This episode was written by Mark Wadlow and directed by Ian Bevitt.

Sean has been reading the paper - page 9 of the Weathy Gazette reveals that Carla has been found guilty of drink driving and has lost her licence for 12 months - and promptly tells the factory girls, just as Carla and her driver arrive - Janice refers to them as Lady Penelope and Parker. Later in the factory the jokes continue as they discuss the boss's alcohol consumption. She is not amused. Eventually she tells them that after lunch time any more wisecracks will equate to an open invitation for a dismissal. They soon get the message.

John was fearful when Fiz arranged for Joy Fishwick to visit for news of Colin. Fiz is hoping that John will re-assure Joy over her missing son - but John gets a text message from Charlotte reminding him that he is spending lunch time with her. John tells Fiz he has to be elsewhere on secret Christmas business.

At the Webster residence Sally is turning the knowledge of the hundred pound gift to Tyrone for baby Jack into "pressie-inflation" for the family and reckons Christmas will cost ten grand as a result. Kev says he was in a generous mood - and she reckons she must be worth five hundred quid. Kev volunteers to take Sally shopping for her Christmas present and as a result as she says - she knows there is something wrong, but she says it jokingly.

Molly felt touched that Tyrone was determined to give his son a special Christmas, unlike those of his own childhood. Molly does not want a tree - but Tyrone feels he will really like having the lights. Ty's own Christmas in his childhood were awful and he does not want that to happen to his son. Later Ty returns from getting a tree and asks Molly for a lie down - but she really wants a back and to put her feet up - not quite what he was suggesting. She wants nature to take its course over another baby. Ty is very understanding.

Leanne and Nick are both in good humour and when she pops into the back office they are kissing and cuddling within about two words. Clearly any misgivings she might have are all behind her.

Sally and Kev recall a year ago when she found her lump. They hug each other.

Joy has arrived and John tells her that they are not going to be much use. Colin was only in the country for a couple of days and has returned to Canada and has not left a forwarding address. John had hoped to initiate a reconciliation - but at the moment Colin does not want to get in touch. Joy departs but asks if Colin gets in touch then will be pass on a message. Throughout her visit John receives numerous phone texts. He then departs saying he will be late back.

In the Rovers Carla orders an orange juice and lemonade as the factory girls come in. Michelle apologises for accusing her of having an affair and Carla has been shopping - a nice dress. Carla cannot explain her drinking and Michelle is not surprised she needs a crutch in view of the events of the last couple of years. Michelle hopes that Carla will talk to her in future. However Hayley tries to re-assure her and Carla takes offence and departs.

Steve is trying to repair the wall but Owen takes a look and can see that there is a damp problem which needs a proper repair before it gets much worse. Finally he tells Steve that the Rovers has rotten joists which he offers to repair at cost. Replace the plaster and the dado rail - about five grand. Whilst they are discussing the work Jim McDonald returns so he does. The work will take three days. Jim calls Owen a cowboy and Steve orders him upstairs.

The Joinery is about to close after the lunch shift but Carla comes in declining a glass of wine. Carla does not want to be pitied by her own staff. Once she gets to asking for a third glass even Leanne is trying to discourage her. Leanne tells Carla they have some stock taking to do - and Carla says she does not want to hold them up. Nick drags Leanne in to the office. Any minute now the two of them are not going to be fully clothed - horny to say the lease.

Carla returns to the Rovers and tries to talk to Peter but he knows Michelle has jumped to the wrong conclusion already and so it would be easy for Leanne to do the same (not a problem, Nick has got his tongue down her throat at this very moment) so Peter gives her short shrift and sets off to pick up Simon, leaving her angry as he asked her to stay away from him. Ken comes in looking for Peter and Carla lies and tells Ken that Peter left to go to the Joinery to see Leanne.

John met up with Charlotte, complaining that she sent 13 texts today (! obsessed or what), but he cannot respond - she suggests he could have sent a message. He tells her that he would always choose Fiz. Charlotte tells John she couldn't handle sharing him and demanded he left Fiz. She says this is their first row - which she sees as quite romantic and suggests they go to bed and make up. John cannot make her wait forever.

Ken arrives at the Joinery looking for Peter but catches Nick with Leanne in a very compromising position in the office, with not all of their clothes on. Leanne was horrified as Ken beat a hasty retreat, unsure of what to do for the best. Leanne knows this is a total disaster.

Ken returns home unable to believe what his eyes had seen.
K Richard W
This next summary was taken from Corriepedia. There were two episodes tonight, back to back. This is the second.

It's the next morning after Ken's discovery and he's wondering whether to tell Peter about Leanne and Nick. Eventually he confides in Deirdre. Leanne tells Carla that Ken saw her and Nick kissing.

John tells Fiz he'll be working late, as he's going to Charlotte's again.

Sally invites Tyrone and Molly to No.4 for Christmas dinner.

Leanne hires Lloyd as a DJ for the wedding.

Steve hears that Jim is in hospital after being beaten up.

Peter is uncomfortable when Simon asks what a bigamist is.

John is shocked when Charlotte introduces him as Colin Fishwick to her parents and informs them that they're engaged. Ken,

Deirdre and Leanne discuss the situation at No.1. Leanne admits she was wrong and begs for a second chance but Ken doesn't know if she's lying again.

John enjoys himself with Charlotte's parents but is worried about what Charlotte will do next.

Owen acompanies Steve to the hospital and threatens Jim.

Leanne tells Carla that she's realised that she really does love Peter. Carla, wanting Peter for herself, tells Leanne that she doesn't believe her.

Breakfast time in the junior Barlows. Peter gets a message from a mate in Portsmouth who's unable to make it for the stag do. Simon remarks that if a best man is needed, he's still available. He then asks if he's got to call Leanne 'Mummy' after the wedding. She tells him his mummy will always be his mummy, he can still go on calling her Leanne. He says he'd like to call her mum, it suits her. "Right, mum's the word then," says Peter.

In the Webster household, Rosie's off to a photoshoot. Sally tells the family that they've got company for Christmas, Molly, Tyrone and baby Jack. "Great!" says Rosie, "Mr and Mrs Interesting and a screaming brat!" She hopes Molly isn't breast feeding, if she starts getting them out at the table, Rosie is SO not staying!

Ken arrives back home, he's been for a walk to think things over. Deirdre is sure that Leanne has seen sense and whatever happened with Nick is over. Ken's not so sure. Deirdre says Leanne made a mistake – and who hasn't done that?

Fiz and John are struggling with their Christmas tree when Chesney and Katie come in. They look somewhat stunned and ask what they're doing there. It's Fiz's day off and John is on his lunch break. "Never mind that," says Fiz, "why aren't you at the market and why isn't she at school?" Katie says she's got a study period and Chesney says he's on his lunch break. (Erm....sorry but I've run a market stall in the dim and distant past and no market trader I've ever heard of would shut up shop and go off for an hour's lunch!) Chesney then turns the attention to the rather pathetic looking tree. He knows a bloke on the markets who does much better trees than that and he'll take John down to get one. Katie's not happy that now they don't get to have the house to themselves, however.

Deirdre and Leanne meet in the Street. Deirdre tells her that if Leanne says the thing with Nick is in the past, then that's good enough for her, but she's not sure about Ken. He's still trying to make his mind up, he's worried about Simon and Peter.

Molly pushes the pram round to see Tyrone. She apologises for over reacting last night. He says he just wants the three of them to have a brilliant Christmas. She doesn't see why they need Kevin and Sally to do just that, she wants it to be just the three of them. Tyrone wonders what he's going to tell Kevin, he'll be gutted. Molly says that somehow she thinks he'll get over it.

In the Rovers, Ashley is talking to Peter about the forthcoming move to France. Peter says he'll soon get used to having raw steak with an egg on it, and drinking liqueurs instead of beer. "They have beer over there.....don't they?" says Ashley looking worried as Peter grins.

Carla comes in and asks for a mineral water. Then she looks round and sees Peter. She changes her order to a red wine.

Steve goes to pick Jim up from the hospital. Jim tells him that Owen warned him to stay away from Liz, so he now knows that the four that attacked him were under instructions from someone. He can't prove it was Owen, but he warns Steve not to trust him, and asks him to keep an eye on Liz for him.

In The Joinery, Leanne is getting stressed out on the phone about wedding flowers. Nick comes in and sends Cheryl on an errand so he can get Leanne on her own. She snaps that she doesn't have time for this, but he says he wants to know what's going on. "Nothing's going on, not any more," she says, adding that it's too risky. If Ken tells Peter she'll lose everything, Simon, her marriage, everything. "You've still got me," says Nick. Just then Peter walks in and they jump round guiltily. He's come to talk to Leanne about Simon calling her Mum. He thinks it's a great idea, in fact he wants to make it official. Leanne can adopt Simon and then they'd be a real family with certificates to prove it. Leanne is stunned into silence and Peter is worried for a moment, but she hastily composes herself and tells him it's a great idea but everything is happening a bit fast. He says they'll talk about it later and leaves. "Nick, she's all yours," he says. She marches out to the back, telling Nick to leave her alone.

Nick follows her out to the office, telling her she can't hide away in there, and they need to talk. She agrees to meet him outside in ten minutes, if, after that he leaves her alone.

Over at the garage, Tyrone breaks the news to Kevin that they're not coming for Christmas dinner. "Fair enough," says Kevin. Tyrone is then incensed because Kevin isn't devastated by the news. "It's no big deal," says Kevin. Tyrone, however, thinks it is a big deal because it's Christmas. "I don't know why me and Sally try arranging things," he says. "Tell you what, me and Sally will have Christmas together while you and Molly go off somewhere and moan together!" He storms off across the road.

Ken is still pondering over what to do. Deirdre tells him if he tells Peter he might feel better but she can guarantee that Peter and Leanne won't be walking down the aisle. If he keeps quiet they might just have a chance and in a year from now Nick Tilsley might just be a distant memory. "And what if he's not?" asks Ken, pointing out that in a year's time they could be looking at divorce and custody battles. That's enough to drive anyone to drink, let alone an alcoholic. Ken says before he decides what to do he's going to talk to Leanne to try and sort it out once and for all.

Nick and Leanne are sitting in his car beside a busy road. She tells him she's marrying Peter and that's the end of it, she loves him. He tells her she loves him, Nick, too. So that's one all. "It's not a game, this is my life," she says. "Is this what you want from it?" he asks. She says she does, after all what can he offer that's so great? He says they can go anywhere together, be anything. "Say the word and I'll start the car. Just name the place," he urges. She stares at him. "Home," she says, "I just want to go home."

Steve arrives back to the pub to find Owen, Jason and Chris drinking beer instead of working which he isn't too happy about, and drops heavy hints about Owen's involvement with Jim's attack. Then he turns and tells Lloyd all about his suspicions. Lloyd however, isn't convinced, pointing out that Jim could start a fight in an empty room, and also he wouldn't be happy about Liz having a boyfriend.

Charlotte sits in her car in the Street, in the darkness. Fiz, John and Chesney come along, carrying the new tree and laughing and joking. They go inside, and Charlotte looks grim.

Tyrone goes home and tells Molly that Kevin seemed relieved that they weren't going for Christmas dinner. "Less work for Sally, probably," says Molly. Tyrone thinks there might be more to it than that and asks if Molly and Kevin have had a row because she's been so moody lately. "So all this is my fault, is it?" she asks. Tyrone says he just doesn't understand why the two of them are acting like they are. Molly says that if it means that much to Tyrone, they'll go to Kevin and Sally's. "Well we can't now, because I've told Kevin we're not going," snaps Tyrone. Molly says she can't win then. Just then the baby starts crying upstairs and she goes off to see to him. "That's right, walk away!" says Ty. He flings his jacket down, knocking Molly's handbag over in the process. Out falls a packet of contraceptive pills. Tyrone is not a happy man! (That's it Ty – women should, of course, be kept barefoot and pregnant! It's every woman's dream to have two children under a year old, what fun! Grrrrr! Words like selfish and chauvinistic come to mind.....)

In the pub, Owen takes his leave of Steve, asking him to say hello to Liz for him.

Over at a table, Rosie tells Jason she think's she's got cramp from smiling all over a second hand Fiat Punto, freezing in a bikini. He suggests they go back to his place and he'll give her something to smile about.

Just then Ken comes in, he and Leanne have arranged to meet. He sits down with her and tells her that he's been thinking a lot about the situation and about damage limitation. He needs her to make him believe that the affair between herself and Nick is over. She swears that it is over. "Then we'll never talk about it again," he says. Just then her phone rings. It's Peter, he wants to talk to her and Ken, and he's bringing Deirdre with him as well.

Out in the builder's yard, Chris says goodnight to Owen, who asks if he's going to the Stag's Head later. He hands him a wad of notes and tells him to give that to the lads and thank them for a job well done. Chris asks if he shouldn't be a bit careful. "Why, because a loud-mouthed drunk got a pasting, who cares?" asks Owen. Chris reminds him there's a son and an ex wife. "Well, the son's an idiot and as for the ex wife.....trust me," says Owen, seeing Chris off the premises.

Molly comes downstairs after settling Jack. Tyrone tells her she's so good at settling him, she's a great mum. "Thanks," says Molly. Tyrone then produces the packet of contraceptive pills and says he doesn't understand. "What's going on?" he asks, then tells her not to answer, it'll only be another lie. "I didn't lie to you, you just didn't listen," says Molly, and tells him she doesn't want another baby. "Now? Next year? Ever?" says Tyrone. Molly says she doesn't know. Tyrone reckons she just doesn't want another baby with him. "Please, don't do this, Ty," says Molly. Tyrone then launches into a tirade about how he loves her, but what does he get for it? He can't do anything right and Molly treats him like something she's scraped off the bottom of her shoe. "So why are you with me then?" she asks. He says he loves her and the baby. "Just tell me what's wrong," he implores her. She tells him she can't. He says he wants to know. "Believe me, you don't," she says. "Why? What have you done?" he asks. Before she can answer, however, the baby starts crying again and Tyrone goes off to see to him.

Peter has arrived at the pub and he, Leanne, Ken and Deirdre are all seated at a table. He tells them he's really happy because he's got a great family, the best kid in the world and is about to marry someone he loves and who loves him back. He proposes a toast and kisses Leanne.

Over at the bar, Lloyd is talking to Carla. He says Peter and Leanne have done well to make it this far. "They might even make it up the aisle," he says. "They might," says Carla, "but then again, a lot can happen in a week."

Anne Logan

As we build up to what's being called Tram Crash Week, here's the only episode for Friday.

Peter manages to butter toast and talk on the phone at the same time. Simon complains about being a wise man and not an innkeeper in the school nativity play. It's clear that Ciaran's on the phone reading Peter his best-man speech. Simon says the speech is rubbish. Ciaran read it to him yesterday. "Not that bit about Gibraltar, I hope," mutters Peter. "Why?" asks Leanne. "What happened in Gibraltar?" "Plenty," says Simon.

Fiz greets Claire with "Bonjour." That's about as far as her French extends, though she says John knows a bit. Claire speaks to her in another sentence or two of French and as they take the boys off to school tells Ashley he should join in to build up his confidence.

Over at the garage, Tyrone and Kevin moan about the ways of women. Kevin tells him that he's not surprised Molly isn't too keen on another baby. Tyrone's running out of ideas on how to save this marriage.

Charlotte arrives at the bookies' and demands a Christmas tree. John says they'll go and buy one as soon as he's finished work. She manages to milk out an agreement to go and buy the tinsel and the baubles and decorate it together, too.

Ciaran's reading the speech to Cheryl in The Joinery, to Nick's annoyance. Ciaran asks for Nick's opinion but Nick says it doesn't matter because he's not going to the wedding.

Becky chats to Tina on Maxine's bench and says Liz has gone to Andy's in Spain. Tina's never heard of Andy and is startled to find Steve has a twin brother. Becky's suggesting Tina work full time at the Rovers. Tina worries about letting down Rita. "On the bright side, you'll be letting Norris down," points out Becky. Whatever Tina's being paid at the Kabin, the Rovers will beat it, she promises.

Tyrone sees Molly leave the house and against Kevin's advice goes to have it out with her. As Becky and Tina look on, he tries to stop her going to the bank, demanding that they talk. That they have a drink (she's breastfeeding). That she tell him if it's really all over. Kevin watches on.

Steve's talking to Peter, apparently suggesting that the other stags abstain from alcohol. Ciaran comes in and makes the same suggestion. Peter says Nick will be annoyed if he doesn't sell any alcohol and Ciaran makes the passing comment that he's surprised Nick isn't coming to the wedding.

Leanne's talking to Carla about her hen night. Cheryl wants to know if there's a stripper coming and Leanne objects that she doesn't want any of that. Carla tries to stoke the fires of doubt in Leanne's head but it doesn't seem to work.

Tina calls into the Rovers and accepts the job. Owen, at the bar, asks what the fuss is about and Tina tells him. She worries about telling Rita. Owen asks where Liz is and Becky tells him she went to Spain last night. "Spain? Why would she go to Spain?" he asks. (You can all ask me that, too, when I get back from Tenerife!) They're interrupted as Rita brings Max into the bar. Yes, Rita. Apparently Max walked into the Kabin and started helping himself to a comic and some sweets. Becky's astounded. Steve's supposed to be looking after him.

In The Joinery, Peter asks why Nick's not going to the wedding. Leanne makes up a story about a business meeting. Peter thinks it's a relief in some ways and works out that Leanne organised it so her ex-husband would not be at their wedding.

