all them years when I shouldn't have been. That would've been really awful, wouldn't it? And feel free to tell anyone because they'd have found out anyway." Lloyd comes in as Eileen goes to lunch and Steve wastes no time telling him.

As the workers come out of the factory for lunch, a skinny, straggly girl stops Kelly and give her some money she says she owes. The girl asks if Kelly's going for a drink, but Kelly covers up and says they've actually got a work meeting. "Who's she?" asks Sean as they walk away, but we don't hear the answer.

David is sitting on Maxine's seat, feeding chips to Jo's dog, when Craig comes and sits beside him. David says Jo is paying him more for walking the dog than Craig would think. And there's more to the job than he'd think, and all. "I'll show you," says David, and they get up.

Emily knocks on Eileen's door and asks if she can come in. They need to talk.

Emily feels she owes Eileen an apology. She shouldn't have told her about Ed. She can't put the cat back into the bag, so all she can do is apologise. "Does Ed know that you told me?" asks Eileen. Not from Emily.

David and Craig go into the flat and David says he's paid to keep an eye on things -- especially in here. He opens a door and there's a cannabis plantation growing under lights in one of the rooms.

"Are we not having any dinner?" Blanche is whining. "I thought we'd wait until after this summit conference," Deirdre says. They hear Tracy coming. Tracy says Amy wouldn't let her leave until she'd read a story. "And you know how it is -- children come first, don't they?" Ken is glad to hear it because of the amount of time Tracy has been spending away from Amy, leaving them to look after her. "So are you saying you won't?" No, they're not. Deirdre says they just don't like being taken for granted. "So, this is more about how I'm treating you, rather than how I'm treating Amy?" Ken says it's about her spending more and more of her life somewhere else. "Right, well that's exactly what I want to talk to you about," she says. She tells them it's serious between her and Charlie and they love each other and want to live together." She agrees with them that children come first. They're confused, but they agree with her. "That's why I think it would be wrong to uproot Amy from her home and the people she knows and take her somewhere she might not even like." Deirdre is looking like a fish at this stage, with her mouth opening and closing. Tracy continues: "So that's why I think I should move in with Charlie and Amy should stay here." Deirdre stops closing her mouth and just leaves it wide open. Her family are aghast. But she says she'll never be more than 100 yards away. She'll put Amy to bed at night and come back first thing in the morning and Amy will never know the difference. Tracy thinks it's just because it's Charlie, but they deny this. "Well, I'm going anyway," she tells them. "Whether you look after Amy or not is up to you. Chuck her out if you don't want her here."

In the pub, Kelly doesn't believe the news about Ed. Lloyd asks Sean, but he won't say. At the bar, Rita is asking Betty if she's spoken to Ed. Rita would have said that she knew him. She thinks there's something terribly selfish about what he's done. She thinks if he's sorry he took a life, he should go and do something useful with his own life, not come back to upset Emily.

Emily is telling Eileen she'd thought about meeting Ernest's killer and thought that if he was genuinely sorry, she'd accept that and forgive him. But she can't. She doesn't know why. She doesn't doubt he's sincere. "He's a sincere and a good man," Eileen assures her. So why can't Emily forgive him? Emily had a dream last night in which she was watching a public execution. Ed was being hanged. Before she can tell the rest, Sean comes in, all bustling. He's goes into the kitchen and Emily says she was very pleased when she saw the criminal was Ed. "So what you're saying is, you'd rather have revenge?" asks Eileen. "Yes," says Emily grimly.

Blanche is warning Ken and Deirdre they could have Amy on their hands for good. She and Ken don't know how to stop Tracy, but Deirdre suggests they play dirty. She tells them to say anything, even if they don't mean it. Tracy comes in, asking them to look after Amy for a couple of hours. She still intends to leave Amy there overnight. "What's wrong with that?" Deirdre tells her: "You won't be here when she wakes up. You'll just wander in when you feel like it. But we're used to that. What's really wrong is you choosing to be round there with Charlie instead of here caring for your child." Deirdre tells her something else. "If you do this, I promise, and your dad and your nan are witnesses, that we'll make sure Amy gets to hear about it. Not now, but when she's old enough to appreciate what it all means, I shall sit her down and tell her what you've done." Tracy tells her she can't mean it because that is awful. Not as awful as what Tracy is doing, Deirdre says. Tracy is appalled. Ken tells her that Deirdre is just trying to make her see how seriously they view this. Tracy says she's trying to tell them how serious this is for her. She says they're trying to ruin everything for her. "Well, I'll tell you what. You're not going to. Cause I'm going to be with Charlie whether you like it or not. And whether you look after Amy -- well, that's up to you." And she marches off. Blanche tells them there's nothing they can do.

Eileen is letting Emily out of the house. "I'm not sure I've made anything better, have I?" she asks. "No," says Eileen. She turns down a hug from Sean. "Why does everyone think that this thing that Ed did all them years ago changes everything?" she asks. "Ed thinks it matters too, which is why he did a disappearing act." She knows it sounds crazy, but she wants to see him more than ever.

Tracy arrives at Charlie's and he checks that she hasn't got Amy in her backpack. Tracy asks him to not even joke about her leaving Amy, "because it wasn't easy." She asks if he really wants her to live with him and share everything with him. He hugs her and says he wondered if she would come without Amy. "You've done it for me. How will I ever forget that?" They kiss.

The End.

Margaret Carr



Sunday 19 February

Gail is up bright and early and surprisingly good-humoured considering, as she tells David, that she isn't sleeping well because of the mysterious cards. He advises her not to let them get to her. Gail catches the aroma of aftershave and teases him that the dog he's going to walk for Jo is lucky. David assures her he's not wearing it for Jo, she's away on a long haul flight, but he'll stay and keep her company if she wants him to. She tells him to go and then quips that at least he knows she won't chew the carpet while he's gone!

Over in the Barlow residence, poor little Amy is screaming for her mother, the absent Tracy. Ken tries his best, but nothing but mum will do.

David lets himself into Jo's flat and finds that the dog has got himself in the bedroom, and when he goes in there to get him, without realising it, he knocks the hosepipe that's watering the plants and it springs a leak. He goes out and shuts the door behind him.

Back at the Barlow's, they're discussing the situation that Tracy has thrust them into. Blanche comments that it's bad enough now, but what about when Amy is six, Ken's in a wheelchair and Deirdre's on sticks, and she'll give them the slip. Ken doesn't reckon it will come to that, and Deirdre agrees, she thinks it's only a matter of weeks, maybe even days, till Tracy comes back. Blanche isn't convinced and tells Ken he needs cod liver oil to build strong bones.

The subject of this conversation, the delightful Tracy, is over at Charlie's preparing him breakfast. He tells her she's an all round domestic goddess, and it's a shame she won't be enjoying the breakfast as she's going to be off playing happy families. She retorts that he thinks he knows everything about her, and serves herself breakfast and sits down with Charlie. "You've got a lot to learn about me, mate," she says, "get used to it."

Over in her house, Eileen is trying to phone Ed, without success. She speaks to his answering machine, telling him she can't stand the silence and feels he owes her an explanation.