In the Rovers' back room, Becky starts to batter Steve. Steve's astounded that Max isn't upstairs. "I've only been down here ten minutes. What do you mean he's in the Kabin?" Owen sticks his head round the door to ask if everything's OK. He gives Steve advice on taking care of Max. "Never let him out of your sight." He asks after Steve's dad and then says he's been told Liz has gone to Spain. "She forget to tell you?" Steve asks sarcastically. "And I thought you two were close!" Owen wants to know why she went to Spain and Steve says maybe she found out something she didn't like. Owen asks Steve to tell Liz he's giving her her marching orders. "I think she's already beaten you to it," Steve tells him.

Kevin's taken Tyrone home. She says she's ordered a boneless turkey but Tyrone says they won't be coming to Christmas dinner. Kevin says he has to nip out for some cans and mutters "Molly," to Sally as he goes. She turns and looks at a very glum Tyrone.

Carla pops in to see Peter at work and mentions how excited Leanne is getting. She asks if he'll be OK on his stag do with the other blokes drinking. She apologises to him for being a cow and gives him a kiss. "I promise that I will never pounce on you again." "What? Never?" Peter jokes. He tells Carla he really likes her and she leaves.

Kevin's got some cans but he's knocking on Molly's door.

Charlotte and John decorate the tree. Last Christmas Charlotte got a Chinese takeaway and drank herself silly. "Will you pick me up Christmas morning?" she asks him. Yes, she thinks he's coming to Christmas dinner with her parents. He tries to say he's not coming but she's insistent. "Enough is enough!" he says. "This isn't working, is it? I think it's time to stop." Charlotte agrees. She knew it couldn't last. "I'm glad you tried," she says. "All I ask if that when you let her down you do it gently." Aarrrggghhh!!! The woman is completely bananas.

Molly tells Kevin (well, shouts at him) that she's had enough and she's leaving Tyrone. Kevin tries to persuade her not to mention him. She says Tyrone didn't deserve any of this but that didn't stop them. She accuses Kevin of being a coward.

Sally tells Tyrone that having a baby is very stressful and it's a wonder more marriages don't collapse under the strain. Hormones are all over the place, too. "Nobody wants another baby straight away. It's the most natural thing in the world." Kevin comes in and Tyrone says he wants his own marriage to be like theirs.

Tina has something to tell Rita. They're interrupted by Ashley wondering whether Rita sells calculators. She lends him hers to get rid of him. "I've been offered another job and I think I might take it," Tina says. "Is that it?" asks Rita. "I must say I was hoping for something more scandalous than that!" It turns out she saw Tina talking to Becky and worked out what was coming. "It's absolutely fine, love. I completely understand."

John's on the sofa at home, looking very thoughtful. Fiz comes in, full of gossip about how glum Tyrone looks. She's bought a reindeer from the pound shop. "This time next year we won't be a couple any more." John's startled but she just means they'll be a family.

Tyrone goes home and tells Molly about women's hormones. He gabbles that there's no rush to have another baby. "Please, Mol." Molly says she doesn't want another baby with him. "I don't love you. I don't love you any more."

Leanne follows Nick into the bar's office, upset at their subterfuge and at deceiving Peter. She's in tears and he hugs her. "Marry me," he asks. Leanne's mouth drops open.

Tyrone pleads with Molly to stay for Christmas but she refuses. She tells Tyrone that he's a brilliant bloke and he'll meet someone, she knows he will. "It's his first Christmas," Ty weeps, refusing to hand Jack to Molly. "Why can't I make you happy? I miss Jack you know." Molly wipes her own eyes.

The End
Margaret Carr

Written by Peter Whalley Directed by Graeme Harper

By the time you get this update, you will probably know how the second part of tonight's two episodes ends. With that in mind, keep an ear out for all the Phrases of Doom in this, a dramatic part 1. In an unusual opening, we start with a scene, before the credits and music to kick off this 50th anniversary week with a bang, literally as...

Thunder crashes overhead. It's already dark this evening as Janice runs across the road and greets Ken, reminding them that they will soon be related. "Can't wait!" is his somewhat low key response.

The opening music then starts to play while Ken walks across the road. The camera lifts high into the air and we see two trams passing each other over the viaduct.

In the Webster house, there is general talk about Christmas dinner and Leanne's hen party that evening. Sally isn't planning to go and Rosie thinks a hen party in a pub is not very cool. Sally is surprised to hear that Tyrone wasn't at work. She wants Kevin to go and see if everything is ok. Kevin, being a bloke, reckons Tyrone already knows he'd hope things are ok.

Over in the Dobbs house, however, things are not ok. Molly is packing to leave, having called her dad to say she'll be over later, probably take the tram. Tyrone wonders if she's got another man, which she denies. He doesn't believe her and tells her she's not going. They argue and when the baby gurgles, she picks him up.

Becky is getting sweets for Amy and Max. Claire offers to have the kids that night but Becky declines, saying the kids need to keep in a routine, might help Max stay put! Norris sticks his beak in, impatient because he wants to close up for the night and last minute customers are preventing it.

In the betting shop, Leanne has arrived to show off her outfit and hair do (hair swept up, additional hairpiece falling down her back, champagne coloured shift dress and a black shrug. She looks great!) Peter thinks she looks fab too. She tells him Simon is at Claire's and they wish each other a good stag/hen. He kisses and hugs her. She looks a bit troubled and when he says he loves her she says she knows, that's why she's marrying him on Saturday! Pasting a smile on her face, she leaves. The smile disappears when she turns around.

Sunita and Dev are happily bickering in the corner shop to decide which of them stays home and babysits. Tyrone is in the shop but doesn't look very happy and doesn't appreciate their good natured chat. Dev wins the bet, Sally comes in and tries to find out what's going on with Tyrone. He insists he's fine. Sally witters on about Christmas day, whether he and Molly want to come even if just for a short visit, chattering on until he short-fuses out on her and tells Sally that Molly is leaving him tonight. Sally is shocked.

In the Joinery, the stags are starting to arrive. Ciaran tells Nick that the stove isn't working. Nick doesn't think they can get anyone out now as it's after hours (they do have services for that, don't they?) and the menu will have to consist of cold foods. Leanne arrives and wants a word with Nick. There's a few lines between Leanne and Ciaran to establish that Michelle is in Glasgow with Ryan so she will not be around for the hen do. That sorted, Nick and Leanne go into the office. When there, she lays it out. She's marrying Peter on Saturday and that's an end to it. He keeps trying to persuade her, telling her he loves her but she's adamant. She leaves him there scowling.

In the pub, it's Tina's first night behind the bar. Becky brings Max out to say good night. Leanne arrives and is ushered over to the table where Janice, Julie and Eileen are getting started already. The three single women gripe about being single. Tina tells Julie that Graeme wanted a quiet night in so he's in the flat.

The Websters are having their tea and discussing the gossip about Molly leaving Tyrone. Kevin is saying nowt and pretends he knows nothing about what's going on. Everyone is curious and want to know why Molly is leaving Tyrone. The girls tease Sally, knowing Sally wants to go over the road and poke her nose in but Kevin puts his foot down. The Dobbs's don't need an audience if things are that bad.

And they are. Molly is continuing to pack in the living room as they all do when they're going away. Tyrone tells her she's not right in the head. He just doesn't understand and she knows he doesn't. He grabs the case and dumps out all the clothes, insisting she's not leaving. Then he begs, he'll do anything. He'll sleep on the sofa, she can have her fancy man and he'll look after the baby, he begs her to stay. He'll even take pity if he can't have her love. She says she has been pitying him. Huh?

Katy and Chesney are off to watch a dvd at her place later after taking the dog for a walk.

Carla finds Peter about to go to the stag do and wishes him good luck in her usual sardonic manner. "Let's hope this is a night when we all get lucky, eh" she comments. He watches her leave with a smile.

Claire says goodbye to Ashley and tells him to take care. "It's a stag night, what's going to happen" he laughs. (you *are* taking note of all these types of statements, right?) She teases him about his potential hangover and waves some mistletoe around, promising she'll still be there when he gets back. They hug and kiss and he's on his way, too.

John has put a wreath up on the outside of the door. He's brought the hammer in and Fiz compliments him on his handywork. She's also on her way to the hen do. As she goes upstairs to get her handbag, John's phone rings and it's "J Brodie" (Miss Jean Brodie, his nickname for the mad schoolteacher). Charlotte asks if he's told Fiz he's leaving her yet. He hedges. He tells her that Fiz isn't there and will be over to hers later. Fiz returns downstairs with all her gear and, after giving him a kiss on the doorstep, heads to the pub. Charlotte is in the shadows seeing all this evidence of a man who clearly has no intention of leaving his wife.

After the break we're in the Joinery where things are hopping. Nick is nowhere to be seen and Ciaran is busy serving when he wants to be in the thick of the stag do. The men talk about marriage, good and bad. Nick is in the office, sipping whiskey and sulking.

In the pub, the women are having drinks. Rita arrives for a drink before going in to town to meet her friend Doreen. Norris exchanges a few words with his former employee who's now serving behind the bar. He says he's not planning on staying long considering the raucous state of the hens. The hens, too, are talking about marriage. She's not so keen on it (after her luck, i should say not!) Julie would dearly love to be a bride. Most of the women are skeptical but Leanne says she met the man she wants to be with for the rest of her life. Eileen quips "Do we know him?" (you do. both of them!) Carla makes a snide remark about the one she loved not being the one she married. Leanne gets her point but insists she's marrying the right one.

Ken and Deirdre come out of Number 1. Ken is obviously still fretting about Leanne and Nick but promises not to let on to Peter. Deirdre reckons Peter and Leanne will figure it all out and Ken hopes that's true. They part with a kiss as well.

In the Joinery, Cheryl tells Chris that Russ is with one of the neighbours with the other kids (Claire's). Lloyd gets his nose in there, figuring Chris is upsetting Cheryl and the two men get their faces in each other's space. The other men diffuse the situation as Ken arrives. Nick is still sulking but has decided to do something about it. He gets up and walks out of the bar on a mission, noticed in particular by Ken.

In the pub, Deirdre and Leanne are talking about the foibles of the Barlow men. Deirdre advises her to carry on as if she doesn't notice their moods and not to look back, always look forward. Uh oh, Nick has arrived at the bar and wants to talk to Leanne. They go out into the smoking shelter. He tries yet again to persuade her that she's marrying Peter because she thinks she has to. He assumes she's scared and she does admit it. He tearfully asks her to run away with him right now and marry him. He's hitting a sore spot and her tears are falling in spite of her insisting she's marrying Peter and he'll never find out how she really feels. She goes back inside, leaving Nick in tears. Carla sees Leanne come in looking upset. Leanne goes to the ladies' room and when Nick comes through, Carla takes him to one side and makes very pointed remarks that seems to be advising Nick to spill the beans to Peter without actually saying so. He doesn't miss her point.

Tyrone tries to stop Molly from leaving. He realizes she's not changing her mind so tries to insist that she leave Jack with him. "He's my son!" he cries.

Back in the pub, Maria has arrived, having left little Liam with a friend. Becky comes through, frantic, Max is not in bed! Sean says he's not come into the bar. Becky has looked everywhere so figures Max has got out again. She runs outside and down the pavement towards the Joinery as Charlotte is knocking furiously on John's door. When he opens it she immediately confronts him. Leave now and come with her. He wibbles and she reveals that she knows he's lying because she saw him kissing Fiz earlier. John pulls her inside and closes the door for privacy.

Back at Number 9, Tyrone has picked up Jack from the pram and won't give him back. Molly is getting desperate and finally blurts out the truth. He's not Tyrone's flesh and blood. "Jack that you think is your son is not, he's someone else's" but she won't say who is....

With that, the episode ends with a montage of scenes from the next episode, mostly to do with the explosion, crash and carnage as people scream and stare in horror!!!!

And so we kick off anniversary week. It's going to be an emotional ride, folks!

Tvor

Well we are approaching the anniversary. This episode was written by Joe Turner and directed by Graeme Harper.

We open at the Dobbs residence where Ty wants to know why she is going - he is waiting and Molly does not want to say. She briefly holds her head and realises that she has to tell him the truth - she had an affair, it was a big affair and it went on for months and months. Last Christmas she came very close to leaving him - but she didn't and the affair was over before baby Jack was born and the lover wants nothing to do with her or the baby. She cries - it is her baby and not Tyrone's. She came back when the affair ended. He deserves better than her. Ty tells her she should have gone.

In the Street Rita is on her mobile (and they talk about youngsters walking down the road on their phones). Apparently it is Doreen who has caught something nasty and is staying in the warm with a good book. Rita says that will be the safest place for her and will feel better in the morning. She meets Nick and says she will spend the night in front of the television with some chocolates.

Inside the Stape residence Charlotte has some mistletoe and is trying to get a kiss out of John - she also wants to know where Fiz has gone and how long she is going to be. John says she is at a hen do - Charlotte wants to go to the Rovers and tell her, but John tries to stop her on the grounds it will destroy Fiz's world - but Charlotte is only worried about her world. Fiz is living a lie - so Charlotte wants John to call her back and tell her the "truth". They really must tell Fiz - it hurts less if they rip it off. John admits he has got himself in a real pickle and he tries to send her home - but Charlotte is not having it. John asks for more time, but according to Charlotte they love each other and should be together for ever.

Molly decides to depart - but Ty really wants to know who it was. Ty calls her a cheating liar and she agrees he is right to hate her - she wants nothing - but Ty merely gets the consolation prize of the house. He tells her never to come back, he hates her and finally calls her an evil slag. Molly nods and goes.

In the Rovers the girls are almost dancing on the table, but looking lost and forlorn at the bar is Leanne and this is her hen party! Sean and Tina discuss the missing Max. Carla moves to re-assure Leanne who is worried about taking Janice home. Fiz is surprised to find the dishy Doctor Carter in their midst - he had just wanted a quiet drink after evening surgery - and she is only drinking orange juice but he reassures he is not checking up on them and wondering how long before the table dancing starts - Tina reckons in about an hour's time. Even Dreary is not dreary this evening.

Out in the Street Molly is on her mobile and Kev's phone goes off. He is sent to get some ice cream from the shop. Becky is looking for Max but Molly has not seen him.

The stag do is at the Joinery and they are after some food - but Ciaran reminds us that the ovens are down due to a gas problem, which Nick has not reported. Steve says they should have gone to the Rovers! Chris and Lloyd keep eyeing each other up and trouble between them is brewing. The boys all have to name things without which they could not live their lives. Ashley is the first to name his wife (Ken says Radio 3!). Ken and Nick look at each other and the men generally agree on their partners. Nick is looking grim - he tells Ken he is planning to tell Peter the truth and Ken asks him not to do so.

Finally after much weeping and wailing John finds the courage to tell Charlotte that what she wants is not going to happen - he loves Fiz and he wants to be with Fiz and their unborn baby. He will always share a bond with Charlotte - but they need to go back to their real lives - he does not love her. Charlotte calls him a liar and cheat for not having told Fiz the "truth". They argue. Charlotte gets up and puts her coat on and head for the door. John tries to stop her and tells her to calm down as they pull and grab each other. She grabs a hammer and waves it at him a couple of times before he takes it as he falls down. She heads for the door, he raises the hammer and deploys it towards her, off camera and we hear something hit the door. Outside the wreath falls off the door and rolls into the Street.

Take a break, this is a long update, with lots of action.

John checks the body - there are no obvious signs of life and when he pulls his hand out from under Charlotte's neck it is covered in blood.

Sally cannot see the attraction of night clubs - you cannot see what people really look like in the gloom and you cannot have a proper conversation because of the noise. Rosie is not taking her clubbing! Sophie answers the knock at the front door - it is a bereft looking Tyrone who wants to know where Kev. Ty tells them all that baby Jack is not his.

Becky is with Steve in the Joinery - and they go off again looking for Max. Chris and Lloyd are calling each other names until Ciaran separates them and tells them to play nice. Nick tells Peter that Leanne is on the phone in the office - Peter is surprised as she could have phoned his mobile. The others all convince Peter to go and take the call. He tells them that in exchange they must empty their glasses by the time he returns.

In Dev's shop Sunita is re-assuring Molly that she will be missed but that she is doing the right thing. Molly says she will not come back. Kev comes in for some ice cream and Sunita has to go in the back for some change giving Kev and Molly a chance to chat. She tells him she has left Tyrone. The phone in the office goes and we hear Sunita answer it. Molly says she has told Ty that Jack is not his but not who the father is. Molly tries to convince Kev to leave with her - but if not he must say goodbye to his son - she is going never to return.

Becky is looking for Max and finds Claire playing hide and seek from the four children he is looking after which she cannot leave.

At the Rovers the hen party is getting into the swing and Dr Carter is heard to wonder about the worst that can happen on a night like this - Tina tells him he may yet get a surprise (and we know there is one coming down the tracks even as I write). Ken comes in and tells Leanne that Nick is going to tell Peter the truth. Leanne looks disturbed.

John is dragging Charlotte away from the front door when suddenly there is a knock at the door. He opens it to Steve - who hands him the fallen wreath and asks if John has seen Max - John hurriedly closes the door. John is not sure what to do.

Rita has returned to the Kabin and eyes some chocolates on the very top shelf - she gets some steps to get at them as she knows Norris tries to keep them out of her reach.

In the Joinery office there is no phone call and Peter assumes they are simply trying to get him out of the way. Nick however says that there is nothing going on. Nick is about to tell him when Ashley comes in and says that he is going home. He has had enough to drink and wants to get back to Claire - because he is soft. Ashley gives Peter a huge hug and tells him that the new Barlow family must come over to France and they will have a great time. Peter assures him they will and still Nick has said nothing. Ash and Peter hug again.