Hayley arrives in the cafe to find Vera rushed off her feet. Roy is, apparently, upstairs online, trying to track down a tin of Brunswick Green. "Peas?" asks Hayley, puzzled. "No, paint," says Vera, and tells her it was the colour of the Flying Scotsman, except for a few years when they experimented with blue. Hayley opens the door to the flat and yells, "Roy!" up the stairs. Roy comes down then, and starts to tell Hayley what a terrible morning he's had, he kept losing his connection every time he got to the checkout. Hayley is not impressed, and feels he should have given more attention to his own checkout.

Over in the Rovers, Shelley tells Kelly that some girl scrawny girl with straggly hair was looking for her earlier. Kelly realises that it must be Becky and asks Shelley, "You didn't tell her where I live, did you?" Shelley doesn't even know herself, but hands Kelly a piece of paper with Becky's phone number on.

Just then Jack rushes in and tell Eric (the bookmaker) that there's water coming through the ceiling in the bookies'. Eric immediately thinks of calling the local builder, Charlie, "He does plumbing doesn't he?" he asks. Shelley finds them a couple of buckets and Jack and Eric go off to investigate.

Gail and Phil are in the pub, and Gail remarks that she hopes David isn't making himself a nuisance to Jo. "A trolley-dolly with a heart of gold," says Phil, and says that as David isn't a bad looking young lad, Jo might actually like having him hanging off her every word.

As Roy couldn't buy the paint online, Hayley suggests they go to the model shop in Hebden Bridge to buy some. Roy says it's like 'Mecca spread across three floors'. Hayley tells him she likes going to Yorkshire and has the day planned, he'll pick up some paint, they'll have a nice stroll and find a pub for lunch...she stops when Clifford suddenly appears at the bus stop with just two minutes to spare before the bus is due. Hayley is not happy.

Eric and Jack get Charlie to come and break the door of the flat open. While he goes off to look for the stop cock, Eric and Jack look around and find the vast array of plants. "Blimey!" says Eric, "I've known some keen gardeners in my time, but..." Jack tells him that it's not a garden, but a cannabis farm.

Some time later, David approaches the flat with Jo's dog on a lead. He stops when he sees police cars outside. For some reason that I couldn't quite fathom, he unclips the lead and throws something for the dog to chase. Then he goes running off in the opposite direction.

Lloyd and Kelly are walking along when up pops Becky, to Kelly's dismay. She insists on buying them a drink so Kelly tells her they're going to the pictures and can't be late. Lloyd even tells her they're taking his mum so have to go and pick her up, but Becky won't take no for an answer and drags them off to the Rovers.

David has reached the phone box and makes a quick call. "Jo?" he says, "it's David, whatever you do don't go near your flat, it's crawling with coppers."

In the pub, the discussion is about the drugs bust. Eric is quick to point out it had nothing to do with him. "Except that it's in one of your flats by one of your tenants," says Charlie.

Over at a table, Becky is telling the unfortunate Lloyd and Kelly that her probation officer has high hopes for her. She tells Kelly she can't believe the barmaid, (Shelley) never passed on her phone number. "Barmaids eh?" says Kelly, "bubbles for brains!" She and Lloyd starts trying to get away, but Becky produces a pair of tacky looking earrings she says she bought from the market and gives them to Kelly, along with her phone number written on a beer mat. Kelly advises her that if she's going for any job interviews to wear long sleeved tops to cover up her tattoos.

Back at the Grimshaw residence, Eileen is pretty down because she hasn't heard from Ed. Sean tries to be encouraging but when the phone rings she's obviously disappointed that it's Todd and not Ed.

Emily tells Norris that she's going to church, and when he looks worried she tells him she can't stay away because 'he' might be there. "What am I to do?" she says, "live like a prisoner?"

Tracy arrives back at home, to find that Ken, Blanche and Deirdre have been running a sweepstake on what time she would turn up. She tells them she hasn't come to scrounge a Sunday dinner, but to take Amy to the park. "Just Amy?" queries Deirdre, "not Charlie?" Tracy tells her she'll take her daughter to the park and her man to bed, but she won't take either of them anywhere they don't want to go.

Emily arrives at the church, but as she gets nearer she stops, unable to go in.

Back at Eileen's, she is looking at the phone and Sean guesses that she has phoned Ed. She tells him she just wants to hear things from the horse's mouth. Sean says, "Oh yes, and a convicted murderer is always going to tell the truth, isn't he?" Eileen asks Sean to consider that there might be more to Ed than just a label and she would have thought that he, of all people, would understand that. Sean huffs, "Oh yes, criminals and deviants, we're all just one big happy family!" Sean thinks that next Eileen will have a pen-pal on death row. "You bitch!" she snaps at him. He shakes his head and wonders what happened to her dignity.

Over at Hebden Bridge, Roy and Clifford are in seventh heaven in the model shop looking at miniature manhole covers and a model of Stephenson's Rocket. Hayley mentions that her stomach is rumbling and Clifford says, "The bag!" She looks inside and finds sandwiches. She starts to tell him that she and Roy are going for a pub lunch but Roy is engrossed in what Clifford is telling him about the other treasures to be found on the premises, and starts munching on a sandwich.

Gail is a home, going into panic mode because there has been no sign of David since the drugs raid. She wonders what else Jo could have got him into and is worried in case she might think it was him who tipped off the police. Phil tries to keep her rational, "He's probably just out with his mates after footy," he tells her.

Norris arrives home to find Emily sitting at her table. He asks her how the church was and she tells him it was empty. She confesses that she couldn't go in, she's been living a dream for thirty years. She tells him that if a killer repents, then he can enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but if she can't, or won't forgive, then the Kingdom and Heaven is closed to her. Norris tries to tell her that God won't desert her, but she says that she has deserted Him. Norris offers to pray with her, but as they start she suddenly breaks off when they get to the part: "Forgive those who trespass against us." Emily says that she can say the words but can't feel it. "I can't find it in my heart," she says.

David finally arrives home, and acts all innocent when Gail tells him about the raid on the flat. Gail is completely paranoid as she yells, "Have you been taking cannabis? Is walking the dog the new term for getting high?" David is quite indignant and tells her to get lost. He says he's never taken the stuff in his life, it's for divs who never get washed. She tells him that according to the police there were hundred of plants in there, but Phil points out that they were in the bedroom. Gail says she knows that David has been in the flat on his own. "Oh, so I must have had a good snoop round? What do you think I am?" says David, indignantly. He tells her all he did was to open the door and take the dog out of the hall, walk him and put him back again. (Just who feeds this poor dog if his owner really is away on long haul flights?) He tells Gail they'll just go straight to the police station and he'll hand over the keys and tell them everything he knows, which is nothing. Gail thinks they should talk to a solicitor first, and David says that only criminals with something to hide need to talk to a solicitor. "Thanks a lot, Mum," he cries, and rushes up the stairs. Phil thinks he has a point, and it might look a bit fishy, but Gail reckons that thousands of pounds worth of drugs have been found in the flat and David has the key – now that sounds fishy!

Anne Logan



Monday 20 February

Part 1

Norris walks over to the Kabin to find it closed. He then heads for Rita font door and knocks on it. She asks who it is and then opens the door looking tired. She tells him she didn't sleep well and Norris thinks it because of this business with Stuart. Norris asks if she will be making an appearance later. She tells him she is taking the morning off and he can run things.

Over at the Platt's Gail goes into David's school bag looking for cannabis. David is at the top of the stairs and sees her. He snaps asking her what she is doing. He tells her she was looking for drugs and needles but she found nothing, as there is nothing to find. Gail says she's sorry. He shouts saying he has told her he is not doing drugs and was only walking the dog. She thinks he does not relise how seriously this is, she reminds him the police are going to take a statement and it's a criminal offence. He says he knew she would not believe him.