Outside in the bar Chris trips up Lloyd and apologises for being clumsy. Almost immediately they start fighting. Cheryl shouts at them and the other punters try to separate them.

Along at the Rovers they are on their way to Amarillo.

Charlotte is prostrate, is this the first death we have been promised? John starts to use his phone "9"

Kev is saying farewell to his baby son.

The fight is getting really rough.

They are further on their way to Amarillo.

Becky is still screaming out for Max.

We cut back and forth between each scene of incident.

Rita is still reaching for the chocolate box.

Sally is trying to find out where Kevin has gone - he has not returned with the ice cream and is not answering his mobile.

Kev emerges from the shop and so is now in the Street.

Ken and Leanne emerge from the Rovers Return and they are on the Street.

John enters another 9 on his phone - it now shows "99" - is he going to admit to multiple murders?

Amarillo rocks on.

As Ken walks along the Street suddenly there is a huge explosion glass shatters everywhere and he is thrown to the ground by the blast as is Leanne.

John looks up and does not complete his connection.

Sweets come tumbling down on Rita as she falls to the floor.

Molly has baby Jack in her arms as she and Sunita are blown sideways in the Corner Shop.

In the joinery various people are lying on the floor in rubble, Ciaran is shaken and starts to get up. He is surrounded by flames - the place is alight. He finds Kirk and starts getting him out. They call for Nick and Peter but there is no response. As they try to carry people out there is falling masonry and the only light comes from the flames. We see Nick and Ashley lying still, knocked out.

Deirdre emerges from the Rovers. Ken stands up "Peter is in there" he says.

Molly stands up and wraps her arms around baby Jack - they are all right and she tries to re-assure the baby.

Ken, Leanne and the other revelers start running towards the joinery when suddenly Ken shouts "Wait" and we hear a horn. A tram is heading this way and we can see the tram tracks on the viaduct are twisted and the high speed tram (hard to believe but this one is running empty back to the depot) is coming fast. Tram 1030 has a driver whom we see trying to apply the brakes as he has seen the damaged viaduct ahead. Sparks from the brakes.

Ken and the others now run away from Joinery as they can see what is about to happen. The tram shoots through the broken edge of the viaduct and the first car heads down to the ground and into the Corner Shop and Molly tries to run away, but the tram is faster. It pushes over shelves and they fall just behind her. The second car does a mad dance in the air and pivots on its link with the first car, with the back of the tram flipping over and landing on top of the flats above the Kabin as we see Rita trying to stand again. She screams and shelves fall on top of her.

John and Ken are the only ones standing as the final shot is along the Street showing the mayhem and disaster that the explosion and the tram crash have caused.

See you all soon.
K Richard W

Written by Chris Fewtrell Directed by Graeme Harper

We start off with an aerial shot of Weatherfield, with fire and brimstone and smoke billowing up from the bottom of the screen. The tram has just gone off the rails into the buildings and the witnesses are picking themselves up off the cobbles and staring in horror at the spectacle. People start screaming the names of loved ones that are trapped in the bar. Jason, Chris, Peter...

Lloyd, inside what's left of the bar, spots Chris first off and he's moving. Lloyd helps him up and out and some of the other patrons of the bar are moving as well. Outside, Tina comes screaming for Graeme who was supposed to be up in the flat. "Flat" is probably the best word to describe where she lived now as it's under the tram car. Kevin is up on the ruins looking into the shop because he'd left Molly and the baby in there just before the explosion. Tyrone starts to pull Kev away but when told that his wife and child and Sunita are in the shop, he, too, gets stuck in.

The power is off everywhere. People have come into the pub with the injured. Sean is lighting candles and lanterns and sets Janice to help some of the injured since she's got first aid training. She nervously looks at the first injured person and asks for not water, ice and blankets. Sean is barking orders to people trying to organize the triage, which includes large brandies for whoever needs them.

Outside, it's chaos. Alarms are going off, smoke is everywhere, people are churning around, injured are moaning and many and in a panic. We see Rita moaning for help in the dark Kabin but nobody hears her. Maria sees Fiz collapsed on the ground and rushes past patches of flame around her to get to her friend. Fiz comes round and looks up, horrified. Carla walks through stunned and shocked and alone until Maria calls her over to help with Fiz. Fiz freaks out worried about John.

Dev is on his knees, weak with panic over Sunita, trapped in the shop. Lloyd, having got Chris out, tells Leanne and Ken that Peter was in the bar in the office. He doesn't know if Peter's dead. Ken and Leanne try to reassure themselves that Peter could be alive but one look at the inferno around the Joinery and you would be pretty doubtful.

Lloyd sees Jason making his way out safely and he turns and runs back into the mountain of bricks to get Cheryl. In the back area where the office was, Peter and Ashley are coming round. There's no fire there, at least. Nick gasps "That's the last time I have a stag do in here!" He and Ashley see Peter a little way away. Peter's under some beams and bricks and is barely conscious and in considerable pain. Nick and Ashley set to getting the rubble off him.

Doctor Carter is now in the pub seeing to the injuries, planning to open the medical centre once he sees to the injured people in the pub. John has come to the pub and realizes Fiz isn't there. He and Kirk run back out to find her.

Molly lies in the darkness, trying to soothe the baby. She appears to be trapped.

Outside, Graeme shows up, much to Tina's relief. He'd gone to visit a friend, K2 (Kev King) who'd been down after a gastric band op. Tina smacks him with her torch and then hugs him. He's trying to take it all in but is also glad she's ok. Everyone thinks Rita has gone into town for that drink so nobody checks the Kabin.

Lloyd and Jason are back in the thick of it. David heads to ground Zero though Gail tries to talk him into staying away. No dice, he's going to help like everyone else. Dr. Carter insists that Gail come to the medical centre with him. She's got first aid training too but she's just as insistent she's staying. He pours on the guilt. She looks back to the fire and then follows him back down the street, reluctantly.

Gary is standing by his house but he's not seeing Weatherfield, he's seeing and hearing a firefight in Afghanistan. His eyes are wide, vision blurred, and he's sweating and breathing heavily. He doesn't hear anything but gunshots and bombs.

Lloyd, David and Jason find Cheryl and help her out while Eileen outside is scared stiff. There's Gail, i guess she didn't go to the medical centre after all. They exchange a few words of support, the enmity put aside for now, now that Jason is being heroic and Nick is trapped. Eileen doesn't go in for heroes much, she just wants her son out and safe but she knows she can't make him not help.

Fiz has been helped into the factory by Carla and Maria. She's hysterical, thinking John was in the factory and she's in a lot of pain and scared the baby is hurt. Carla sends Maria for Dr. Carter and tries to keep Fiz calm.

Jason and David bring Cheryl out. David tells Gail the whole viaduct is down and Nick appears to be trapped. Lloyd knocks on the door of Number 13 to rouse Claire but when he realizes there's a fire inside, he kicks down the door. The fire then explodes out the door, throwing Lloyd to the ground. The others watch with wide, terrified eyes. Leanne realizes Simon was in there and Cheryl screams for Russ. Eileen tries to stop Jason but he runs into the burning house as Lloyd comes out with Russ in his arms. Claire comes out with her sons but screams that Simon had gone upstairs. Jason runs in and up the stairs past the flames, carrying a torch and hollering for Simon.

Deirdre holds the Peacock boys and Claire catches her breath but they send her and the boys down to the medical centre to get checked for smoke inhalation.

Gary has slipped back into his own house, trying to evade the war that's going on in his head. He cries, he sinks to the floor.

In the ginnel, Becky is staggering by the gates hollering for Max and Steve. She hears Jason hollering for Simon and she crawls into the back of the shop where she sees Sunita covered in bricks. Immediately she starts pulling bricks off Sunita but there's a concrete slab on her and Becky can't move it. She grabs a bottle of water and gives Sunita a little drink, promising to get help. Sunita doesn't want her to leave but Becky has to let someone know she's in there.

Maria finds John in the cafe and sends him down to the factory. Roy and Hayley have their camping lanterns lit and camp stoves fired up for tea and soup.

Back in the ruins of the bar, Ash and Nick are trying to move the heavy metal over Peter who groans when they pull him out from under it. They move him away and over to a clear spot though there's still dust and rubble falling. Ashley tells Nick that Peter's in a bad way and they have to get him out. Nick knows they all three could be goners if they don't get out. The walls and ceilings are groaning as dust showers them.

Fiz is a little calmer now she's seen John but there's a problem with the baby. Fiz is in a lot of pain. Maria finally arrives with the doctor. He checks her and speaks to her calmly while she writhes in agony.

Outside, Becky runs to Dev and pulls him up off the ground to get help for Sunita. He seems to be injured but he and Ciaran go with Becky. Eileen and Rosie are frantic because Jason is still in the burning house. The fire is so bad on the ground floor that Lloyd can no longer get in. Upstairs, Jason is looking for Simon, shining his torch in corners and closets. He enters a fiery room and hears Simon call. He's hidden himself in a wardrobe, brave little lad. Jason picks him up and heads back into the hallway but he sees he can't get back down the steps.

Dev and Ciaran life the concrete off Sunita and see that her abdomen is soaked with blood. Sunita is semi conscious but when Dev tells her he loves her, she tries to tell him that Molly is in the other room but can't get the words out.

Becky is trying to get hold of Steve but he's not answering. Mind you, most people can't get a signal at all so she's lucky she got that much. Out of the shadows behind her, Steve finally arrives. He'd been looking for Max a few streets over though didn't find him. Becky clutches on to him joyfully, glad with every fibre of her that he's ok but they're both beside themselves, wondering where Max is, if he's been injured and under the rubble somewhere. Becky's freaking out and blaming herself.

Molly is still alive, still under the groaning and creaking beams and slabs. She's talking to the baby who starts to cry. Kevin, Tyrone and Graeme have been trying to pull debris away from the shop and hear the baby cry. At least little Jack is still alive!

In the factory it seems as though Fiz has gone into labour. The doctor tells her they will cope and goes to find out where the ambulances are.

Molly jostles the baby to calm him and then passes out. The women all watch the rescue attempts of the men as the fire trucks and ambulance sirens finally approach. John asks the doctor what's going to happen and is told that the baby has to be put straight into an incubator and on a ventilator once it's born. Dr. Carter meets the Chief Fire guy or police supervisor out of a car but is more or less given the brush off. Apparently a large accident on a main through fare is what has delayed the emergency vehicles but they are on their way. John shouts at the doctor to answer his question, what happens if the baby is born right there? The doctor shakes his head and says it's unlikely the baby would survive.

Sirens blare and the neenaw of ambulances cut through the night as John stands there, his heart in his throat.

There the episode ends. Stay tuned for further rescue efforts. Will Jason and Simon escape the burning inferno? Will Nick, Ashley and Peter be rescued? What about Rita? Will anyone realize she's not out on the tiles but under a shower of sweets? And Gary... poor shell shocked and traumatized Gary, what will happen to him?

Tvor

A busy week this week. This is the Wednesday episode, tomorrow is the hour long special. This particular episode was written by Martin Allen and directed by Tony Prescott.

We open looking down on the Street from a helicopter which is shining a light down onto the crashed tram, there is demand for more (fire) pumps as this is a major incident. On the Street itself a senior fire officer is instructing a policeman to cordon off the area as it is not safe.

Molly is asleep - with baby Jack in her arms. Ty and Kev are trying to dig her out and we hear Sally and others demanding that the crews put their efforts into getting people out of the rubble and wreckage and to put the fires out. Carla in particular is quiet looking around, realising that Nick and Peter have not yet emerged.

John wants to know why an ambulance has not yet arrived for Fiz (who is in labour). Dr Carter is going to get a drip to help maintain Fiz's blood pressure. Fiz is starting to panic and we hear an ambulance arriving.

Jason is still in the Peacock house with Simon. Gail is on the phone to Audrey telling her what has happened.

Good news - there were no passengers on the tram - it was running empty to depot. The driver, however, is somewhere under that lot.

Jason is at an upstairs window calling for help. Simon is safe. A fireman puts a ladder up to the window and climbs up bringing out Simon first and then Jason climbs down. Leanne puts her arms around Simon as he observes that it was a bit smoky up there! Everyone is thanking Jason for his heroics and slapping him on the back - except Eileen who clubs him around the head and tells him never to do that again. Good Northern girl is R'Eileen. More important to keep him on his toes than give him thanks!

The senior fireman approaches Norris who says that there was no-one in the shop - the woman who works for him has gone out for the evening. This is good news. Emily suggests phoning Rita to advise her that her flat no longer exists. He tries - but gets no answer - she must be busy talking to Doreen. However, hidden by the noise, we can hear and see Rita's mobile ringing on the floor beside her. We see her move, so she is still with us.

Ty is almost beside himself with worry over Molly and Jack.

Anna has found Eddie who merely has a few cuts but Gary has now gone missing completely.

Ashley and Nick are trying to move beams and other rubble so they can release Peter.

Baby Jack starts to cry - but Molly is oblivious.

In Roy's Rolls, they are firing up the emergency calor gas cooker - bought in 1975 and never let Roy down - as they start to think about helping their neighbours. Claire comes in with the boys and Hayley calms her down. Claire decides to ring Ashley and leave him a message to say that there are some problems but the three of them are safe in the cafe. The two boys leave Ashley a message.

The ambulance team arrive and they are going to take Fiz to the hospital immediately.

Carla is demanding assistance - which leaves Leanne wondering why she is so concerned. Gail wants to know why Nick and Peter were in the office together and Leanne says that no one has a clue. We know though don't we boys and girls?

Ashley spots a gap in the rubble and thinks there may be a way out - he tells Nick not to go - he has his best suit on and it may get dirty - both of them are covered in a thick layer of dust and dirt already! Ash works his way to the top of the pile but his way forward is blocked by flames.

Ciaran carries Sunita around the corner with Dev demanding a doctor. Dr Carter arrives and Sunita comes round. Her arm appears to be broken - but she can feel Dr Carter touching her.

Ash and Nick are still shouting - but no one can hear them. Ash gets a signal on his mobile and is able to receive the message which Claire and the boys left a few minutes before. Nick tells him to call 999 so they can report that they are trapped.

At the Rovers, Eddie is downing a short. Gary still cannot be traced. Becky and Steve cannot find Max and Steve wants to tell the police so goes through to use the phone. Anna keeps trying to ring Gary - he is at home and he is reliving his war experiences, he is scared and undergoing a breakdown. We hear noises, gunshots, explosions and flashing lights and Gary is experiencing far far worse.

Ashley has made a connection and is reporting that Peter is trapped and that it is serious. He tells Nick what has happened and Ashley is coughing badly - not just the dust - he takes his handkerchief away his mouth to find it covered with blood.

After the break, Sunita is being loaded into an ambulance and she and Dev depart into the night. Dev tells Ciaran he will never forget this. Fiz is being loaded into another ambulance when John realises that there is a dead body in his house and he suggests he should get a bag - but the ambulance staff insist on leaving now.

Molly is still out for the count.

Nick tries to re-assure Peter they are going to get him out and Ashley is still coughing up blood. A policeman is interviewing Becky and Steve about Max McDonald - or Turner. They have not yet managed to get a message to Kylie about her son.

Audrey and Gail are holding each other. One of the rescue team hears Jack crying and this wakes Molly. She is trapped by a huge beam and it looks as though they are going to have to cut it. Paul the fireman gets Molly to hand over the baby so that he is safe and he can then return with cutting gear. The baby is passed out of the rubble and taken to an ambulance. Ty goes to the hospital and Kev goes with him - Sal will stay behind for Molly.

Ciaran is checked over by the doctor - nothing serious. He sits down with Claire, Freddy and Josh. Claire has heard nothing from Ash and her phone battery is now flat. Ciaran re-assures her.

Ash and Nick are now carrying Peter and moving him when a beam comes down and whacks Nick on the head, so, luckily, no damage done. They see a flashlight and start shouting and are heard.

The fireman returns to Molly and reports that the baby is safe and on his way to hospital. They give Molly an oxygen supply. At the moment there is no safe path into her - they explain it needs to be safe before a paramedic can come in. Molly is losing a lot of blood and lifting the beam might make it worse.

Becky and Steve talk about their problems and she is about to be sick when Kylie wanders in and wants to know what has been going on.

The tram driver is brought out on a stretcher and he is alive.

Ashley has got a signal and he leaves a message for Claire. he cannot wait to see her and the boys again. Above them another beam is shaking under the weight and is shaking itself loose. Ash cannot wait until he can move to France with his family. He loves her lots. He is coughing constantly and is in a poor way. The rescue team are now starting to make their way in - Nick is telling them there is a casualty. The rescuers can see the beam moving - it drops ominously and they shout at Nick that they must leave. They lift Peter and move towards the route out, under the beam which had dropped part but not all the way to the floor. The beam drops again but Ashley holds it up on his back as Nick hands over Peter and he is carried out to the ambulance, placed on a stretcher and Leanne and Janice get in the ambulance as well. Nick goes back for Ashley but the latter tells him to get out NOW. At this the other support for the beam gives way and the ceiling crashes down on top of Ashley.

Externally we see an ambulance depart with a huge dust cloud blowing down the Street.

And that is your lot.
K Richard W

We open to scenes of devastation in the Street, and the emergency services trying to keep people back out of the way whilst they get on with their jobs.

David breaks through the barrier and rushes towards the pile of rubble that used to be The Joinery, but he's stopped by the police and fire officers as Audrey tries to get to him and other residents stand around shocked and weeping.

We're then at the hospital, as Peter is rushed into an emergency room on a trolley and Leanne and Janice are left outside the doors.

We're then back in Coronation Street, and whilst lights flash outside, we see the lifeless form of Charlotte lying on John and Fiz's living room carpet.

Outside, the police break the news to Nick that Ashley's body has been found, he didn't stand a chance. Audrey tells the policewoman that she will break the news to Claire, she's an old family friend. She tells Maria to go and pick up Josh and Freddie and take them to the Rovers, and she tells Nick to go and show his mother that he's ok. Just then Claire rushes up to her, demanding to know what's happening, Sean has told her that the arch collapsed. Audrey takes her off, trying to comfort her.

In the back room of the Rovers, Becky is wanting to know why Kylie didn't let her know she was coming. "What difference would that make? I'm here aren't I?" says Kylie. Becky nudges Steve forward, she can't break the bad news. Steve takes a deep breath and tells Kylie to sit down. Then Kylie tells them both to take a chill-pill, she's got Max. They're astounded into silence for a moment, and then Becky asks why. "To see if you'd miss him," shrugs Kylie. Becky then has to be restrained by Steve as she lunges at her sister, and Steve tells Kylie they've been through hell. Becky screams that she thought he'd been abducted ... every mother's nightmare, but it was better than imagining him squashed under the rubble.

Outside, Sally persuades the firefighters to let her go in and sit with Molly while they get on with the business of getting her out. Sophie and Sian are obviously distressed when they see their mum going into the pile of rubble that was once the corner shop.

At the hospital, Kevin and Tyrone watch while baby Jack is treated for minor lacerations. The doctor says they need to know his blood group in case he needs a transfusion later.

He asks if Tyrone is the father. "For the forms and that, yes," says Tyrone. As the doctor walks away Tyrone asks Kevin if he should let on or not.

In another room, Fiz is worrying that the baby is coming too soon to survive. Just then Chesney and Katie turn up, brought by Owen, to see how she is, and if she needs anything. Fiz says she needs everything, all she has are the clothes she was wearing. "Not been home then, Ches?" asks John, worried. Just then Fiz starts screaming and all attention turns to her.

Along with Eileen and Jason, Audrey has taken Claire to the cafe and has broken the news about Ashley. She tells Claire that Ashley was a hero, he held up the beam so that Nick could get Peter out. Claire screams. "What good's a hero if he's dead? Give me a coward any day so at least he's there to kiss his sons goodnight!" Quietly Roy and Hayley provide tissues and a glass of water, and Dr. Carter appears to give her something to take the edge off. "What about tomorrow?" wails Claire. "For as little or as long as you need," says Dr. Carter. Jason jumps up and tells his mum he wants to go and get smashed, to get so drunk he can't remember where he lives. "Coming?" he asks. Eileen hugs him, telling him she never wants to let him out of her sight again as long as she lives.

Back at the pub, the real reason Kylie has returned becomes clear. She wants another £5k in cash, or they don't get Max back. Steve tells her they don't have any more money, and Becky wants to know why she's doing it to them. They've jumped through hoops for her. Steve shouts at Becky to get her out ... now!

Back in the candlelit cafe, Hayley asks Claire if there's anything else they can do for her. Just then Mary comes rushing in and hugs Norris, relieved to find that he's unharmed. She'd heard about the tram crash on her car radio and two red lights and some speed cameras, and here she is. "And here you are!" she says, looking round. "Here you all are." "Sadly, not all," says Hayley.

We then see Rita, lying on the Kabin floor, unconscious, as dust and grit fall all around her.

Maria comes downstairs at the Rovers, having put Joshua and Freddie to bed. Sean puts his arm round her and takes her through to the bar where Kirk hugs her.

Cheryl is comforting Lloyd and he tells her he's glad she wasn't under all the rubble.

Julie says she's been trying to ring and text Janice to find out what's happening at the hospital, but it's no use. Tina suddenly remembers Graeme and wonders if he knows that Ashley is dead and goes off to find him.

Anna rushes in, calling for Eddie. She can't find Gary anywhere. She then wonders if he's gone to Izzy's, and rushes off.

Jason walks into the pub and gets a round of applause.

We then see Gary in the Windass house, although he's not supposed to be in there. He's reliving all the gunfire and explosions and is cowering on the floor.

Carla arrives at the hospital and tells Leanne that Ashley died while Nick survived. Just then a doctor comes along and tells Leanne that Peter has internal bleeding in the membrane around his heart that's putting pressure on the heart muscles. They've called for a specialist to operate, but he lives some distance away. They'll keep Peter comfortable, but his condition is very serious, so if Leanne has anything to say to him, now is the time to say them.

Sally is sitting with Molly amongst the rubble as the firemen work to stabilize the surroundings.

In the hospital, the doctor still thinks it possible that baby Jack might need a transfusion and asks Tyrone what blood group he is. Tyrone confesses that he's not Jack's biological father, and he doesn't know who his real father is. "If I could I'd get him for you," he says.

Kylie takes her leave of Steve and Becky. Becky asks how she's going to find her. "I'll find you," says Kylie.

Dev is sitting with Sunita. She's worried about the children, he assures her they're fine. "The shop's destroyed," she says. He assures her it's just bricks and mortar and doesn't matter. He weeps, he could have lost her. "But you didn't," says Sunita, and suggests they make a fresh start.

In the cafe, Hayley, Norris and Mary discuss Rita and how upset she'll be, especially when she hears about Ashley.

Tina is in the cafe with Graeme who is devastated to hear about Ashley, the first person to really believe in him. He then realises that he is the only living soul who knows the recipe for Elliot's Prime Porker sausages, passed down from Fred's dad to Fred and then to Ashley and thus to Graeme.

Accompanied by David, Nick has been checked over at the hospital and found to be fine. He tells David he needs to find Leanne. "Haven't you had enough devastation for one night?" asks David, and hugs him.

In the labour room, Fiz is screaming and wailing.

Wearing an oxygen mask and looking very distressed, Peter lies in his hospital bed. Leanne holds his hand and then turns away, weeping. Carla steps forward and thanks him for everything. Peter pulls the mask off and asks about Simon. Ken assures him he's fine, but then the machines start bleeping and everyone rushes around in a panic. As the doctors come in Peter gasps to Leanne that he's sorry. She tells him as soon as he's strong enough to lift a sausage roll she's going to be dragging him down the aisle. "Marry me ... now," he gasps.

Fiz is in the final throes of labour, and then gives birth to a baby girl. They whisk her away to clear her airways, and take a photo of her at the same time. Fiz starts to panic. The baby isn't crying, what are they doing? The staff say they're taking her to the ICU and Fiz tells John to go with her but he refuses to leave Fiz. Then the nurse puts the photo in Fiz's hand. "Here - your baby girl," she says.

Molly is another one wearing an oxygen mask as the firemen work around her with cutting equipment. Sally talks to her, telling her how much children need their mothers. Molly gasps and tells her she was a cow. Sally, being positive, says that she can make it up to Tyrone, it's amazing what people can forgive.

Back at the hospital, Kevin talks Tyrone into going to make his peace with Molly, right now she needs him more than Jack.

Leanne is still at Peter's side, telling him she'll marry him when he's back on his feet and all this is a distant memory. "For me, please!" whispers Peter. The doctor then says that a ceremony could be arranged, they have a chaplain, a registrar could be called and a special licence granted. It's not easy, but it's possible. "OK, let's do it," says Leanne.

Becky and Steve are sitting on the stairs discussing their situation. Becky foretells a bleak future for Max, stealing and dealing and God knows what else his whole life if they don't save him. Steve tells her emphatically that there is no more money. Becky stands up and says she has to go out for air.

Steve walks into the bar and Sean tells him that Joshua and Freddie are asleep upstairs. Just then Chris comes into the bar, he wants to see Russ. Cheryl tells him that all the kids are asleep. Chris appreciates that, but he nearly lost him tonight. Izzy comes in through the door in her wheelchair and then stands up and tells everyone that Fiz has had the baby, a delicate little girl who has gone straight into an incubator. The locals in the bar raise their glasses to Baby Stape.

Fiz and John go to the incubator and gaze at their daughter. A nurse asks if she has a name yet. "Hope," says Fiz, "we're going to call her Hope." John suggests that they let Chesney and Katie come in and see her, but Fiz tells him they've long since gone home. "Were they going back to Katie's?" stammers John, worried. Fiz hopes not, Chesney said he'd pick up her nightie. John's face falls.

Elsewhere in the hospital, as a worried Carla paces the corridors, Leanne finds Nick. She tells him she needs to talk to him, but not there. As he follows her out, their departure is noted by Carla.

In the Rovers, Izzy asks Kirk if he's seen Gary, but he hasn't. Just then Audrey brings a very shocked and shaken Claire in through the door. Julie helps her to a table and they sit her down.

Chris thanks Cheryl and Steve for letting him see his sleeping son. Cheryl promises that the boy will ring his dad when he wakes up. As Chris leaves, Steve asks Cheryl if all was quiet upstairs. She tells him Amy was asking for Becky. Steve tells Claire that both the boys are asleep, as Julie bursts into tears and Claire fishes in her bag for tissues. Audrey suggests they try again to ring Claire's mum, but Claire tells her the battery on her phone is flat. Sean notices that the phone is the same model as his, and says he'll swap the battery.

Leanne tells Nick she's going to marry Peter, she wants to be Mrs Barlow. "Is this for Simon or Peter?" he asks. She tells him it's for her, she loves him. She tells him they had their chance, a big full on love, both times. He says it never went away, but she tells him he's the past. "And what's Peter? The future?" asks Nick. She tells him Peter's her present, the one she wants with all her heart, she knows that now. Sobbing, she begs him to let her go and eventually he agrees and tells her to be happy.

Back in Coronation Street, John arrives to see Chesney and Katie arguing with a policeman about going back into the house to get Fiz her hospital bag. "My sister's just had a baby," says Chesney. "Congratulations," says the policeman, but won't let them through. Chesney ducks under the barrier and makes a run for it, but is caught and brought back by the officer. Seeing all this, John turns and heads down the back alley.

Anna goes back into her house and finds Gary lying shaking on the floor. He tells her he was back there, Helmund, Quinny, and everything was burning.

In the hospital, with Tyrone out of the way, Kevin confesses to the doctor that he's Jack's father, but expects that to be confidential. "Realistically," says the doctor, "if you're called upon to give blood, how do we keep that from Mr Dobbs?"

Becky is sitting in the ginnel, crying, when she hears the firemen working to get Molly out. She gets up and walks along until she's at the back of the shop.

Inside, Molly is deteriorating fast. She's wearing the oxygen mask but moaning and drifting in and out of consciousness. Sally keeps talking to her, urging her to stay awake.

John has gone into his house through the back door and finds that Charlotte is still lying on the carpet where he left her. He grabs hold of her arms and tries to move her.

Anna is trying to comfort Gary who is tormented by what he sees has his cowardice at a time when he should have been a hero. Anna tells him no one will say that. He says they'll all think it. She tells him they can't stay there, they have to go to Izzy's.

The chaplain has arrived at the hospital and tells Leanne that Peter must be conscious and understand his vows. She tells him it was Peter's idea. As the ceremony begins, Carla starts to cry and leaves in a hurry, passing Nick standing outside the door as she goes.

In the cafe, Roy is using Mary's camping stove to cook on. Norris is still trying to phone Rita, without success. Mary thinks she'll be in a gin joint somewhere.

Becky is at the back of the shop, filling her pockets with money from the damaged safe. John is pulling Charlotte's body down the ginnel - two people up to no good.

We then see Rita struggling to move under the pile of shelves and rubble that have fallen on her, and hear two firemen talking stating that the guy they found trapped in the car after the gas explosion didn't make it.

In the shop, the firemen are about to move the beam that's trapping Molly. The paramedic tells Sally that when they lift it, Molly's blood pressure will drop through the floor. "She can hardly string a sentence together as it is," says Sally, and tells Molly that she'll come with her in the ambulance. Molly, however, knows that she's dying, and, gasping, tells Sally that she has something to say. "Listen," she gasps, "he chose you because you are beautiful inside and out."

In the Rovers, Graeme decides that he'll go and identify Ashley's body, and Claire's phone bleeps with a voice message. She listens and then looks horrified. It's Ashley's last message to her. She plays it to the pub, Ashley coughing and telling her he loves her lots and always will.

John leaves Charlotte's body amongst the rubble and is about to depart when a policewoman rushes over to help. As he walks away he's stunned to hear her call on her radio for an ambulance to come quickly as her pulse is weak!

Molly is still trying to confess to Sally who doesn't understand and tries to go and get Tyrone, he is the one she should be talking to. But Molly grasps Sally's coat saying she doesn't want to die on her own. She then tells Sally that Kevin chose her and her girls, not Molly and her boy. Sally looks puzzled, trying to make sense of what she's hearing. "If Jack's not going to have his mummy, he's going to need his daddy," she wheezes. Sally says that no one knows who Jack's daddy is, but realization is dawning. "Who is it?" cries Sally, as Molly starts to drift away. She shakes her. "Who is it?" Molly opens her eyes. "It's Kevin," she gasps, "please don't hate me." Sally recoils in horror as Molly breathes her last.

In the hospital, the marriage ceremony is drawing to a close with Peter struggling to whisper his vows, but eventually it's done and they're husband and wife.

Back in Coronation Street, John is astounded when the paramedic confirms that Charlotte is indeed still alive and they call again for an ambulance to come quickly.

Leanne clasps Peter's hand, weeping but happy, when suddenly alarms start going off, Peter has flatlined. Medical staff rush in and start resuscitation as Leanne wails loudly.

In the Street, a dazed and shocked Sally is met by an anguished Tyrone who is distraught to find he's too late. They cling together, crying.

Anne Logan

So here we are, the end of Corrie's phenomenal week. But if you thought the fact that the big tram stunt and the live episode were over would mean that the drama would subside, you'd be wrong...

We pick up where the live episode left off (with no continuity errors to speak of) as Sally and Tyrone cry in each others' arms. Locals watch on sadly as Tyrone weeps for his lost wife. He asks Sally if there were any last messages but a shaken Sally tells him that she wasn't able to say anything. As Sally breaks down, Maria takes over the role of comforting Tyrone and leads the distraught mechanic to the cafe with Hayley's help. Audrey, Sophie, Sian, Norris and Mary offer words of comfort as they pass.

The paramedic who has loaded Charlotte into an ambulance tells John that he should be proud as he has saved her life. A dumfounded look crosses John's face as he asks if she will be okay. The paramedic says he can't be sure, but she's in with a fighting chance.

In the debris of the Kabin, Rita stirs ever so slightly under the heavy piles of rubble.

A surgeon is telling Leanne and Ken that Peter's heart has gone into arrest and there is heavy internal bleeding. They will try their best for him but everyone should prepare for the worst. Janice assures them that hospitals always say the worst picture to avoid being sued. Deirdre comes with the news that Simon is being discharged and she will take him home. Nick asks if there is anything he can do but Ken says he did enough getting Peter out. Leanne agrees that he should go.

Julie and Sean are reflecting on the news that Ashley is gone. Sean sobs that he can't believe how awful everything is.

Ciaran has his arm around Tina. She doesn't think that Graeme should have gone to see Ashley in the morgue as his body is bound to be a mess. Ciaran tells her that it will help him grieve.

Sean asks Steve how Claire's boys are. Steve replies that they're fast asleep. When Sean asks where Becky is, Steve shrugs. He hasn't got a clue.

Carla comes into the Rovers, looking every part an emotional wreck. She tells Ciaran about Peter's deathbed wedding. Ciaran looks worried by Carla's expression and hopes aloud that Peter will make it. Carla can do nothing but sob in reply.

Pam and Bill arrive in the café and are in awe over the chaos outside. Pam asks Roy where Molly is. His face drops and she suddenly looks fearful. Her dread is confirmed when she spots Maria comforting a devastated Tyrone in the corner. She sits opposite Tyrone and they share a look before Pam bursts into tears and wails 'Not my Molly!' Hayley tries to help by telling Pam that Sally was with her to the end so she was never alone.

Kevin arrives on the Street. He asks the paramedic about Molly but unless he's a blood relative, she can't tell him anything at this stage.

Pam asks Tyrone if Diggory knows about Molly. He says it completely slipped his mind. He sobs that Molly was going to leave him and the last thing she said to him was that baby Jack wasn't his. Maria tires to reassure him by saying that she was maybe just saying that so he wouldn't stop her from leaving. Tyrone says that if she hadn't left she'd still be alive. She might be unhappy but at least she'd still be here. Kevin comes in at this point looking for Sally and Tyrone throws his arms around him and bawls. Kevin looks uncomfortable and shares a significant look with a tearful Pam. Bill takes him to one side. Kevin asks him not to give him any lectures but Bill says that he should feel happy, he's off the hook. Kevin looks aghast so Bill apologises. Tyrone decides he wants to see Jack so Bill offers to drive him to the hospital.

Becky stuffs the stolen money behind a bookcase as Steve comes in. He tells her that 5 grand won't be enough, Kylie will keep coming back for more. Becky absent mindedly nods her agreement. Audrey brings Claire through. Becky asks her if they have Ashley out yet and Audrey gives her the bad news. Claire says that Ashley's face was undamaged, almost as if he were asleep. She bursts into tears and Becky hugs her. Claire wails that they should have gone to France.

Carla has blagged her way back into the hospital by pretending to be Leanne's sister. She asks for an update and Leanne tells her that they have been warned to expect the worst. Ken goes to ring Deirdre to check on Simon. Carla says the surgeons obviously don't know Peter...she knows that he would never leave them. She starts sobbing, Leanne frowns in confusion at her.