Over at Emily's she enters her living room and looks at a picture of Ernest. She then walks to the piano where there is another picture of him and plays a melody of 'Beautiful Dreamer'.

At the Grimshaw's Eileen gets a phone call and is shocked to find its Ed. She asks him where he has been.

Rita's flat and she is getting ready. She looks in the mirror and puts some make up on. Before she goes out the door she has a look at her living room and then picks up her coat and goes.

Back at the Platt's David tells Gail he doesn't know what she is making such a fuss about, as it's 2006. Her face drops and she says you can get drugs at school. David says you can get them anywhere. He says alcohol and caffeine is a drug witch she uses. She tells him not to be smart and he replies saying its what she sends him to school for.

Rovers and Fred is dropping off a delivery of pies. Betty says there is no chicken and mushroom ones and he says he will go back and get them. The phone rings and Fred gets it. He then shouts out Bev.

Roadside and Bev tells Fred that the guy drove off and left her and that he mobile phone is low on power. She says she's miles away from anywhere.

Rovers and Fred tells her not to panic and he will come and get her. He asks if she knows where she is.

Roadside and Bev read him a sign that says Grafton Underwood. She thinks its near Kettering. She says she could get a car to stop and give her a life but he says there are all sorts of people on the roads and he is on his way.

Outside Fred tells Ashley who is pulling up in the van that he needs the van, as it's an emergency. Ashley tells him the refrigeration unit is not working properly but Fred drives off.

At the Weatherfield Arms Eileen enters and sits next to Ed. He orders her a drink and says he did get her messages and try's to explain. She cuts him off saying it's just that he killed Emily's husband. She has had lots of one-night stands and thought he was different. He says he is but she replies saying he's a murderer. They go sit in a corner. She asks when he was going to tell her. Ed says he had to tell Emily first. He thought, if Emily got to know him first she would see that he is an ordinary bloke and that it was a long time ago, January 9th 1978. He then tells Eileen that he just couldn't tell her and he thought he had a chance of happiness with her. She says she want to try and understand.

Platt's and the Police are taking a statement from David. He tells them all he did was walk the dog and the bedroom was always kept locked. The police officer asks if he knew any thing about the plants. David tells him he did notice the smell and though she was having a joint. He is then asked if she offered him any. David says no as he's not really into that kind of stuff and says he tired it at school and it made his sick. He asks what will happen to Jo. He is told its up to the courts. Gail says David too trusting.

Somewhere Rita is driving and slows down in a country lane and pulls into a driveway. The sign bears the legend 'Sunnydale Retirement Community'.

Back at the Arms Ed tells Eileen how he and his mate Dave were made redundant and could not find work and that when they had the idea. His sister worked at the factory and the wages run was always the same. The boss would go to the bank and bring the money back to the wages clerk. The wages clerk was Ernest Bishop. They were just supposed to snatch the money but it wrong and they ended up going into the factory and he had a shotgun. He says he was young and thought that if he had money it would make all the difference. He never meant for it to happen. They were meant to grab the money and run and no-one was meant to get hurt. He saw Emily at the trial. After Twenty eight years he can still remember her eyes. Eileen looks into his eyes and sees the pain and tears and there is now way she can ever doubt his sincerity or sorrow.

Over at Emily's she and Betty sit with takes tea as she rages saying they should of hanged him. She says it's cruel for someone to pretend they are a churchgoer just to get close to someone. , Emily says he's not a pretender and whatever else he might be he is a Christian. Betty says an eye for an eye, And not to start going on about Jesus washing away all her sins.

Roadside Fred is trying to fix a puncture.

Sunnydale Retirement and Rita is in a show apartment. They talk about a slide out seat in the shower. The manager says they like to think long term and says this could be her home for the next twenty years or more. Rita looks around the kitchen. She asks id this button is like the one in the bedroom and bathroom and asks what happens if she presses it. He tells her that someone would be with her within seconds fully trained to deal with any emergency. She jokes and says if she can't get the lid of the jar of pickles. She is told they come furnished or unfurnished. Rita looks around the apartment thoughtfully.

Over at Keith's David is round seeing Craig and tells him about the police coming round. He says Jo told them he had nothing to do with it and they could not have done him any way. He admits to knowing she was growing it. Craig points out that he 'was' watering it for her. David says his mum has got him down as a dealer or a junkie. Craig asks if Jo gave him any of it but David just smiles and says what do you think.

At the Arms again and Ed tells Eileen he was in Strangeways and told himself it was an accident and that he wasn't meant to be there and not to blame, but he was. She asks how long he was in for and he tells her says fifteen years. His mother used to visit his at first and his brother only came once. She asks when he found religion and he replies in prison, he had to take responsibility for his actions and thought Christians were all do gooders and bible bashers and he wanted no part of that, but he says you can't escape God.

Emily's and she tells Betty about not being unable to go into the church. She didn't want the vicar telling to search for her soul and find it in my heart to forgive the man for what he did. She does not see why she should forgive him. The wonders what Ernest would have done if it had been the other way around, he would have forgiven him she thinks and he would probably rejoice that Ed found God. Emily says she hates Ed. She always thought she was a strong Christian. She says it just shows you what a conceited woman she has been all these years.

Back at Keith's David tells Craig about Gail searching his bag. Craig laughs saying she should have checked his pockets. David tells him he envies him living with his granddad and says he never does any thing wrong. Craig replies apart from having sex. David think she will end up pregnant like Sarah did. Craig tells him Sarah got pregnant 'cos she was thick. David laughs saying she is and says he can't wait to get away from home. He does not want to be with his mum or dad, he wants to go to America. Craig asks if he has ever been. He says no but can't wait to go.

Roadside and Fred finally arrives. He gets out and hugs her and says he had a puncture. He tells her she will be all right now. They both go in the van as she says she's freezing.

Arms and Ed tells Eileen she knows everything now and she replies that she just wishes he had told her sooner. He says there is no best time to tell someone something you're a murderer. She asks if he regrets sleeping with her. He tells her he's human and not the kind of man who could have a one night stand but with someone he loves. He says he would understand if she wanted to walk away but says he has never felt this way about anyone before.

Amanda Souter

Part 2

Bev and Fred are in his van and Bev is about to explain to Fred what has went on. Fred (not of course fishing for compliments...) points out that they're lucky to have friends to get them out of tough situations and Bev agrees, telling Fred he is very special to her.

It's lunch time at the factory and Danny clearly has business to attend to as he boards a taxi

Still not fully herself following Stuart's attack, Rita has returned from her visit but has decided she certainly isn't ready to retire. So Emily has another suggestion to prevent her loneliness...move in with her!

Just when we were beginning to think that all of Weatherfield's teenage population were either goths or snot nosed brats, Craig brings home a young lady who he intends to study with. Keith believes otherwise and thinks that they'll be studying each other as opposed to coursework and unsubtly points out that the house will be empty for the next couple of hours. All Craig and Rosie fans however will know that Keith couldn't be further from the truth about Craig's intentions

Bev finishes her tale of dumping her holiday romance and apologises for dragging Fred out to get her. She suddenly notices a bit of a pong. Automatic presumption would be it is Fred but he suggests that it could be the meat as the fridge isn't working too well...