Sally is sitting alone in the house, looking very tearful. Kevin comes in and Sally tells him that Molly is dead. He holds her, she flinches at his touch and looks at the back of his head in disgust as he cries and assures her that everything will be all right.

John and Fiz are looking at their photo of tiny baby Hope. Fiz says that it sounds so good to say they have a daughter. John assures her that hope will get through this but she needs her mum to be rested. As Fiz doses off, John kisses the photograph lovingly.

Sally tells Kevin that Molly bled to death. He says poor Molly but Sally adds that it should be poor Tyrone and baby Jack. She says Tyrone is the most honest man around, what did he do to deserve this? Kevin has no answer; he keeps trying to avoid the subject by warning Sally that they aren't meant to be in the house. Sally tells Kevin that she was only 26...she was so young and pretty. She asks Kevin if he thought she was pretty. Kevin shrugs and says he supposes so before he hurries upstairs to pack a bag for everyone. Sally lets him go and sits, looking heartbroken.

Leanne has brought through some coffee for her and Carla but Carla doesn't want sobered up. She asks her how it is being Mrs Barlow. Leanne replies that it's rubbish and Carla says everything is. It's all random and pointless. Leanne observes how cut up Carla is before Carla admits that she has prayed to a God she doesn't even believe in for Peter to be safe. She mutters that nobody should tell him that she's been drinking, he won't be happy. Leanne figures out that Carla is Carl and immediately assumes that they've been having an affair. Carla retorts that they have been doing nothing of the sort-unfortunately.

Graeme is sitting with Tina, who is stroking his hair. He tells her that he went through and kissed Ashley's forehead and thanked him for everything he has done. He told him that he loved him and he would keep an eye on his boys.

Nick arrives back on the Street and Emily asks him how Peter is. Nick solemnly tells her that it isn't looking good. After a silence, Nick comments to Norris that the shop is in ruins. Emily says Rita doesn't even know yet. When Norris adds that Rita can't be found as she's out with her friend, Nick tells them that Rita's friend cancelled. Norris looks horror stricken and deduces that she must be inside the shop. He, Emily and Mary fly past the barriers and shriek for the paramedics to get their diggers into the shop as Rita is in there. Norris shouts through to Rita that she doesn't normally listen but she bloody better this time: they're coming to get you out. Inside, Rita stirs again and croaks out a feeble ‘Help'

Kevin has packed a bag but Sally remains sat at the settee. She says if Molly hadn't been leaving she'd still be alive. She was going to start a new life, maybe with Jack's real dad. Kevin shifts uncomfortably. Sally comments on how you never know what's round the corner...just a year ago she worried she might not make it herself. Kevin says that he's relived that she did.

Leanne is accusing Carla of trying to split her and Peter up. Carla retorts that she doesn't deserve him. Leanne cries that she loves Peter. Carla reminds her of Nick but Leanne repeats that it was Peter she chose. Carla snipes that Leanne only married Peter for his expiry date before storming off.

John has found Charlotte in the hospital. She is hooked up to several life support machines. He checks the coast is clear before closing the curtains.

Leanne follows Carla and says that she is meant to be her friend. Carla says that she hasn't blown her seedy affair as she can't bear to hurt Peter like that. She goes on to congratulate Leanne for her deathbed wedding idea. She asks if she plans to sell the bookies and palm Simon off on Ken and Deirdre before setting off with Nick. Leanne glares hatred at her but Carla goes on, advising her to at least act devastated for a week or two before taking Peter's money and starting up a new life with Nick. Leanne lashes out and delivers a mighty smack to Carla's face.

Sally is telling Kevin that Tyrone asked her if Molly had any dying words...but she couldn't even lie and give him comfort. She would have liked to have said that Molly said she was sorry and leaving had been a mistake, but it wasn't like that at all. Kevin says that it's all cruel...the only thing that makes sense to him is their marriage. Sally turns to face him.

"And the girls?" she asks, in a testing voice.
"That goes without saying."
"And what about your son?"
"Eh?"
"The son, that you fathered with Molly...your best friend's wife?"

And that's it for that episode!

If I was feeling cruel, I could leave you hanging for a day or two. But seeing as it's the festive season, here's my present...episode two, here we go!

Episode Two

Kevin has no answer for Sally's accusation. She marvels at the fact that he's been rendered speechless. He eventually breaks his silence to confirm that it is true...baby Jack is his son. She says (sarcastically) congratulations but then references the fact that this isn't news to him. Kevin tells her about having a DNA test done but assures her it didn't last long. Sally says that it doesn't matter how long it lasted. He desperately tells her that he never meant to hurt her and she screams 'then why did you do it?'

John reaches the socket to turn off Charlotte's life support but before he manages to the curtain opens and a surgeon brings in Charlotte's parents. They are glad to see 'Colin' there and they sit with their daughter and promise that they're not going anywhere.

Rita opens her eyes to find firefighters removing rubble from her. She asks them to tell her that this is real. She asks what happened and they explain. They say it's best she doesn't think too much about the flat and the shop...at least she is alive.

Sally asks Kevin when his affair started. He tells her about them growing close while going running. He never went to Glasgow that time but in fact went to Chester. He assures her that it was never meant to happen it just did but she tells him that people make things happen because they want them to. She goes on to wonder what the girls will say. Kevin sees no reason why they should have to find out but Sally tells him they will have to as they are splitting up. He tries to talk her round and uses his trump card of Tyrone finding out. She says he should have thought of that before he slept with his wife. He tells her that Molly did all the running and that she tried to get him to run away with him a year ago but he realised where his heart lay. Sally picks out the phrase 'a year ago' and the awful truth dawns...Kevin was going to leave her until he found out she had cancer. He tries to disagree but she is horrified and exclaims that a tumour in her breast saved her marriage.

Ken and Leanne are sitting waiting for news. Ken comments that Peter's stubbornness always annoyed him but now, he wants him to be as stubborn as possible.

Kevin is saying that Sally's illness was a wake up call for him and tries to turn the tables by saying the marriage was stale. Sally tells him not to try blaming this on her as other couples can work at marriages. She breaks down in tears and sobs that it was because she was worried about upsetting him that it took her so long to share her fears over the lump. But all the while he was planning his escape. Kevin puts his head in his hands and wonders why Molly had to tell. Sally realises that she wanted her to know, that's why she befriended her. She shocks Kevin by claiming to be glad Molly is dead as that shows there finally is some justice...and part of her wishes that Kevin had been crushed under the tram too.

Nick comes into the Rovers and Steve and Sean hurry to fix him with a drink. Gail embraces him but he's in no mood for a hero's welcome. He asks how Claire is and Steve solemnly replies that she's taking it hard. Nick announces to everyone that Rita has been found in the Kabin. Audrey asks if she is okay and Nick replies that they are still trying to get her out. Subject turns to Peter and Leanne's deathbed wedding and Nick raises his glass in a toast to them.

Rita is being taken out in a stretcher. Norris and Emily gather around her and she raises her hand to wave. Mary exclaims that it's a miracle. Norris looks overcome with emotion.

Kevin is trying to persuade Sally to put off telling the girls but she doesn't want to be near him any longer. He says that they can survive this and begs for another chance as he will never hurt her again. She tells him that he won't have the opportunity to before throwing him out and bursting into tears once more.

Norris is sitting with Rita in the ambulance. She asks if anyone else was hurt and Emily tactfully tells her that nobody knows, evidently feeling she's been through enough to be hit with tragic news at that moment. Norris assures her everything is insured and Rita rolls her eyes and says 'I take it you mean the shop?'

He looks offended and says that the only thing he cares about is her. Mary looks slightly put out by this statement. Rita squeezes Norris' hand and tells him she doesn't know where she would be without him. Mary squeals that it's wonderful having her back but it seems somewhat forced.

Pam finds a miserable Kevin sitting alone on a bench and quickly tells him that this is all his fault. He points out that he didn't make a tram fall from the sky but she says everything is his fault...she's not upset, she is devastated.

Steve tells Becky that he has made loads of phone calls but he can't raise the money. Becky tells him that she understands and he hopes that Kylie is just bluffing. Becky goes out for yet more air.

John is sitting with Charlotte. Her parents come in and sadly tell him that doctors have advised them to consider turning off the equipment as she may never regain consciousness and even if she does, she will have no kind of life as she is brain damaged. They ask 'Colin' what he feels. He doesn't spend much time thinking before saying 'Let her go'

Claire is weeping in Betty's arms. She wails that Ashley is never coming back and Betty nods, telling her she knows how she feels. 36 years ago, her Cyril passed on and he had clocked more years than poor Ashley. But when the kids are old enough to understand, they will be proud of their dad. Nick agrees and assures Claire Ashley was a hero. But Claire weeps that she can't go through with telling the boys...she just doesn't know how to do it. Audrey comes through and tells everyone that Rita is safe. Claire bravely smiles and says that that is good news.

Ken asks Leanne if she considers that she and Peter will have kids of their own. Leanne says yes, if he comes through this. Ken is confident that he will. He says having your own child is a powerful thing...he would do anything now for Peter...and maybe even Tracy, albeit a little slower. Leanne tells him that Simon already feels like her child. She feels his every tear and ear infection. Ken smiles and tells her that she is good for Peter. The surgeon comes through and tells them that Peter has survived surgery and the bleeding has stopped. Ken asks if he is going to be okay. The surgeon says he is still critical but he has won round one. Ken and Leanne are overjoyed and embrace.

Becky is on the phone to Kylie. She tells her she has her dirty money and asks to meet up.

John finds Fiz looking into Hope's incubator. He puts his arm around her. She tearfully smiles as they both look down at their daughter.

Meanwhile, Tyrone and Kevin are looking at baby Jack. Tyrone tells Kevin that Jack will be okay. He says that he refuses to abandon him now...not after he's lost his mum. He says he can't even hate Molly now that she's gone and Kevin says that's because he is a diamond of a man. Tyrone says there is only one person he does hate...the man who ruined his family and when he finds out who it was, he will kill him. A guilty Kevin says that he would deserve it.

As the episode closes, a poignant U2 track plays over a montage of residents reflecting on the night's events. We see Sally sitting in a darkened room, crying. Then we see the firefighters continue to work in the wreckage on the Street. Some Christmas cards are poking out of the rubble of the Kabin. John watches as Charlotte's life support is turned off and she dies. Steve looks thoughtful as he gets some fresh air. Tyrone cradles baby jack while a distraught Kevin watches him. Leanne and Ken lie asleep in the hospital waiting room. Money remains strewn about the rubble of the Corner Shop. Hayley serves tea to the hard working emergency services as they gather around the café. Sleeping bodies in a range of duvets litter the Rovers, but nobody appears to actually be asleep. We see Jason lying awake, hugging Rosie, Audrey cradling Gail, Tina snuggling into a blank looking Graeme and Janice looking emotional. Upstairs, the two Peacock boys lie asleep in each others' arms, blissfully unaware of the trauma that morning will bring. And poor Claire sobs her heart out, comforted by Betty as flowers already gather at the entrance to the Butcher Shop. And a heartbroken Sally realises her world has fallen apart as she cries while looking through a photo album.

Phew! Feeling emotional? You will when you watch them. It probably wouldn't be appropriate to poke fun in the midst of such tragedy but I don't care...nothing stops me taking the p*ss! So let's lighten the mood...

What have we learned tonight?

-Roy serves the following soups during times of horror: Leek and potato, pea and ham, carrot and coriander and cream of tomato. All have an optional side of toast.
-Ashley and Sean used to have a 'thing' every time Sean went into the butchers. Ashley would say 'Mince?' and Sean would reply 'Homophobe'
-Pea and ham soup reminded Molly of double Maths and wet Wednesdays.
-Roy recently raised his tariff on Eccles Cakes.
-Ashley couldn't breathe through his nose.
-Carla prefers life through beer goggles
-The quickest way a man could wind Ashley up was to declare their love for him.
-Peter isn't tram proof.

Dubious Awards

Habit of a Lifetime: "I didn't even think" Tyrone
Slogan of Coronation Street: "Nobody gets a happy ending" Sally
Most obscure sentence: "Small but perfectly formed" Send me ideas on what you think John could be describing!
Best choice of person for advice: "Should I have lied?" Sally to dishonesty expert, Kevin
Most worthwhile reward for overcoming danger at work: "Help yourself to toffees" Rita to the firefighters
Most sensitive way of announcing someone's home is gone: "What flat?" Firefighter to Rita
Most logical explanation: "Have I been walking round with my eyes closed?" Sally
Hypocrite of the evening: "Have a heart!" Kevin to Sally.
Person most cursed around public transport: "What is it with me and trams?" Rita.

And that's all from me for now!
Duncan Lindsay

Written by Damon Rochefort Directed by David Kester

It's the cold light of day. Ken walks past police and emergency vehicles and surveys the end of the street with dismay. One of the tram cars is being lifted off the Kabin and other cleanup is ongoing.

We have glimpses of people the morning after. Claire, wide awake in bed with a child under each arm. Leanne dozing, her head on Peter's hospital bed while he breathes with the aid of a ventilator. Rita, bruised but sitting up in her hospital bed. Kevin coming into his house slowly, looking to see if a rolling pin is going to come whizzing at his head. Tyrone asleep in the waiting room/lounge in the children's ward.

In the pub, people are awake and moving about. Ken enters and Rosie asks if he knows if people can go back home yet. Seems the fire officers haven't given the all clear yet. Emily asks after Peter who isn't out of the woods yet. Eileen is running around with sandwiches and trying to cheer Sean up. Sean, who was very good in the crisis last night, has come down to earth hard and is finding it hard to deal with. Eileen instructs him to keep his upper lip stiff because it will help everyone else and he takes a breath and plate of food and heads into the fray.

Sophie and Rosie wonder where their parents are and share a hug. (Seems Sian must have gone to her dad's but Sophie stayed with her sister). Emily is behind the bar pitching in and Eileen is making large pots of tea. Betty is in the back room at the table buttering bread for more sandwiches and tells Eileen and Steve it all reminds her of the Blitz but she never thought she'd see anything like that happen again. "The worst things are, the more important it is to put a smile on your face" is Betty's advice. Becky comes down and says Claire has finally fallen asleep. She's about to go over to the wall shelves where she tucked the cash the night before but Steve asks her to see if Roy can spare some milk (I expect it's too early for the Freshcos to be open). She hesitates a second but yeah, no problem. Before she leaves, Steve says Dev was around earlier. Becky freezes. But Steve only wanted to tell her that he was passing on the news that Sunita's ok and he's grateful for Becky saving her.

In the hospital, Peter is still asleep. The doctor tells Leanne that they'll know more when he can be taken off the ventilator. So that means things can still go either way but there's some Hope.

Elsewhere, Roy and Hayley are visiting Fiz and John. Fiz doesn't realize yet that anyone was killed. They hesitate but she insists that they tell her the worst. Fiz is horrified and can hardly believe it. John actually tells Fiz that Charlotte died in hospital but lies and says he has no idea why she was in the area. Maybe she was on the tram? "But we have Hope" Roy offers.

The Webster girls have come into their house and discover Kevin sleeping on the too-short sofa. Kevin says he'd been at the hospital with Tyrone all night. Sally comes downstairs and is told that Rita was trapped in the shop but they tell her that Rita survived. Sally immediately turns to change and go to hospital. When Kevin offers to take her she snaps NO and tells him to stay there with the girls.

Anna tells Becky they've got milk but not a lot else (though they, at least, seem to have their power back to run the grills and such). Michelle has arrived back from Glasgow. (must have been on an overnight train, it's a bloody long journey from there to Weatherfield. I've done it! 6-7 hours when I did it) Michelle is shocked, just like anyone else. Eddie and Nick and Dev come in. Becky tries to get out but Dev hugs her close to thank her. Becky can't look him in the eye and slips out. People exchange news on some of the hospitalized and sympathise with each other. Nick says that Ashley saved he and Peter and Anna calls Ashley a real hero. Nick refers to Gary, sitting in the corner as a proper hero, someone they could have done with. Gary looks like he's about to vomit and jumps out of his skin and chair and runs out, to everyone's confusion.

Back to Fiz's room, Hayley has returned from a call to Anna and says the people that live in Numbers 1 - 7 can go back to their houses. Roy expresses sympathy to John on the loss of his colleague but Fiz says she was a bit of a nutter (more than you know!) John says he'll go home and get some things for Fiz.

Sally arrives to see Rita and collapses in tears in her arms. It's about more than worry though, and she tells Rita that Molly told her about the affair and Kevin being Jack's father. She collapses in tears as Rita holds her.

After the break, we are in the empty factory. Michelle comes in and she and Carla hug. Izzy wheels in and the rest of the workers file in as well. Carla says the factory is closed today. She sends Julie for flowers for Fiz. She tells Sean to go back to the Rovers and Izzy to the pub to help feed people and when told that both establishments are running out of everything, she tells them that she and Michelle will go grocery shopping. She sends Janice back to hospital to be with Leanne. This is one day Carla isn't going to be seen as the Witch of Weatherfield, it seems.

When John gets home he finds Katy and Chesney on the sofa watching telly. Leccy back on, then. The kids have already packed a bag for Fiz. Katy hands him Fiz's handbag only it's actually Charlotte's. He takes it in the kitchen and looks inside to find some photos that she'd obviously taken of him while watching him from afar. They've got "Colin, Nov." on the back. Her keys are in her bag too so he takes them and picks up the rucksack and leaves.