Norris returns from his lunch break to hear that Rita is moving into Emily's. After initial complaints he is uncharacteristically understanding and offers to sleep on the couch but Rita gives him an alternative...move into the Kabin. Something which Norris readily agrees to.

Eileen has paid a visit to Emily and all is going well with Emily sympathising with Eileen's situation...until she realises she and Ed are still an item

Bev has vacated the stench filled vehicle and Fred calls a repair man. Fred tells her that the meat is replaceable but she is the 'precious cargo' of the van.

Eileen is trying to fight Ed's corner where Emily is concerned but is not having a huge amount of success. Emily soon loses her temper and rages at Eileen that she can't understand why she loves the person who murdered her husband. Emily's rant becomes too much for Eileen and she flees the house in tears.

Fred and Bev are sitting in wait of the repair man and Fred decides to tell Bev about what happened with Stacey and Rita. Bev tells him he is just a natural protector and she is grateful for it. Something she isn't so grateful for is the clouds opening up and spilling their contents in a sudden downpour

Rita enters her new home and finds her new housemate in floods of tears and comes to comfort her.

Someone slightly more jovial swaggers proudly into the Rovers and gets Leanne's attention. Leanne follows Danny out, mobbed by the factory girls to find he has bought her a sports car.

Audrey sees the Websters across the road and tells them that Craig is seeing another girl. rather than acting like most parents with disgust and anger at this, the parents are pleased that this could finally see the end of the lovers' affair.

Fred is telling Bev that he wished he came on the cruise and they laugh about the misunderstandings they often have. Fred turns serious and opens his heart, emptying out his feelings for Bev...which naturally leads her to be sick. yes, literally. She blames the smell, but we all know the real reason...

Jason and Sarah are back at Eileen's house and she brings up Ed. Sean makes an opportune entrance and breaks the news that Ed is a killer in rather more blatant and sudden terms than Eileen would have chosen. Eileen claims that Ed deserves a second chance.

Bev tells Fred that she lied about Greg being dumped by her...it was the other way round. Fred, seizing his chance, proposes to her and she brushes it aside by saying he wouldn't want her. When he bellows it another 5 or so times however, this excuse goes to pot and she has to give in and agree. Fred and Bev are engaged! Aww

Duncan Lindsay



Wednesday 22 February

Written by: Jayne Hollinson
Directed by: Kay Patrick

Norris is ever so keen to move into Rita's flat. 'It'll be nice to have my own place again,' he says, making sure that Rita is going to leave him enough wardrobe space and he'll be able to put a few of his bits and pieces around the place. She reminds him that the swap is only temporary.

Tyrone and Nathan have tidied up Leanne's car, and she takes it for a test drive, accompanied by Janice and lots of unnecessary engine revving (I'm sounding like Norris). Leanne is of course wearing stylish driving gloves – we wouldn't want her to go out without being properly accessorised.

Ed comes to see Eileen, but is spotted on the way in by Norris, who fetches Rita. They both tell Ed what they think of him, and Rita adds, 'I'm surprised at you, Eileen.' Eileen and Ed go indoors.

Fred and the current future Mrs Elliott arrive back in the Street. He's all for announcing their engagement to the world, but Bev thinks they should tell their own families individually. Fred goes off singing 'I'm getting married in the morning.'

Bev goes into the pub, where Shelley and Betty are delighted to see her. Shelley asks if Greg is with her and why doesn't she have any luggage. 'I'm bursting to tell you!' Bev says. 'I'm engaged!' 'It would be nice to have met him,' says Shelley. 'Not to Greg – to Fred!' Shelley and Betty look gobsmacked.

Ashley is also gobsmacked – in fact Fred plants a big smacker kiss right on Ashley's gob, he's that happy. Breezing past the trivial details of the van breaking down and the refrigeration unit having to be changed and the meat having to be incinerated ('That's hundreds of pounds worth!' Ashley says), Fred says he's as happy as a pig in muck, because he's engaged to Bev. Shelley's mum, he adds, as Ashley and Claire still look confused. Claire is delighted and thinks it's really romantic, but Ashley says he's heard it all before.

Norris is helping Rita move her things to Emily's, and wastes no time in telling Emily that they saw Ed earlier. Emily is sad but not surprised. Rita hands over her flat keys to Norris somewhat reluctantly – particularly as he's taken to calling her flat 'Chez Norris.' He goes off to do his own unpacking.

Ed and Eileen are at her house, looking quite awkward and eating ham sandwiches. Jason comes in, gives Ed a bit of a look but doesn't say anything to him, and Eileen offers him a sandwich. Eileen and Ed are wondering what to do for the day, but talking isn't easy as Jason is sitting close by listening to everything. Then Jason says, 'What's it like – killing somebody?' Eileen yells at him to go and make some coffee. Ed says they could go to a pub somewhere, and Eileen says there's a pub just across the road, and they can't hide away as if they have something to be ashamed of.

In the pub, Shelley (in a lurex poncho) still can't believe her mother is engaged to Fred – after all, she doesn't even fancy him. Bev corrects her on this, saying she fell for Fred ages ago. After Bev has gone through to the back, Betty tells Shelley that it won't last, knowing Fred's track record. Then they're distracted by the arrival of Ed and Eileen. Shelley tells them they could always drink in the Wethy Arms. Eileen says the Rovers is her local, and Shelley points out that it's also Emily's. Eileen says that the people who drink in the Rovers must have done all sorts of things in their past that they could be ashamed of, but Shelley doesn't know about them because they're hidden. Whereas with Ed, he's been honest and open about his mistakes, and served his time. Shelley agrees that she'll serve them, but says if Emily comes in she wants them to leave. Eileen clutches Ed's hand: this isn't easy for her.

Ashley and Claire come into the pub, and Shelley and Ashley commiserate with each other about their respective parents. Ashley says his dad is prone to proposals, and Shelley says her mother swoons as soon as a man looks at her. Only Claire is nice enough to go and give Bev a hug and congratulate her: 'I think you're made for each other,' she says. A little later on, Shelley tells Bev that she thinks she's rushing into things too much, and she might regret it later. She asks her to slow down.

'Slow down!!!' Leanne's car hurtles round the corner too fast, and Janice tells her to slow down, but Leanne's pressing the brake and nothing's happening. The car crashes into the low wall in front of Gail's house.

Kevin, Nathan, Rita and Norris have helped Janice and Leanne out of the car. They're looking shocked but not badly hurt. Tyrone fetches Danny, who comes running out of the factory panicking in case Leanne is hurt. She tells him the brakes failed, and Danny looks accusingly at the mechanics.

Eileen and Ed are at home, and Eileen says she can't wait to see Gail's face when she sees the state of her wall. Ed says he'll leave if Eileen wants him to – even though she says she loves him, she's looking at him like he's a stranger. She says she wants everything to be like it was before, and asks him to come to bed. She says she just wants to be close to him.

In the butchers shop, Ashley is giving Fred the same advice Shelley gave to Bev – to slow things down. He's worried that Fred will get hurt.

Janice and Danny help Leanne back to the flat; she's in some pain and has a bandage round her leg. Janice is a bit shocked and tearful as it hits her what could have happened if Leanne had been going any faster or if they'd been at a junction when the brakes failed. She says it's Danny's fault for giving her a second-hand car, but Danny says it had a full MOT and it had been checked out at the garage. Janice says in that case it's Kevin Webster's fault, and Danny should sue him. Danny says he'll have a word with Kevin.