Sally is telling Rita the whole sad story. Rita is a bit overwhelmed at all the heartache Kevin has caused Sally, as only a substitute Mum could be. (Notice, on the hospital tray table, there's a Weatherfield Gazette with the morning headline screaming "Tram Crash!") It's established that Sally won't tell Tyrone the truth but she can't even stand to look at Kevin. Rita advises her not to make any big decisions just yet.

Becky arrives back to see Claire sobbing in Betty's motherly embrace. Claire hasn't been able to tell the boys where their daddy is so she's let Graeme be with the boys for now. As Betty consoles her, Becky sneaks the bag of money out from behind and into her handbag. She tells Claire she is welcome to stay as long as she wants. She keeps her back to Claire and then tries to slip out but Steve is there, just coming in. He says most of the people have gone home. She tells him she's heard from Kylie and thinks Kylie may be ready to give Max back. She avoids allowing him to come with her, saying she can handle Kylie better on her own. She desperately clings to Steve for a minute and tells him she loves him.

John has let himself into Charlotte's house. He closes the blinds and starts rooting through her cabinets. He finds a journal filled with his pictures. He finds an envelope of newspaper cuttings about him. (Sounds like her obsession has gone on longer than we think!)

In the hospital a nurse brings baby Jack out to Tyrone. She tells him the baby hardly has a scratch on him, a real miracle baby. Tyrone holds him gingerly, not comfortably like he used to and stares down at the gurgling infant who looks trustingly up at him.

Julie is visiting Fiz but we see her in the lounge where the hot chocolate button keeps feeding out oxtail soup. Leanne is there, grubby and exhausted. She's tearful but says there's a chance Peter might pull through. Julie comforts her and says the baby is clinging on. Nick arrives, too. Julie gets back to Fiz and Nick has come to see Leanne. He sits down and asks after Peter. IT's odd really, she has fresh tears and fresh mascara streaks when you'd think she'd have cried all that off long ago through the night. Anyway Nick wants to be there for her. They don't get too far when Janice runs out and says it looks like Peter is coming round. She leaps up off the chair and runs leaving Nick looking bereft.

On the street, Tina and a forlorn looking Graeme come out of the pub. She calls over to Gary who's heading into his house and he ignores the greeting. Dev comes out of his house slowly and greets the young couple. He says Sunita is going to be ok and he feels a bit guilty feeling so lucky when others have lost loved ones. He realizes that Graeme and Tina have lost their home too and he offers them the keys to the Victoria Court flat.

Eddie arrives home with Tyrone and the baby. Tyrone looks at his house and can't bring himself to walk across the street. Sophie is standing by on the phone so hangs up and turns to Tyrone. Inside the Webster house, Sally is giving Kevin the cold shoulder. He just wants them to talk... "Is it the baby?" he stupidly asks and nearly gets his head torn off for it. They cut it short when Sophie brings Tyrone and the baby in. Tyrone is in tears and sobs that he doesn't know what to do.

In Peter's room, Peter is now off the ventilator but hasn't in fact come round. Ken and Deirdre have brought Simon to see him and little lad holds his daddy's hand and pleads for him to wake up. Wake up he does! He lifts his fingers to Simon's cheek and whispers hello. He then looks up at Leanne and says Hiya Mrs. Barlow! Nowt wrong with his memory at least!

Fiz and Chesney are in the nursery watching the little scrap of a baby. Chesney says that if they can survive Cilla, the baby can survive anything. But just then the bells and monitors go off and they are pulled back by a nurse. Fiz panics.

Where's John? Looking at all the various photos and notes and journals Charlotte had. A closeup of the journal shows us such rantings as "I bet he buys his clothes, it won't be FIZ, she has no taste at all!" and "I can't think what he sees in her.WHY HER? MARRY ME!!!" There doesn't seem to be much expression on his face as he looks over it all, but just then he hears someone come through the door and he whips around, hiding the stuff behind his back. It's Charlotte's parents! Of course they're surprised to see "Colin". He folds up his hand, the one with the wedding ring on it and you can see the wheels turning in the "Lie" machinery behind that gormless gaping stare.

Stay tuned for Part 2.

Tvor

This episode was written by Damon Rochefort and directed by David Kester.

We open at the hospital with medical staff being chased by Fiz who wants to know what is happening to the baby. Chesney seeks to calm her down and there is a promise that the doctor will be out to talk to her shortly. Fiz tells Ches to call John - who is at Charlotte's place and has been interrupted by Charlotte's parents. John rapidly gathers the evidence of her infatuation and does not answer his mobile when Ches phones. The parents want to know who to blame - and "Colin's" mobile continues to ring. There are some snaps on the floor and the parents agree that she was a Hopeless photographer. Hopeless with technology generally. Charlotte's mother seeks comfort from John/Colin as his mobile rings again.

Ty is sitting slumped on the Webster sofa, the baby needs changing and Ty knows it is not his baby - he does not know what he is going to do. Sophie suggests a brew and Sally and Kev are exchanging desperate looks. Sally snaps into action, puts the kettle on and storms out of the house and runs away.

Rita has returned to the Street for the first time and sees the destroyed Kabin and flat - her whole life gone, everything she ever had. Emily comforts her and they go for a drink. Along the Street Nick and Claire are discussing Ashley - Nick offers to buy the food and drink at the wake on Thursday at the Rovers and we are reminded that Nick and Ash used to live together and enjoy a lot a laughs. Det Sgt Miller wants to talk to Nick above the events in the bar and they go into the Platt house.

Chesney cannot raise John - but the doctor tells Fiz that Hope has an infection and she needs an infusion straight away.

John/Colin is with Charlotte's parents and her mother is quite distressed. John departs taking Charlotte's diary - he wanted something of hers and her father agrees. The funeral will be Monday at St Luke's, details on the website! Surprise is expressed that a church has a website. John has to go, his mobile ringing again. He hears from Ches about the transfusion and as he drives away he remembers to put his wedding ring back on. He is steadily falling apart maintaining his dual personalities.

After the break we resume in the Park where Becky hands over the money Kylie where Becky then tells Kylie that she is no longer part of the family and that if she shows up again she will kill her own sister. Kylie tells Max that he is going to live with Becky in future and Kylie with a sour face watches as Becky buries her face into Max's shoulder.

At the Rovers Steve explains to Ciaran that Carla turned up with a load of food just as the fire officer told everyone they could return home. Sean and Michelle are distributing it around the neighbours. Ciaran is working behind the bar again. Pam arrives - Diggory has taken the news of Molly's death badly - it may see him off.

A very poorly looking Rita says to Emily that God has a nasty sense of humour - to let her survive and lose a few possessions whilst allowing Molly and Ashley to pass away. Norris comes in and ask if Rita is allowed alcohol. Emily tells Doris to mind his own business. A room has been sorted out and Doris has got in some toiletries. Nurse Norris is administering to her every need as Emily points out, Rita tartly observes that she would rather be under the rubble!

Pam offers to buy Sally a drink. Sally almost ignores her - and then tells her that she has been drinking on her own in the Flying Horse. Pam wants to thank Sally for being with her at the end. Sal is asked about Molly's last words - but there are no words of comfort. And then Sally realises that both Pam and Bill knew about Jack and Molly and Kev who has just come into the Rovers.

At the Platts, Nick and the policeman discuss events. The explosion was caused by a gas leak and Nick had been aware that the cooker was not working. Nick was unaware of a leak - but apparently it is a legal requirement that if there is a problem with a gas appliance it must be reported to the supplier (and whilst I know leaks must be reported I am unaware of the legal requirement to report equipment failure - but it would I suspect be covered by Health and Safety legislation). Nick is now started to get worried.

Kev returns home - Sophie is looking after the baby and Kev is upstairs asleep. She asks to be brought some nappies.

Fiz is destroying a cup when John finally arrives at the hospital. John lies saying he had difficulty getting the car out. Hope is having a transfusion and she cannot fight off infections - and if the transfusion does not work it will be very serious.

Kev finds Sal in the cafe and explains that no-one knows except Pam and Bill. Kev tells Sal that it was his decision to end the affair. Kev suggested an abortion - but Molly would not go through with it. Kev an Sal argue - cancer, abortion, death - but looking at the baby Kev is glad there was no abortion and he also wants his family back together - Sal, his daughters all back together and he will fight for it. Who is he going to fight - and anyway Ty cannot cope with finding out the true father of the baby - and she will not tell him or the girls. Jack is Sophie's half brother. Sal breaks down crying realising that they cannot all live happily on the same Street. Even she cannot get her head around it. But she tells Kev he is on her own and she wants him out.

Bill, talking to Pam in the Rovers, does not know how Kev will recover - but Pam is more worried about burying Molly on Friday. Kev comes in and offers a drink but Pam refuses to accept one. Pam warned Kev about how this would turn out - and he Hopes Kev can live with himself - because she could not.

Norris has worked out that Nick could be liable if he had not reported a gas problem. Rita however tells him off - it is too important to throw allegations around - and he should keep his mouth buttoned.

Peter has regained consciousness and he was at death's door. Lot of rehab - but he should recover. Peter, Leanne and Simon are all together at the hospital and happy.

Ciaran sends Steve out to the back - where he finds Becky and Max waiting - and Max says he is going to live with them. Steve gives Max a big hug and then extends it to Becky as well.

Roll the credits.

Steve will not be amused when he finds out how Becky achieved the miracle.

Will Nick go down (Hopefully he can have another face transplant as I cannot stand the current incumbent)?

And how will the three funerals go?

See you next week.

K Richard W

Steve and Becky are in the back room at the pub when Claire comes down with her boys. Steve says he'll get Amy and Max up and then make breakfast, and takes the boys off with him. Once on their own, Claire tells Becky she has a few things to do before Ashley's funeral in the afternoon, and asks if Becky could look after the boys. Becky only too happy to do so, and asks if there's anything else she wants. "I just want him back," says Claire.

Rita comes out of Emily's front door and sees John outside of his. They greet each other and he asks if she knows how long it'll be before she can go home. She doesn't know if she's going to have much home to go back to. She asks him how the baby is doing, and he tells her she's not so good, she had to have a blood transfusion. However, she's stable at the moment and he's been sent home to get a couple of hours' sleep. Rita sends her love and is delighted to hear that the baby's name is going to be Hope.

In the Webster household, Tyrone comes downstairs with baby Jack and is surprised to find Kevin sleeping on the sofa. Just then the doorbell rings. Tyrone goes to answer it, it's Sophie and Rosie, forgotten their keys. Rosie asks Kevin why he's on the couch and he tells her a story about tossing and turning and keeping Sally awake, which Rosie clearly does not believe.

Norris knocks on the door of Mary's camper van and says he was surprised to see her parked in the Street. She tells him she thought she should be there to pay her respects to Ashley. He brings her some post which she opens - it's a Christmas card. He wonders whether he should become a postman, seeing as how his business is in ruins now. He then starts telling Mary he's not sure the whole thing was an accident, he thinks there's more to it all than meets the eye. Claire is passing and hears this and stops in her tracks and demands to know what he means. Norris stammers that he heard something from Ciaran, so without further ado, Claire rushes off down the Street to find Ciaran.

With her usual lack of selflessness, Rosie is wondering if her nail varnish is a suitable colour for the forthcoming funeral. "Believe it or not, today is not about you," says Sophie, who doesn't think anyone will care. Rosie says at least she's going, unlike their mum. Sophie thinks maybe Sally is just too upset. Rosie tells her she thinks something is going on, their mum and dad are hiding something from them, and she also tells Sophie how she found Kevin sleeping on the sofa earlier. Just then Tyrone comes in, looking to iron his shirt. Sophie is surprised that he's going to Ashley's funeral, with Molly's tomorrow. Tyrone tells her he'll deal with that when it comes. Sophie goes off to find the iron while Rosie stands looking awkward for a few moments. Then she brightens and offers to iron the shirt for him. Tyrone nods and smiles weakly.

Tina finds Graeme in the cafe, worrying about what he's going to say at Ashley's funeral. She tells him to talk about what Ashley meant to him and, as he speaks, starts to jot some things down on paper.

With Ciaran in tow, a furious Claire knocks on Gail's front door. Nick opens it to be met with a tirade from Claire, demanding to know if it's true that he was told there was a problem with the gas and he did nothing about it. She marches inside and asks him again if it's true. Nick confesses that Ciaran did mention something but he thought it had been dealt with. "How?" Claire demands to know, "did you ring someone to try to get it fixed?" Nick tells her it was an accident and reaches for her hand. "Don't touch me!" she spits. Nick says he's sorry. "You're sorry?" she shrieks, "I've lost my husband, my two boys have lost their dad, and you're sorry!" As Gail mutters that there must be some mistake, Claire tells Nick she doesn't want him at the funeral, she doesn't want him near her ever again, and if it turns out he is reponsible for Ashley's death she'll make sure he pays.

John finds Fiz beside Hope's incubator, just where he left her. There's been no change. He tells her how he saw Rita and she sends her love. He says how everyone in Coronation Street is walking round in a daze, and how Claire is getting ready for Ashley's funeral. "Poor Claire," says Fiz, "and those little lads." She says it feels like some sort of punishment, but John tells her it doesn't work like that, Claire hadn't done anything wrong. "What about us?" asks Fiz.

Claire is helping Josua get ready. She tells him he doesn't have to go, he could stay with Max and Freddie. "I want to say goodbye to Daddy," says Joshua. Claire kisses him and says Ashley would be so proud, and then breaks down in tears. She composes herself and they go out to the car.

Outside is the hearse with a wreath of flowers along beside the coffin in the shape of the word Daddy. Street residents stand silently as Claire and Joshua walk past to their funeral car. Becky is behind her. Claire turns at the car door. "Come with me," she says to Becky, who agrees and gets in beside her. Nick appears at the end of the Street and watches the cars drive off.

Michelle and Carla are in the factory, sharing a cuppa. Michelle tells Carla that a customer rang and wants to set up a meeting next week. Carla groans, the guy is a perv who spends his time staring at a woman's chest area. "Is that no just called being a bloke?" asks Michelle. Carla suggests they go to the Rovers when they're finished there. Michelle reminds her Ashley's wake is going on in there, it won't exactly be happy hour. Carla just didn't want to go home. Michelle suggests they go up to the hospital to see Peter, but Carla quickly declines. Michelle asks if they've fallen out, why else does she not want to see him? Carla snaps that she's starting to sound like her mother, leaving Michelle looking puzzled.

Steve is playing a game with beer mats with Max and Freddie in the back room of the Rovers when Claire and Joshua come back. She hugs Freddie. Steve then goes out to the bar and learns from Becky and Eileen that Claire had to be held up through most of the service, so he offers to take the boys upstairs to watch a dvd while they look after Claire some more in the bar.

Eileen and Rita come into the pub, closely followed by Audrey and Gail, who find Nick already there, he tells them he had to get out of the house. Just then Claire comes through from the back and Nick turns to leave. "That's it, walk away!" she calls. Nick turns back and says he's leaving because he didn't want to upset her. "Bit late for that, don't you think?" she snaps. Audrey tries to pacify her but Claire isn't having any of it. While the residents of the Street stand around in an embarrassed silence she yells at him that she'll pay for her husbands wake. She throws a wad of notes at him shouting that it's blood money!

Back at the factory, Carla tells Michelle she can get off home. Michelle offers again to take her to the hospital. Carla says she's like a dog with a bone. Michelle says if there is anything going on between her and Peter, she can tell her. "What makes you say that now?" asks Carla. Michelle tells her she knows her, and she's not blind. One minute they're as thick as thieves, and the next... Carla eventually confesses that she had a thing for Peter but he wasn't interested because of Leanne. Michelle asks if Leanne knows. "She does now," says Carla. Michelle says she's got a bottle of red at her place, she doesn't want to lead Carla astray but....? "Maybe just the one glass," says Carla.

Back at the wake, Norris, Rita and Mary are discussing poor Ashley's demise. Rita Hopes Claire is mistaken about Nick's involvement. Mary says that Claire is the victim in all of it and Norris did the right thing telling her. Rita is shocked. "You told Claire about the rumours?" she says, aghast. Norris stammers that Claire overheard when he was talking to Mary, and he's affected too, his business is in ruins. "It's a shop, Norris," says Rita, "not flesh and blood!" and goes out for some air.

Out in the back yard of the pub, Tina tells Graeme his speech went well. He can't understand why he didn't cry, usually he cries at anything. Tina reassures him that it doesn't mean he didn't care about Ashley.

As Gail and Audrey get up to leave, Ken and Deirdre stop them. They want to know if there's any truth in the accusations aimed at Nick, after all Peter nearly died in the explosion. Gail knows nothing, as far as she's concerned it was a tragic accident and until proved otherwise that's all she's going to say.

Rosie, Jason and Kevin come in, and Kevin goes to the bar to get drinks. He overhears Tyrone with the baby, talking to Claire. She says they both drew the short straw, but Tyrone reckons she has it worse - Ashley loved her, what he and Molly had was a lie. "What do you mean?" asks Claire. He tells her that Jack isn't his. Claire is stunned and tells him she had no idea. "Neither did I," says Ty. Claire asks if Molly told him who the father is, but he says she didn't. "I guess it was her idea of a going away present," he says. Claire tells him how broken hearted Ashley was when he found out Joshua wasn't his. He was hurt and angry but he got over it and always thought of Josh as his own. Tyrone wonders what will happen if he can't get over it. Claire says that little Jack will need him more than ever now, and hugs him. Kevin walks off.

Outside, Rita finds Nick sitting on the bench and joins him. She says she's been for a walk and in two minutes she was among people just carrying on as normal. He says he would swap places with any of them if he could. She asks if what Claire said was true, about it all being his fault. He doesn't know, but it might be. She says he ought to find out for certain before he starts beating himself up. What if Claire's wrong. Nick doubts it, everytime he does something someone gets hurt, it might have been best if he'd never come back at all. Not for her and Peter she says, and reminds him how he saved their lives.

Rosie goes home to find Kevin there. She asks what happened to their drinks, she and Jason were waiting ages till they realised he'd gone. He says he just had to get out of there. She asks where Sally is and he says she's gone for a walk, she wanted time on her own. "What's going on?" asks Rosie, and wonders if Sally is ill again. "Don't lie to me," she says. He says Sally isn't ill, it's not that. "Well what is it?" Rosie persists, "something's not right." Kevin tells her that the last few days have just shaken everyone up. He gets out his wallet and hands her some money, telling her to take Jason into town for a meal and enjoy themselves. She asks what he's going to do, and he tells her he's going to sit and drink and say goodbye to a friend. She kisses him and leaves.

Claire picks her way round the burnt out ruin of her house. She stoops and picks up a charred mug that has the words "Greatest Dad" on it. She slumps down against a kitchen cupboard and sobs.

Anne Logan

It's the day of Molly's funeral and Tyrone is getting ready. He thanks Sally for her hospitality and he promises to be out of her hair soon. Kevin comes down and asks Sally where his black tie is. She snaps at him that she doesn't know and storms through to the kitchen. He follows her through and asks if she can call a truce just for today. She hisses that she doesn't want him anywhere near. Tyrone tells Kevin that he and Molly used to bicker too. Kevin says that all marriages go through rough patches. Sally looks like she is going to be sick.

Becky is doing some form of arts and craft with Amy and Max. She asks Steve if he thinks it would be a good idea to do the Rovers up as a Lapland Winter Wonderland for Christmas. He doesn't, but Becky gets her own way anyway.

Tyrone tells Sally and Kevin that he is going to take baby Jack to Gail's. He has been working on a eulogy for Molly but doesn't know if he can go through it. He tells Sophie and Sian that even after what she did, he still loves her. He bends down to kiss Jack and says ‘Let daddy have a kiss' He looks awkward upon saying daddy and Sally looks close to tears. Kevin puts his arm around Tyrone and says that they are all here for him. Sally glares at him, unable to get over his gall. Tyrone worries that the dad might show up. Sian says that no one would be that sensitive but Tyrone says that it's quite sad he won't get to say a final farewell to Molly. Sally shouts at him not to waste an ounce of compassion on that man.

Sunita comes into the Rovers and Becky hugs her saying that it's wonderful she's up and about. Sunita wants to thank her but Becky is uncomfortable, clearly thinking about when she looted the shop. She invites her over to the Christmas do at the rovers. Dev comes in and tells Sunita that he's been to the shop and a lowlife has stolen all of their money. Becky looks almost crippled with guilt.

Bill and Pam have arrived at the Websters'. Only Kevin is downstairs. Bill tells him that he doesn't know how he can live with himself. He gets himself worked up and Pam advises him to stay at home. Tyrone wonders what is going on as Bill mutters an apology and hurries upstairs. Pam tells him that he has an upset stomach but Sally understands what is going on. She can hardly look at Kevin. They head outside where the funeral car is waiting. Tyrone fills with emotion as he sees Molly's coffin. Connie is waiting and puts her arm around him sympathetically.

John arrives to visit Fiz. She tells them that Hope's condition has improved. |He comments that they're very lucky and Fiz remembers that it is Molly's funeral. John looks sombre and Fiz asks when charlotte's funeral is. He says he doesn't know. Fiz says that she was never Charlotte's biggest fan but she would never have wished that on her. John says that they need to look to the future now.

The funeral congregation arrive at the church which is tolling it's bells as the vicar welcomes in the mourners. Molly's coffin is laid down as guests find seats. Kevin tries to sit beside Sally but there is no room. Rosie urges her mum to move along but she ignores her so Kevin sits behind Tyrone. Tyrone turns around and smiles at Kevin with his eyes swimming with tears. Pam is glaring at Kevin.

Gail is pulling out the Christmas tree but Nick is sitting moping on the settee. She comments that it doesn't suit him being at a loose end but she has noticed that rebuilding work has already commenced on the viaduct so his bar will be open again soon. Nick says he doubts it as if he is to blame he will probably be in prison. He mutters that if he did cause that destruction then he deserves to be in prison and Hopes that they throw away the key.

Tyrone has stood up to make a eulogy about Molly. He is talking about the several proposals he made. He says that he and Molly were so happy together and had their own little world...even though that wasn't enough for her. He recalls the wedding day and how she was glowing with love as she came down the aisle. He had never seen her looking more beautiful. He starts sobbing and cries that he thought it would be a love that would last forever. The mourners look on sympathetically as he dissolves into tears and starts shaking. He can't seem to move and cries out through the tears for someone to help him. Sally looks heart wrenched but doesn't dare look in Kevin's direction. As an awkward moment passes, Sophie snaps at Kevin to get up and help Tyrone. Kevin gets up and pulls Tyrone into a hug. Tyrone goes to sit down and Pam holds him while Kevin takes over the speech. He says that Molly was a good wife to Tyrone but as he reads he accidentally says that the happiest day of his life was when Jack was born. He corrects himself and said that it was the happiest day of Tyrone's life. Sally looks on furiously as he slips up again and says ‘I always wanted a baby son...I mean Tyrone did. I've got my hands full with those two already." Sally mutters for him to shut up and Rosie looks at her in shock. Kevin stops talking and everyone turns to look as Sally gets up and runs out of the church in tears. Tyrone looks on, dumfounded.

Leanne visits Peter in hospital. He comments on how bored he is. A surgeon comes through and tells him that there is significant damage to his spine and he will need to learn to walk all over again. There is no reason why he can't make a full recovery but it will take time and will be very frustrating. Peter comments to Leanne that this isn't a very good start to married life. She reminds him that she vowed ‘for better and for worse.' She is just glad that he is still alive. Peter sighs that the same can't be said for Ashley and the worst part is he can never thank him for saving his life.

The eulogy is coming to and end. Kevin reads out that Tyrone would never want the bad times to overshadow the good and he will always love Molly. When he finishes, he chases Sally outside. Tyrone calls after him and Connie says that funerals do strange things to people. Sally tells Kevin to get away from her...he's a monster. How could he stand up there knowing what he had done? He said he had no other choice. As they argue, Rosie, Sophie and Sian look on, worried. The procession goes past, heading to the graveyard. Tyrone looks on and Pam tells him today is about Molly, nobody else. He replies that something is seriously wrong.

Gail is trying to assure Nick that things will get better and no matter what happens, he will always be her little baby.

John grabs all of the stuff he took from Charlotte's from his hiding place in the cupboard,

Leanne comes into the café. Roy gives her his best wishes. She sits with a miserable looking Nick who is blaming himself for the disaster. She says he is being too hard on himself...he wasn't to know what would happen.

John burns all of the photos and documents in the back yard.

Molly is lowered into the ground as the vicar says a prayer. Tyrone watches suspiciously as Sally can take no more and walks away again. Kevin keeps his eye on the coffin. He deliberately avoids Tyrone's gaze...but he notices.

Nick is telling Leanne that he has no right to complain...but Leanne tells him that he lost his friend and his business. "And you," he replies. Leanne looks awkward as he says that if he thought there was even the smallest chance of getting her back, he'd take it.

Mourners are throwing dirt onto the coffin and paying their last respects to Molly. Watched by Tyrone, Kevin looks down but can't do it. Tears fall from his eyes.

"It's you innit!?" cries Tyrone suddenly.

Kevin looks slowly at him. Guilt is written all over his face. His eyes are red raw and he denies nothing.

"Oh my god, it IS you!" Tyrone yells, heartbroken. "You're Jack's dad!"

End of episode one. Here we go straight into episode two

Tyrone launches himself at Kevin, screaming that he's a liar. Kevin breaks down and cries that he is sorry as Tyrone is pulled away from him. Sophie asks Kevin if it's true but Rosie comments that it is written all over his face. Tyrone screams that he loved Molly and that Kevin is a bastard.

Pam follows Sally back into the church where she is crying. Pam comments that the whole thing is a mess. Sally weeps that everyone is a liar and if there was any justice in the world then it would be Kevin in the coffin. As they go back outside, Sophie is running away in tears followed by Sian who is calling after her. Sally looks back towards the congregation where Tyrone has grabbed Kevin. Kevin protests that he is really sorry and it was a mistake. Tyrone tells him that he is welcome to molly now and punches him across the face, sending him tumbling underground onto Molly's coffin. Sally gasps in shock and bursts into tears.

Becky is cold with nick as he comes into the rovers for a quiet drink but Steve serves him.

John is back at the hospital. Fiz asks if he has been smoking but john replies that he went for a walk along the red rec and some kids were burning a bonfire. They look down at Hope and smile at her.

Becky has somehow got the gossip on what happened at Molly's funeral and is telling Steve. He takes away the photo of Molly and Kevin at the run from the picture montage that would have been displayed at the wake. Norris has overheard snippets and he pesters Becky until she tells him that Kevin is baby Jack's father.

Dev tells Sunita that the insurance are not going to pay out for the looted money. He comments that people sink to some awful depths and as Becky looks guilty, Steve watches her suspiciously.

Claire comes through and Nick heads out upon seeing her. She wonders aloud how he has the nerve to show his face.

Sophie is reading the bible as she tries to contact Sian. Sally and Rosie come home. Sophie asks why she didn't tell them but Sally says that the fault here lies with Kevin...he just didn't love any of them enough to remain faithful.

The funeral cars arrive home. Audrey asks Pam how it went but she says it isn't a good time. Tyrone gets out and both Pam and Connie offer to make him some dinner. He isn't listening though and is wondering how long people knew. Pam says she was in an impossible situation but Pam berates her saying she should have told Tyrone. As Kevin is spotted on the other side of the Street, Maria tries to usher Tyrone inside but he shouts that he just wants to be alone and storms off.

Sophie and Rosie and sitting together texting and Sally comes over and tells them that they need to get off their phones...everyone that matters is under this roof. Kevin comes in and places his Jacket on the settee. Sally orders him to pick it up. He says he just wants a chance to explain his mistake. Sally points out that it was a whole affair of mistakes. He asks if there is anything he can do. She replies that he can pack his bags.

Sophie is on the phone to Sian as Gail brings baby Jack over to the Websters. Kevin accuses her of coming over for the gossip but Gail genuinely doesn't know what's going on. She feels awkward and takes baby Jack back out with her and Sally insists on going with her while Rosie goes over to Jason's, leaving Kevin on his own.

Bill comes round to see Tyrone and Tyrone accuses him of being a coward. He asks if he helped Kevin with alibis and Bill says he was just trying to ensure there was as little pain as possible. Tyrone gets angry and throws him out before throwing everything off of the table.

Rita asks John how baby Hope is and he tells her that she is fine. He has a card for Tyrone and asks where he is. Norris pipes in: ‘Oh of course, you won't have heard...' Rita rolls her eyes.

Dev is remembering when Tyrone hit him after accusing him of seeing Molly and realises that it must have been Kevin all that time. Sunita asks him about the CCTV tapes and Becky realises that if the tapes are still intact then she could be caught out.

Rita sits down with Claire who is deep in thought. She explains to Rita how angry she is about Nick

Gail is wondering why molly told Sally such horrible news with her dying words. Sally concludes that she must have hated her but Gail says it's more likely she hated Kevin. Sally is getting uncomfortable with baby Jack present. Gail tries to get Nick to take him out but he says it wouldn't go down well seeing as people seem to think he killed Molly. Gail goes to phone Audrey.

John is back at the hospital with Fiz. Fiz is talking to baby Hope and is excited when she turns her head. She urges her to keep fighting.

Claire calls round to Gail's. As Gail goes to get Nick, Sally runs past with baby Jack. Gail tries to stop her but Sally takes Jack to Tyrone's. Tyrone tells her he doesn't want him but Sally forces him to look at the child. She says Kevin doesn't deserve to breathe the same air as young Jack and he belongs here with Tyrone, the only father he has known. Tyrone takes the baby and breaks down into sobs.

Gail is telling Claire that Nick is not a bad man. Nick comes down and Claire tells him she just wants to say her piece. She hates him for what he's done and can't forgive him but she knows in her head that if he had known what would happen to Ashley he would have stopped it. While she remains angry at him, she can't grieve properly for Ashley and so she doesn't want to blame him anymore. After she goes, Nick breaks down in tears.

Sally and Rosie come home to find Kevin still sitting in the settee. Rosie demands to know where his case is. Kevin tries again to apologise but Sally doesn't want to hear it. She asks if the girls ask him to leave, will he go? Rosie promptly tells him to get out while a tearful Sophie says she also wants him to go. Kevin walks out, looking broken. Norris and Rita watch as he walks away from his home and into the night...

So what have we learned tonight?
-Jack and Vera were world class arguers
-Molly used to get annoyed with Tyrone for leaving the lid off the toothpaste and leaving the toilet seat up while Tyrone used to get annoyed at Molly for dribbling when eating pear drops.
-There ain't no such thing as too much glitter. (but there is such a thing as a double negative, Becky)
-Jackie Dobbs is in prison for hitting a police officer with a tin of plum tomatoes
-Leanne has the best of ABBA on her ipod
-babies can be entertained by tickling them with tinsel
-Nick was amused by a peg as a baby. I assume it was a wooden one to go with Ben price's acting ability...!?
-Peter has craved Eccles cakes since he was injured
-Hospital coffee tastes of oxtail soup
-Tyrone was offered the following meals on his return from the funeral: a stew, a chicken and cheese on toast
-Molly is no longer comfortable to Kevin now that she is encased in a wooden box
-the green suitcase is Sally's
-There is a long queue of people waiting to give Kevin a fat lip.
-Molly was a Class A Cow.
-Gail doesn't gawp

Dubious Awards
Most unfortunate baby: "She knows your voice doesn't she?" John to Fiz.
Strangest definition of fortune: "We're so lucky" John
Shortest memory: "I've never seen them this bad before" Sophie about Kevin and Sally's argument
Most understandable train of thought: "I bet you're wondering where it all went wrong." Nick to Gail. That will be a long wonder...
Person I must hope develops a higher IQ: "If I had half a brain, I'd leave Weatherfield." Nick. Here's hoping...
Best summary of Coronation Street: "Everyone's lying!" Sally. Nothing changes then!
Most promising storyline: "Why didn't a bolt of lightning strike him down as he stood?" Sally about Kevin
Person least identified with themselves: "I'm not a gossip." Norris
Biggest hint of yet more impending doom: "Nothing will take us away from you" Fiz to baby Hope. Wanna bet?
Understatement of the evening: "I do know grief." Gail, of course.

So that's all for now! Hope you enjoyed. More very soon.
Duncan Lindsay

Written By Ellen Taylor Directed by Duncan Foster

Kevin has spent the night in his car.

Maria arrives at Tyrone's with groceries. He insists they're both fine but Maria has brought breakfast supplies and Tyrone gives in to the lure of bacon and sausage. She takes the baby from him, gives him a kiss on the cheek and tells him he's a wonderful man.

Becky finds Steve awake early downstairs. She wants him back in bed but Steve has had something on his mind. Kylie. He confronts Becky as to how she managed to get Max back, supposedly without money. Becky tries to make out that Kylie just had a change of heart but Steve has it all figured out. He calls her a liar and a looter!

Fiz and John are getting ready to go to the hospital to see the consultant about the baby but John is dressed somewhat smarter than he should be. He says he's got something to do, a job interview, but he's shifty eyed and Fiz knows he's lying and calls him on it. He admits he's going to Charlotte's funeral. She actually doesn't go off on one and says he's a good man to go after what she put him through.

The row in the Rovers is at full scale screaming. Becky insists nobody saw her but Steve is livid. Their mates were hurt and dying! He storms out as Claire comes in. Becky runs after him.

The factory workers are abuzz with gossip about Sally and Kevin. Most of them are pretty critical about Kevin, as you would expect. Hayley feels very bad for Sally and Izzy feels for Tyrone. The only one that has some sympathy for Kevin is Julie who reckons he was just led by his heart. Even Hayley can't agree. Sally walks in just as Janice is making fun of her. She's quiet and asks if they can just carry on as normal. They are, aren't they?

Emily has brought a casserole to Tyrone. You can see he's a bit overwhelmed by all the "help" being offered. She greets Maria who's still there. Tyrone takes the baby from her to change him. Emily tries to make small talk about how fathers were very different in her day. Of course she realizes Tyrone isn't the father, and stumbles over her words, making Tyrone more uncomfortable. He says why should the baby suffer for Kevin's actions and they don't need anyone's pity. There's a knock on the door and Emily lets Connie in.

At the church, John arrives and sits at the back. He looks up at the front where there's a photo of Charlotte and he bottles out. He gets up and is about to leave when her parents see him and wave him up to the front to sit with them, in between that rock and the hard place. He reluctantly joins the grieving couple. John tells them that she didn't deserve to die like that and was a good women. There aren't a lot of people in the chapel but a chirpy couple come in and gleefully greet him as John. They are former co-workers of both he and Charlotte (Why would he think none of her coworkers would come to the funeral? Of course some would!) He ushers Ted and Kathleen outside.