Eileen and Ed are snuggled up on the sofa reminiscing about when they met over a bag of pork scratchings. Ed says the Lord moves in mysterious ways, and when you have faith it gives you courage. Eileen says love gives you courage too.

Norris is already feeling a bit lonely living by himself. He's had a microwaveable meal for one, there's nothing on telly, so he rings Emily. She and Rita are quite happy, and get rid of him as quickly as possible so they can carry on talking. Rita admits that for the first time in her life she feels old and frail and scared, and she hates Stuart for it. Emily agrees that one person can do a lot of damage in your life. They laugh that they're supposed to be cheering each other up but they're going on like 'two little old ladies.' Then they're alarmed by the door banging – but it's only Norris. He's forgotten tea bags, he says, but seeing that there's a pot already made on the table he decides to join them.

'They all think we're mad, don't they?' Bev says to Fred, meeting him in the street. Fred agrees, and asks what she thinks. She says she thinks they're probably right, 'But I love it, and I love you, and I can't wait to get married.' 'Me neither!' says Fred.

Emily is putting out the milk bottles and sees Ed leaving Eileen's house. She looks upset.

Janice barges her way into the Websters' and lays into Kevin about the car, saying that Danny paid good money to get the car sorted out. Kevin says in fact Danny just asked them to spruce it up, and didn't want to pay the extra money for a full service. He adds that if they'd known there was anything wrong with it they wouldn't have let it leave the garage. Janice calls him a rip-off merchant and says that 'someone has got to pay for that car and that flaming garden wall, and it won't be us.'

Sue Haasler



Friday 24 February

Well, it's Friday again, and coming to you from the country where celebrities pair up with non-celebs for ballroom dancing, singing and ice-skating and a non-celeb wins Celebrity Big Brother, it's time to return to the real world and the Friday episode of Coronation Street:

Leanne hobbles into the room and tries to persuade Danny not to go to work but to stay home and keep her company. All to no avail, however. He's got a business to run and off he goes.

In the Street, Eileen comes out of her door just as Deirdre goes past. Eileen says hello and Deirdre ignores her, so Eileen asks what's up. "You know damn well," says Deirdre through gritted teeth and with her neck in full frenzy. Eileen says Deirdre doesn't know Ed the way she does. "Ed's not like you think." Deirdre puts her face (complete with smoker's breath, I assume) up close to Eileen's and spits that it's not about what people think. It's about what Ed is. He's a murderer. He killed Emily's husband. "You didn't know Ernie Bishop. I did. He was a good man, a decent man. And your boyfriend killed him and made Emily a widow." Deirdre says there's no way Ed can make amends. What he did stays done. "Something like this makes you choose who your friends are," she says. "Emily is. You're not." And she stomps off with her groceries.

In the factory, Sally rushes in late but the others haven't clocked her in because they couldn't find her card. Sally accuses Janice of taking it but the others shut the two of them up. "I don't see why I should lose wages because of her," says Sally. "Lose wages? Our Leanne nearly lost her flamin' life because of your husband and his rotten slipshod work on that car that he serviced." Danny comes in and stops them.

Deirdre comes down. She's late for work because Tracy hasn't turned up to deal with Amy. Blanche is giving her a full and frank opinion when Tracy comes in. "I've been ringing and ringing," Deirdre says. "Yeah, I had the phone switched off," says Tracy. "Needed a bit of a lie in." Deirdre wants to know how long this is going to go on, and all for a man who doesn't think enough of Tracy to let her have her daughter with her. "It's not like that. He's just not used to children," says Tracy. "And do you think I'd've even considered moving in with Ken if he'd said there hadn't been room for you?" asks Deirdre. Tracy at least looks slightly ashamed.

In the butcher shop, Fred is telling Ashley not to sell that tray of dinky pies in the back. They're earmarked for his engagement party. Ashley thinks he should get unengaged. "Come on, Dad. How many fiancees is this?" "A gentleman wouldn't dream of keeping count," Fred says. Fred insists that Claire and Ashley find a babysitter for tonight so they can attend. And they can at least look happy for him, he says.

Shelley's getting her staff sorted out for the party. Sean starts blowing up balloons, but Bev comes in and says she doesn't want any fuss. "Then why throw a party?" Shelley asks. Apparently it was Fred's idea. "It's not too late to call it off," Shelley says, looking her mother straight in the eye. And you know it's not just the party she's talking about. Bev heads off to Audrey's.

In the taxi office, Lloyd and Kelly are sitting down to their lunch when Becky comes in, startling Kelly. She waltzes around behind the counter and tells Kelly she's got a job interview lined up at one of them coffee shop places in t'precinct. "If I can just get me life back on track, same as you did . . ." she starts, before Kelly cuts her off. She wants to know if she can borrow some of Kelly's stuff, like they did when they were . . ." And she's cut off again. Kelly arranges for her to pick up some stuff from Lloyd's place, doing anything to stop Becky finding out where she lives. "It's your fault for being so nice to her," says Lloyd.

In the street, Ed is trying to say something to Emily, but she flees back into her house.

Blanche is in the shop. "I'll tell you what's wrong with people," she says to Dev. "They haven't the grace to feel ashamed of themselves. And I'm not talking about me own grandaughter, though I could." She says Ed made Emily's life a misery 28 years ago and here he is doing it all over again. She buys some gin and then some tonic. Then asks Dev how he'd feel if Maya came back. She's still rattling on when Ed comes in and Blanche's face lights up. "I've just been talking about you," she tells him. "And in case you think I were doing behind your back, I'll say it again." And she does. Ed tells her he's here to make amends, to ask forgiveness. "You miserable scum!" Blanche says. "It's all about you, isn't it? You want to feel good about yourself." She tells him that what everybody thinks about him is that nobody who ever knew Ernie Bishop will forgive him if they live to be 100. "Now why don't you just crawl back under a stone a long way off."

Danny fronts up at the bar for a drink and can't work out how Sean got there and ready to serve behind the bar so quickly after clocking off. Danny asks whether Sean is taking little naps by his sewing machine to keep fresh for his Rovers job. Kevin comes in and talks to Danny about Leanne's car. He tells Danny to sort out the problem of Janice nicking Sally's clocking-on card. "She'll sort herself out," Danny says. "The amount of grief she's been giving me, I'd say Janice was in the last-chance saloon."

Eileen pours Ed a cup of tea and they sit together on the sofa. She tells him about her day. "Because of me, you're losing your friends. You're getting abuse from your neighbours," he says. "I deserve the abuse, but you don't." He thinks maybe Blanche is right.

Fred arrives in the Rovers and says all the drinks are on him, because it's not every day you get engaged. But he says it won't be happening again because he's found the right woman this time. "They say marriage is a lottery," Vera tells him. "No, no," disagrees Jack. "You've got a chance on the lottery." Rita arrives into a bar with a reduced capacity because of the number of balloons. Claire is telling Ashley that Bev might be the right woman for Fred. Shelley says Bev is useless at picking fellas. Ashley is almost insulted. He says women generally take advantage of Fred, not the other way round. "But there is no advantage with me mother," says Shelley, "that's what worries me." Vera is telling Fred and Bev that she and Jack are coming up to their 49th wedding anniversary. "They say the first 49 are the worst," says Jack, becoming more pessimistic with each drink that he reaches for. "There's no chance of you two clocking up owt like that," Vera tells the happy couple. "Five or six, mebbe." And as Vera heads off for the ladies' room and Bev toddles off somewhere else, Fred tells Jack he deserves a medal. "Forty-nine years?" Jack agrees. He thinks the Queen should have given him the VC, the Vera Cross, for courage under constant heavy fire. Keith and Audrey arrive. Keith comments that it was a quick romance. "If the bride were five years younger I'd say it were a shotgun job." As Fred's mouth drops open, Audrey says: "Ignore him, Fred, he's got a really coarse streak." Once Fred goes away, Audrey confesses to Keith that Fred once asked her to marry him. "Underneath, he's a very, very lonely man." As Fred calls for order, Betty asks if this is going to be a speech. "A very modest one, Betty," he says. Fred is standing with Bev, whose treatment at the salon doesn't seem to have extended to combing her hair or doing her roots (one of Audrey's famous "hair don'ts"), and tells her that he's going to remedy the situation of not having a ring when he proposed. Then, making us all wince, he manages to get down on one knee. Then the other. "Will you marry me?" he asks Bev again, holding out the box holding a new ring. "Of course I will, now get up," she says. And Jack and Ashley haul Fred back to his feet again. He puts the ring on Bev's finger. Fred says he knows Ashley thinks he's a bit of an old fool, but he'd be an even bigger fool if he let slip the chance of happiness with Bev. Oh, and he's going to be a grandad again. Everyone cheers.

Becky is leaving Lloyd's with a pair of Kelly's earrings. She tells Kelly that if she gets the job it will be all down to Kelly. She promises the earth in return for the loan of the earrings. Kelly tells her to keep the earrings. She says she and Lloyd have to rush off because they've arranged to meet some people. When Becky's gone, Kelly says she's "dead clingy."

In the pub's back room, Shelley is admiring the ring and telling Bev she doesn't dislike Fred. "I'm just worried you're doing the right thing." Bev tells her Fred is kind, considerate and she feels safe and likes being with him. Shelley gives her her blessing. Fred fetches them back for photographs. Ashley and Claire assure Fred he's got their blessing as well. As Fred and Bev pose, Fred says: "Look at her -- the perfect landlady." And Shelley suddenly realises her job might not be safe.

The End
Margaret Carr



Sunday 26 February

Rita is putting on her slap in Emily's front room. Emily obviously isn't comfortable with this and tells her that there is a magnifying mirror in the bathroom. Rita asks if Emily would prefer her to do it in her room, but Emily says it's fine, although her body language suggests otherwise. Emily then gazes out of the window and sees Eileen and Ed crossing the street, arm in arm. She says that she's hurt, and she wants them to hurt too.

Fred is collecting his van from Kevin's garage. Janice walks past and makes derogatory remarks about the workmanship. Fred points out that is slander. "It takes twenty years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it," he says.

Just then a taxi draws up – Rosie's home. Kevin hurries over and Sally comes out of the front door and hugs her. Poison continues to come out of Janice's mouth, but Sally says to ignore her, she does, and urges Rosie indoors. Across the road the upstairs net curtain moves and Craig waves, Rosie smiles up at him as she's hustled inside.

Claire is chatting to Eileen in the taxi office. Eileen tells her she's off to a seventies disco in Eccles with Ed, and Claire knows what she can do if she doesn't like it. The atmosphere becomes rather sombre as Claire says that she's just worried about her, that's all. Eileen says that Ed's had 28 years of desperation and regret, it's long enough. Claire wants to know that if Emily can't forgive him, how can she. "Because I love him," says Eileen.

Over at the Websters, as Rosie shows the family her photos, little sister Sophie takes great delight in telling her about Craig and Susie Watkins. At first Rosie refuses to believe her, but when Sally and Kevin confirm it, she believes it too.

Fred and Ashley are chatting in the kitchen as Ashley opens the post. Fred suddenly catches the expression on Ashley's face and stops in mid-sentence. "Whatever's the matter?" he asks him. Ashley's had a letter from Matt Ramsden.

Craig has been summoned to the Webster residence to confess or deny any misdemeanours with Susie Watkins, much to the delight of Sophie. "Tell me you haven't," implores Rosie. "No, I haven't," says Craig emphatically, "we were doing coursework." Rosie wants to know why Craig never mentioned this in all the text messages he sent her, and Sally, in velvet tones, urges him to do the 'decent thing'. Rosie then weeps and tells her parents to get him out.

Eileen comes along and finds Ed knocking on Emily's door. Just then, Emily and Rita come along the street and he tries to talk to her. "There's nothing left to say," quavers Emily, obviously distressed. Rita and Eileen try to persuade Ed to leave Emily alone, but Ed is bent on acquiring Emily's forgiveness. Ducking past him and opening her front door, Emily tells him that she does believe that he repents, but it doesn't change anything, it will never change anything. She shuts the door. Eileen tells him he has to stop this, he's scaring Emily. He's tried, now there's nothing else he can do. Ed, however, says he can't stop trying, or his life won't be worth living. Eileen stares at him, "I thought you had me," she says, and walks away.

Over at the Websters, a distraught Rosie is being comforted by her parents who are trying to be sympathetic and disguise how delighted they really are. Sophie continues to make juvenile quips about the state of Susie Watkins' teeth. Sally tells Rosie that no matter how old she is, she'll always be her little girl.

Over at the butcher's, Ashley is pounding some steak with a wooden mallet while Fred says how Joshua is Ashley's son, Matt Ramsden is nothing to him, and that's the way it has to stop. Claire comes in then and Ashley shows her the letter. It would seem that Mr Ramsden wants to know how Josh is doing, and Claire thinks they can't just ignore him and wonders if they can't send him a photo. Fred doubts that would be enough. Ashley is in turmoil. He feels that Joshua has a right to know who his real father is and feels that if he stops Matt Ramsden from seeing him now, Josh may resent this when he's older. Ashley says he couldn't bear to lose Josh, to have him hate him. He knows about this, he says when he found out that Fred was his real dad, something just clicked into place, he was drawn to being with Fred, it was like coming home.

Over at Eileen's, Ed is studying his bible, looking for some quotes to get through to Emily. Eileen gets frustrated when he won't listen to what she's trying to say, and tells him he's obsessed, and he's letting his past kill this relationship. He tells her the only reason he came there was to put things right with Emily, and he can't let their relationship distract him from that. Eileen shouts that whenever they see Emily he pushes her away, and he says he doesn't want to rub her nose in it. Eileen says he's made her feel like they're doing something dirty and shameful. She thinks he's put his whole life on hold and now is expecting her to do the same, well she can't.

Back at the butcher's, Ashley tells Fred that he was 22 when he found out that Fred was his dad and he felt that was too late. Fred says he only did what he thought was right, he'd wanted to tell him sooner. Ashley asks if he ever thinks about the years he missed out on. He says that Beryl and Sam brought him up, but Fred is the one he calls Dad.

Eileen is still very upset. She asks why Ed can't see what's in front of his eyes, Emily can't forgive him because he hurt her too much. Ed is convinced that she will forgive him, she's a Christian. "Not any more, apparently," says Eileen, and asks how many years he's willing to wait for that. He says he'll wait as long as it takes, "All we have to do is bide our time," he tells her, "and then we've got the rest of our lives together."

Across the street, Rosie dumps a box down on Craig's doorstep. As she walks away he opens the door and urges her to come inside and talk to him. He tells her he would never cheat on her, he and Susie are just mates. "Did you kiss her?" asks Rosie, and he assures her he didn't. Eventually they kiss and make up.

Over in the pub, blissfully unaware of where their daughter is, Kevin and Sally stand at the bar, talking over the break up. Sally hopes it will have taught her a lesson, and she won't get in too deep next time.

Over at a table sit Danny, Leanne and Janice. Janice mutters that Kevin and Sally think they're a cut above, but Danny points out that they are not exactly Donald and Ivana Trump. Janice says that when Kevin's business goes down the pan she'll wipe the smug smile off Sally's gob. Leanne says she's sick of hearing it, and tells her to move on.

As Kevin and Sally have another drink to celebrate their daughter's liberation, the very same daughter sits cuddled up to the lovely Craig on a sofa across the street. Rosie comments that her mum and dad will throw a 'wobbler' when they find out, so Craig says simply, "Don't tell them." He reckons if she pretends she's sad and heartbroken they'll leave her alone.

Eileen is tearfully bidding Ed goodbye. She tells him she loved him unconditionally, she could see past what he'd done, but it wasn't enough. She gave up her friends for him because she thought they had something so special. He says he doesn't want to leave, he loves her. She says she can't live like this, and he has to go. He kisses her on the cheek and leaves. Eileen is alone again.

Anne Logan.



Monday 27 February

Part 1

Out in the street Penny tells Danny that she still cares for Mike and is worried that he is not answering his mobile. Danny is not worried. His mobile goes off and he tells her he has to take this call and walks away. Ken is putting is car in the garage and Janice tells him he should not and her and Sally pass nasty comments. Janice shows him bricks for Gail's new wall. Sean tells Fiz he likes when Janice is in one of her scrumptious modes. Becky stops Kelly and thanks her for the bits she gave her and says she has a job interview. Kelly says she forgot her lipstick and walks off. Ken goes back in his house.

At the Barlow's he agrees to take Blanch to the library and then to the one o'clock club. Tracy enters asking where Amy is and is told she's still in bed, as she didn't sleep well last night. Tracy says she will take her to the park and the fresh air will do her good. Blanch says she hates to think how Deirdre would have turned out if she was a part time mum. Tracy says she might have ended up off the rails and in prison. As she leaves Deirdre says, "I don't know how many times I have to say this but where did we go wrong" Blanch replies, "I don't know how many times I have to say this but where do you want me to start"

Over at the Cafe Penny tells Frankie that she is worried about Mike. For all she knows he could be in a Spanish hospital. He is not answering his mobile or the landline. She says Danny doesn't give Jack Whatsit. Frankie tells she will have a word with him, "Leave it with me. If I say jump Danny says how high. I'll find out what's going on with Mike"

Peacocks and Fred sees Ashley sat at the table deep in thought. He says he would give him a penny for his thoughts but knows what he is thinking. Fred tells him to ignore the letter from Matt. Fred says he may be the biologic father but he has given him a loving and caring home and has been there for Josh. Ashley says he just feels weird.

At the Factory Sally yawns. They ask if she had a late night. Janice says, "I bet that Kevin's insatiable. They always say the quiet ones are the worst. Mind you, you can't blame him. She's practically a supermodel" Kelly tells her to shut up. Sally says she was up all night with Sophie. Janice asks if she's all right now and when told she's fine she says shame. They tell her to take that back but Janice says Sophie is a right pain. "That's my daughter your criticizing" Sally says. Janice replies, "And you husband nearly killed my stepdaughter" She says that balances things out. Janice asks if she's been in a car crash. Sally says she hasn't. Janice says she has and it's horrible and sits back down. Fiz says, "My mom pushed me out of a dodgem once" everyone laughs but Janice. "Oh, that not the same" Fiz says. Janice looks a bit hurt and upset.

At the Kabin Norris asks Rita how it's going at Bishop Towers. She says its going fine. Norris says, "Isn't that thing she does with the teabags annoying" Rita asks what he is on about. He says, "You know, she has that margarine container on the windowsill and puts the used teabags in it which serves no purpose whatsoever because she puts them into the bin from it. Lunacy. Sheer and utter lunacy" She tells him its her house. He then goes on and says that he's not allowed to fill the kettle to the top and living at Rita's that's one of his high lights of the day. Norris asks if she's getting on all right over then and she tells him its only temporary.

Outside Danny walks out of the Factory and Nathan watches him as Kevin appears and tells him I don't pay you to stair into space. Kevin wants him to sign a form saying he does not want a company pension. Nathan asks Kevin what he would change about Sally if he could. Kevin shrugs, "I don't know. Her ambition gets on my bits sometimes, I suppose" Nathan tells him, "You know what I'd change about Frankie" Kevin says he hasn't known her for more than five minutes. Nathan replies saying that's part of the problem and he'd change her from going on about her ex. Kevin smiles and says, "Well if it's any consolation, he's off my Christmas card list as well"

Back to the Factory Danny enters with a girl and everyone wonders who she is. Kelly knows as its Becky. Janice says she hopes one of them is not going, and says its fist in first out. They says she does not look like a machinist. Sally asks what a machinist looks like and Janice says like you, dog rough. Sally says she looks like Vicky Pollard. As they go for tea Kelly stays behind and when Danny's mobile goes off she opens the other door. She tells Becky she didn't say her job interview was here. Becky didn't want to jinxes it. She closes the door as she hears Danny return.

Rovers and Janice gets a round in but does not get Sally one and says, "Oh did I forget you Sally? Oh no, I could throw myself in the cut" Sally tells her, "Well we could all have a pint of the bile that spews from your mouth. There seems to be plenty to go round" Kelly says she will get her a drink. Janice asks if she been sucking up to Baldwin again. Kelly says yes. Tracy enters and asks Charlie if he fancies taking her and Amy out for the day. Charlie tells he does not want to pay step daddy all day. She asks him if he has given any more thought to the going away on holiday he replies, "Can't. Snowed under at work" She tells him, "Shame, because if I was to leave Amy here, there would be all sorts of games we could play. In fact we could be at them, or 'it' nearly twenty four hours a day"

Factory and Danny looks up to see Frankie standing in the doorway to his office. She tells him, "This feels a bit weird. It suddenly felt like a year ago. You'd forgot your packed lunch and I brought it over for you. You'd tell me you loved me and I'd believe you, cos I'm an idiot" He replies, "Just when it was going so well" She continues, "No packed lunch today then? I suppose Leanne thinks that's beneath her. Mind you, I expect her idea of a packed lunch is jam sandwiches" She asks if he has heard from Mike and when he tells her no, she asks as he's worried. He says nothing so Frankie says, "From the minute you fell into her bed, you changed. What is it? Did you just suddenly stop caring? He's not well, he is on his own in a foreign country, no-one can get hold of him. He's not answering his phone. Does that not tell you something? I don't even recognise you any more" Leanne who has heard this replies, "That's because I keep him young. You do' remember young, don't you Frankie?" Frankie says, "Don't you laugh at me Leanne, don't you dare, because you know what is going to happen, don't you, one day you'll wake up and he'll be messing around with someone else even younger than you, and probably someone with a bit of class. And you know what I'll be doing, don't you? I'll be laughing my head off" Leanne says, "You should get over him Frankie" She says she is over him and tells Danny she's a hard face cow and that's rubbing off on him and she does not lie. She tells him its not nice seeing him so cold.

Over at the Yard Charlie is telling Jason about Tracy wanting a holiday. Jason tells him he is under her thumb and that she is pulling his strings like a puppeteer. Charlie says, "And since when have you been an expert on women?" Jason laughs says Since Belinda McKenna took him behind the bike sheds in Juniors. He had a smile on his face for a week. Charlie laughs,"'Just because you have had a string of disasters with some questionable women does not make you a lothario. It makes you a loser" Jason says, "Oh yeah, and what did it make you look like when Shelley dumped you at the altar, eh? How did that make you look" Charlie does not look amused and tells him, "The day you lose your heart to someone who is mentally ill then you can talk, alright?" Jason laughs and tells him he is off his head. Charlie suddenly grabs and slams him against the wall. Jason says, "Charlie, I was just having a laugh. What is the matter with you?" Charlie looks very angry and then lets him go.

Kabin again and Norris reads out a 'Top Tip' from what must surely be a copy of the nation's best selling comic, 'Save money. Instead of buying expensive address books, simply get a telephone directory and cross out the names of everyone you don't know.' He rushes to the counter as the door opens and Eileen walks in. She picks up a magazine and goes to pay for it. She asks how Emily is. Norris snaps, 'How do you think she is?' Rita tells her, 'Bearing up, but it's not easy. It's not easy for anyone.' Norris asks, 'And how is your mass murdering fancy man.' Eileen resists the urge to pick him up and snap him in two and tells him menacingly, 'Two things Norris. He is not a mass murderer as far as I know and he is not my fancy man.' Rita splutters, 'You're not calling him your partner!' Eileen replies sadly, 'No, my ex.' Rita sighs, 'Well you're not the only woman round here to get involved with a wrong 'un, but you don't need me to tell you that.'

Over at the Butchers Claire has come with lunch for Ashley but he is not in the mood. She says, "For what its worth I think we should write to Matt Ramsden" Ashley is shocked and says, "What, and let him have Joshua?" She replies telling him so they can state their case and when Josh is older he can see the letter and understand why they did what they did. Ashley asks if she will help and with a lot of excitement she says, "You try and stop me" Ashley smiles telling her to take out the lunch she brought him.

Baldwin's place and Frankie tells Penny that she tried talking to Danny but the younger model walked in. "I've been trying to phone him myself. What are we going to do?" Frankie asks. Penny tells her, "I'll tell you what I am going to do. If I haven't heard anything by the time I go to bed tonight I am going there myself. I don't care if I walk in and find him right as rain. I don't care if I make a total fool of myself. I am going to get some answers"

At the Factory again and Danny asks for a nicker count. As Sally says she has only 2 and that cant be right Janice says she has 25 and Danny asks to see her in the office. She says she knows she is gobby and is sorry. She goes on to tell him about Dennis Stringer and if he were still alive and going out with him she would not be gobby. She tells him Dennis died in a car crash and she starts sobbing saying that's why she was so mad at him for cutting corners because she didn't want Leanne to died. She promises to give back the knickers. He just nods and tells her to go. Janice takes the knickers and gives them to Sally and sits back down quietly.

Amanda Souter

Here's the conclusion of a rather eventful night in the factory

We're back in the Baldwin factory and Danny is inspecting the knickers that have been produced since we last saw the bunch. He is immediately full of criticism, something with doesn't escape Janice's notice. Danny displays his sharp sense of humour that has made him so popular by telling Janice she should relax and work snail speed for six months while she gets over the shock of having a 5mph bump off a kerb. As Fiz joins in the joke, Janice yells at her a reminder of what happened to Dennis before stomping out for as break. Sally shakes her head, reasoning a fairly good point that, up until now, Janice never mentions Dennis anyway. As Danny heads into his office, he beckons Kelly to follow him and starts asking about Becky. Kelly tries to deny that she knows her, but Danny has seen them and was just after a reference for her as she has applied for a cleaning job. The meeting ends, unfulfilled.

Over in the other Baldwin residence Jamie is trying to get information on Mike but the Spanish individual over the phone is struggling to understand him. Penny urges him not to give up.

Charlie is attempting to maintain his male pride and reputation in front of Jason so when Tracy arrives with holiday details, he immediately shoots her down, saying that work will in fact prevent him from joining her. Unperturbed , Tracy light-heartily suggests she takes a friend instead, to Jason's amusement. As she sets off on her way, Tracy walks right past ken as he tries to tell her something cute that Amy has done. He protests that she should be interested but she's clearly not

As Vera and Jack have a domestic at the cafe, Hayley is giving Roy a simple task to go to the post office before it closes. He assures her that he can do this no problem.

She's back at the factory remarkably quick for the next scene and Danny has popped out, leaving her in charge, prompting Janice to call an early break. Hayley suggests they keep working but Janice offers to make tea for all. Hayley reminds her that this includes Sally. Danny has popped round to the Baldwin household for news on Mike but Penny gives him the cold shoulder. Jamie answers the phone to hear Mike is safe and well, he had only lost his mobile. Danny makes his relief clear…but he is ignored. He returns to his factory to break Sally and Janice up. Janice has spilled tea over Sally's workload and received a sharp smack to the face. Witnessing the slap, he orders Sally into his office

Over the Roys Rolls and Vera is plaguing Jack with questions concerning Ant and Dec. A frustrated jack leaves for peace. He passes Clifford on his way, who has popped in to show Roy the latest model accessory for his train set

Sally is in tears and tells Danny that she's had enough and wants to quit. Danny tells her that she needn't do that and he'll sort it out. Sally brightens up considerably, which is more than can be said for Janice when she realises Sally hasn't got her marching orders

Tracy is putting her marvelously cruel acting skills into play, by saying that Amy will be left in the villa or a creche on holiday. Ken and Deirdre aren't happy so suggest they keep Amy with them at home. Using reverse psychology Tracy claims she couldn't do that but her parents insist. It's only when she's left the room that ken and Deirdre realise what Tracy has done

Hayley returns to the cafe and Vera reminds Roy that he's forgotton to do something. Enraged, Hayley storms out. Jack returns, tail between legs and answers Vera's Ant and Dec question...to get a cup of tea!

Janice is bawling at Danny that it isn't fair that Sally has got away with it while hayley is scalded for being 5 minutes late. As she gets louder, Danny orders her to get into the office but she disobeys and heads to the toilet instead.

Tracy arrives in the pub saying her holiday with her friend has been booked. Even though Jason is there, Charlie says he can make it after all...but Tracy calls his bluff saying she put his name on the ticket anyway

Janice is trying to form a deal with Danny. She pretends to be told off and continues work and they forget about the incident. Danny has other ideas and sacks her. Despite her protests, he holds his ground and marches her out. Sally asks Janice if she intends to try and get everyone out on strike, which she duly does, only for them all to make their excuses. Feeling betrayed, Janice offers a huge rant at her former colleagues and friends and storms out into the night, only allowing the tears to show when she's out of view

Duncan Lindsay




Updates written by K Richard Whitbread, Joanne McCartney, Martin Rosen, Ann Logan, Sue Haasler, Margaret Carr, Duncan Lindsay, Amanda Souter.

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