In hospital, Ken and Leanne arrive to find Peter trying to get out of his chair. He's taking physio a bit too far but he's impatient and anxious to get out of there and home with her and Simon. The hospital is too depressing and he feels he's got nothing to get up for. They urge him to be patient and Leanne gives him a card that Simon made for him. Ken offers them Blanche's old room for them to move into temporarily until he gets on his feet. Peter actually seems happy about that idea. It makes it easier for him to get home for Christmas with no steps involved.

Outside the chapel, Ted reckons the last time they saw John was at Colin's party where, they say, he and Charlotte disappeared (no. Fiz was at that party and John stole Colin's identity papers). They ask him if Colin is coming to the funeral. John stammers that Colin moved abroad. Kathleen confirms she's never liked Colin. They go back inside for the service where an old Carpenters' song, Close to You is being played on the chapel organ.

In the pub, Becky is apologizing to Steve but he's not having it. She could have helped people. She did help Sunita but, as Steve points out, she went back and robbed them and didn't bother to see if anyone else was trapped. He reminds her he grew up in that street and in spite of all the bad things he's seen happen, everyone pulls together and nobody would have done what she did, not even Tracy! (ouch!) He has even thought of reporting her. She doesn't think he will because he loves her. He is nearly out the door when Owen comes in and asks Steve for a cheque for the work he's done. Steve writes Owen a cheque, growling that all anyone thinks of is money. He leaves, with Becky in tears and scared stood behind the bar.

After the break, we're back at the funeral service. John looks highly uncomfortable with the gaze of Charlotte staring at him from the photo frame, probably wondering how he got into this mess. He glances around to see Ted and Kathleen cheerfully waving at him from the back. Let us pray, says the vicar (and he's probably praying that the ground will swallow him up right about then!)

Tina is serving in the pub. Sean and Hayley chat while Leanne and Ken wait. They've been busy clearing out Blanche's room. Ken reckons they might need a hand rail installed and something for Peter to use for the toilet. Leanne cringes and isn't sure how Peter will take that, not wanting to feel like an invalid. Ken says he is and probably will be for awhile. Claire comes through and reminds them of the memorial carol service on Christmas Eve. She remembers that O Come All Ye Faithful was Ashley's favourite. (One of my favourites too!) She laughs about him thinking he could sing, a nice little memory. Kevin comes in and the pub goes quiet. Tina reluctantly serves him and everyone else looks elsewhere.

Tyrone is surrounded by women helping and talking. He jumps up and takes the baby up for his nap. Maria suggests they should all be off. Connie hangs back to talk to him.

Outside the chapel, John is anxious to get away. But seeing Ted and Kathleen approach, he turns and gives Charlotte's mother a hug which the two coworkers don't want to interrupt so they stand back. John then runs over to them and wheels them away out of earshot. Ted tries to find out if John slept with Charlotte. Noooooo.... But Charlotte's dad calls out to him, Colin!!! Eh? John pretends that the old man is doo-lally, calls his wife "Bernard", too! They look confused as he hurries over to them. He walks them to the car and says he's got to get going. They insist he come to theirs for Christmas but he lies and says he's going to New Zealand to see his brother. (Panic does funny things, doesn't it? He could have just said he was going to his parents' place!)

In the pub, Tina slams a hotpot down in front of Kevin. He asks for ketchup. Julie brings some over with a kind world. The Underworld crowd roll their eyes. Kevin doesn't take it well, rude git, and leaves. Sean and Janice laugh at her efforts. Outside, Kevin looks at his front door and then determined, he strides across and knocks on the door. Sally won't let him in and they holler on the doorstep with half the neighbourhood watching and the girls screaming from inside. He pushes his way in and Sally tells Rosie to get the phone, she's calling the police.

Steve meets Dev as he comes out of his house. We get a look down the Street where there are barriers across by the Kabin and shop, flowers hung on them and a butcher's apron and hat as well. Dev says Sunita is doing fine and things seem to be getting back to normal as much as possible. Dev tells Steve that the CCTV was ruined so they don't know who the thief was. Steve admits he and Becky had a row but he doesn't want to share.

Sophie is upset that Sally's called the police. Rosie doesn't want her father there and Sally tells him it's not his home anymore.

Tyrone is trying to get little Jack settled. Connie wants to move in for a bit to help. Tyrone is getting frustrated because the baby is crying and he doesn't want help and though she tries to explain, her being on her own and missing Jack Sr., he snaps her head off and, offended, she leaves in tears. Just me and you now, Innit, Tyrone cries.

The police are at the Webster's. Sophie is crying, Rosie is shouting. Kevin is pleading to stay because he has nowhere else to go. The police want to know if Sally is going to make a formal complaint. She looks at Kevin and then her broken hearted younger daughter and allows Kevin to stay for one night. She apologizes to the police for wasting their time and takes Sophie out of the room, following Rosie who's already run out.

Steve returns to the pub. He tells her that Dev doesn't know she was the thief. Becky thinks everything is ok and goes to put her arms around Steve. He's appalled that she seems to be unrepentant. She insists she feels guilty but he doesn't think she really does because they've got Max and that was the most important thing to her. He says he has no idea how far she'd go and turns his back on her, saying, with his heart obviously in tatters, too, that he doesn't think he wants to be married to her anymore. He goes out the back door, leaving her shocked and scared.

Tvor

We begin this Thursday night in the Websters' kitchen, where Kevin is thoughtfully stirring his cuppa. Rosie comes downstairs and Kevin asks her if she wants a drink. She ignores him and talks to Sally. He asks again and Rosie still ignores him. Kevin breaks. "Don't be so flaming rude!" he shouts. Rosie turns and gives him a look of sheer contempt. "Haven't you caused enough trouble?" she asks. Sally shouts at him: "None of us want you here, Kevin!" A slanging match starts, with Sophie and Sian keeping well out of it. Kevin shouts that they welcome his money to pay the mortgage and Sally tells him to pick a fight with her, not the girls. Kevin decides to go to the garage.

Julie, Hayley and Janice are on their way to work and see Kevin come out of the house. Janice says she knew Sally was thick but didn't think she'd take him back this soon. The others point out she's jumping to conclusions but Jan says it'd be a knee in the whatsits for poor Tyrone if Sally did take back Kevin.

Maria's been banging on Tyrone's door and asks if anyone's seen him. Kevin comes over to ask Maria what's going on. She steps to one side and says she doesn't want Tyrone to think she's having anything to do with Kevin. "I fact, I don't want you thinking that."

Lloyd and Steve have lots of bills but don't have the money Steve took from the business as a loan. Lloyd deduces it's something to do with Becky but Steve doesn't want to talk. He does, to some extent. He says he can't bear to look at Becky.

Maria's in Tyrone's yard, calling him. Ty is inside, sitting on the floor. She opens the door and goes in. She tells him how worried she was. Tyrone can't remember if the baby's been fed. Maria issues instructions. Tyrone bursts into tears. "I can't do this."

In the pub, Becky's preparing for opening. Steve tells her to forget it. "There is nothing you can say that'll change what you did. Our friends and neighbours died. Some people see it as a tragedy. Others see it as an opportunity." Becky pleads not to be thrown out but he says she's lost the right to choose. When Claire comes in, Steve goes upstairs. Claire plans to take the boys to see Santa to give them a bit of normality. "Though I can't see how things will ever be normal again," she sobs.

Maria tells Tyrone that if she just does stuff it will get him through and he'll manage. Tyrone doesn't believe that for a minute. She goes off to Freshco to get him some groceries. Tyrone stares at baby Jack.

Gary comes downstairs and is very offhand with Anna. She's trying to be sympathetic. "If I wanted to talk I'd talk," he says. "Just get off my case for a bit."

Becky wants to talk to Steve in private. She says she'll start looking for somewhere to go. She's surprised he won't argue but he says this isn't something that can be solved by an argument.

Janice and Julie gossip about Kevin and Sally. Hayley points out you can't know what goes on in someone else's relationship. That doesn't stop them. Sally barges over and says if they're going to talk about her they should at least get their facts right. She hasn't taken Kevin back. He was just staying temporarily. She accuses Janice of loving this. Izzie pipes up. "I don't think any of us are loving the fact that there's a poor innocent baby who's lost its mother across the street." That shuts up Sally.

Maria's back with groceries. She even remembered what kind of pizza Tyrone likes. Ty feels as if he's stuck in a nightmare. When Maria reminds him that she does have some idea how he feels, Tyrone says he's just being selfish. "Tyrone, you've got this little man here who depends on you for everything," Maria says. "You can't let him down." She assures him he can cope. He says that's not the problem. He can. "So he's not mine, is he? Every day when I look at him I'll never be able to forget that he's Kevin Webster's kid."

Becky's sitting glum in the cafe but tells Hayley she can't tell her what's happened because she's too ashamed. "Stevie and me are finished and it's all my fault."

Izzie's come in and Anna questions her about Gary while she serves her. He's been quiet with her, too. Izzie says he's been through so much that if he doesn't want to talk perhaps they shouldn't make him. Izzy offers to take him out for a meal and see if he opens up.

Becky tells Hayley that Steve wants her out. She pleads with Hayley not to ask her what happened. "I'm just going to find somewhere for me and Max."

Rosie's in the building yard declaiming to Jason. She's really annoyed that Kevin's taken the spotlight off her birthday. "Nobody understands how hard it is being me! Having my birthday on Christmas Eve - I just want smiley faces and presents." But everyone is always more focused on Christmas, she says. She's interrupted by Owen who tells her she can chat to him while Jason gets on with loading the truck.

Gary's sitting blank-faced in front of the TV and almost has kittens when Izzy bangs on the door. She shouts her invitation through the door but he sits back down and she goes away. He has another drink.

Maria's feeding baby Jack. Tyrone doesn't want to open a beer for fear he'll drink what he's stocked up for Christmas. Maria tries to reassure him that Jack is his in all the ways that count. She tells him she'll call back in the morning. There's another knock at the door and she goes to answer it. It's Kevin. Tyrone overhears Maria telling Kevin what she thinks of him. He picks up baby Jack and goes into the hallway. "These past few weeks," he says, "I've lost the bloke that was practically my Dad. I've lost my wife, my best mate, my job. I've lost the son that I thought was mine. I've lost everything that mattered to me. So these are the last words I want to say to you: He's your baby. Take him! I hate you. Get out!" He hands over the child and hustles both Kevin and Maria out of the house and won't let Maria back in.

In the Rovers, Steve asks Claire how she is. She says everyone's been very kind but they can't know how she's feeling. She never considered not growing old with Ashley. She took the boys to see Santa and Freddie just asked for an extra special present for his daddy when he came home. Steve asks about her plans to move to France. She says she'd feel as if she was betraying Ashley, leaving behind everything that he knew and loved. Even if he was rubbish at darts.

If you've ever wondered how they get those potato skins they serve with cream cheese and bacon, wonder no more - they're from potatoes peeled by women who have been betrayed by their husbands. Sally is one and she's peeling furiously as Sophie asks what to do with the present she's already bought for Kevin. Kevin comes in with the baby. "What do you think you're doing bringing that here?" asks a disgusted Rosie. Kevin explains Tyrone wants nothing to do with the baby. "So? Neither do we!" Sally says. Kevin worries that he has nothing for Jack - no clothes, no food. Sally doesn't care. Kevin pleads for one of them to look after Jack for an hour while he goes and gets some stuff. That's enough for Rosie. "Right! That's it! I'm moving in with Jason." Jason seems very surprised by this news. Rosie says she's not going to have her birthday spoiled by some screaming little brat. Sally tells Kevin it's his problem. Sophie goes upstairs without answering his plea. "So, what are you going to do now, Kevin?" asks Sally sarcastically. He says he's going to do some shopping then he is going to take care of baby Jack. "Like it or not, Sal, I'm all he's got left in this world." He slams the door, leaving Sally weeping.

Meanwhile, Tyrone wrecks his place, hurling the Christmas tree across the room and dropping, sobbing, to the floor.

The End
Margaret Carr

Well! If you thought the Street had trouble last week, more trouble (with a capital T) arrives tonight. It's best you fasten your seatbelts.

We open with Kevin sitting in a chair holding a sleeping baby Jack. Sally comments that they look sweet together. "You and the little baby boy you always wanted." They snipe at each other over whether Kevin did his fair share when the girls were growing up. Kevin says he doesn't even know how much Jack weighs, so when he went to get some supplies he bought the wrong size nappies. "I don't suppose you could . . ." "NO!" snaps Sally (and yes, she snapped in capitals). She doesn't want to hear what his request is and she's not helping him with anything, ever. Kevin just wants someone to hold Jack while he goes to have a wash. "I don't want you two helping him, either!" Sally tells Sophie and Sian as they come downstairs.

Tyrone's in a frenzy, chucking anything baby-related into bin bags while Maria tries to stop him. She says he can't throw out the baby monitor and baby-grows (spelling it like that so I'm not sued by the owners of the BabyGro trademark!), the steriliser or anything else. Tyrone's determined. He doesn't want anything around to remind him of baby Jack. Kirk offers to clear it out - for a price! Maria points out Tyrone will be reminded of Jack every time he opens his door and sees Kevin with the baby. She's appalled when one of the things Tyrone wants to bin is Mr Snuggles. "He's just spent the night in a strange house with strange people and you've not even given him his Snuggly?" Tyrone thrusts the bin bag at her and says she can give it to Kevin if she wants but he's not going round there. Then he turns to Kirk and invites him out on the town because, after all, he's young and single again.

Several Barlows are at the barricade fencing off the viaduct end of the street. Peter's there in his wheelchair. He greets Nick as if he's his best mate in the world. Nick's a bit awkward. He refuses an invitation to come for a drink because he's meeting a copper who will give him the preliminary findings of the investigation into the cause of the fire.

Steve's on the phone, apparently applying for a loan. But when Becky asks who it was, he won't say. She demands to know how long he's going to punish her. He tells her 12 months ought to do it and the public's not safe walking the streets while she is. They're interrupted by Claire, asking if they're coming to a special carol service tonight. Steve says Becky will be there. Claire looks confused. "Don't worry, love - it's me he's trying to avoid," Becky tells her.

Simon's joyful to see his dad again.

In the hospital, the chaplain calls in to see John and Fiz. John's not a believer but Fiz asks if the chaplain can say something. He agrees to organise a blessing.

Nick's in the pub and gets the good news that the explosion was caused by faulty gas equipment, not human error.

Owen tells Steve that his cheque bounced. Steve wonders if maybe he wrote it from the wrong account and says he'll write another.

A bloke from Bacon and Bolton arrives to see Steve. Owen tells Sean they're a firm of surveyors.

Steve takes the bloke through to the back, where Becky, Claire and the children are all playing. Steve decides to go upstairs.

Becky tells Claire that Steve couldn't even look at her then. She decides to put on a DVD for the kids and takes Claire to one side to confess that she paid Kylie for Max. Amy overhears.

Steve and the surveyor bloke have finished their business and are chatting. The surveyor assures Steve the inspection's just to make sure he's got assets to cover the loan.

Claire's questioning Becky about the Max deal. They think they're out of earshot but Amy's still earwigging.

The surveyor won't say what his valuation is (note to NZers, they don't seem to have proper valuers here) but assures Steve it should more than cover what he's asking to borrow by remortgaging. Sean reveals he knows the guy is a surveyor and tells Steve that Owen's had dealings with the firm. Steve says he's having the place valued for the accountant. "No big deal."

Eileen's in a booth with Rosie and Jason. She mentions that Rosie spent ages in the bathroom and Jason defends his girlfriend. She has to look good - her income depends on it, he says. Eileen says she just thinks there ought to be some house rules. Rosie, surprisingly, agrees. "Rule Number One: Nobody touches my skincare products!" she says. Somebody has been, apparently. Eileen indignantly denies it but behind the bar Sean is seen patting his softer, younger-looking face . . .

Sally comes in to wish Rosie a happy birthday. She hates the fact that Kevin's driven her out. Rosie's just annoyed he didn't send her a card or a text.

Sean asks Becky if she knew Steve was having the Rovers valued. She didn't but she's very distressed by the news.

Kevin sings to Jack. The doorbell goes and it's Maria with all the stuff. She doesn't waste any time chatting and just dumps it and leaves.

Becky rushes into the taxi office to tell Steve she did take that money but she's not a money-grabber! She thinks Steve's having the Rovers valued ready for the sharing out of matrimonial assets. Steve explains that paying Kylie means they're skint so he's just remortgaging. Becky is overjoyed.

Eddie and Anna are at home talking about Christmas. Gary comes in and goes straight upstairs.

Steve fesses up to Becky about just how bad the financial situation is. She jokes that she would have taken more if she'd known all that. Steve wants her to promise never to do anything like that again but she says she can't. "When the chips were down I did what I had to do to protect the family.

The Barlows are adjusting the sleeping arrangements to make room for Peter. Simon's speculating on whether Santa will know where to deliver his long list of presents. Peter claims that when he was a kid all he got was a tin of sweets and a satsuma. "Really?" asks Simon. "I'd go ballistic!" Leanne isn't sure Peter should go to the carol service but he points out it's a memorial for those who died. "I would not miss that for the world." Ken's been looking for a poem to read and tells Peter he thinks he's found the best one. He hands Peter the book so he can read it.

Becky and Steve try to get the kids organised to get to Cheryl's before the service start. Presumably she's babysitting. Amy doesn't want to go to Cheryl's. Claire takes the boys over. Becky tells Amy and Max they're going to have an amazing Christmas as a family.

A minister leads the carol singing in falling snow outdoors. Gail and Audrey are arguing because they're already late and Gail wants to go home to check on the boiling ham. The minister begins to speak and tells everyone the message of Christmas is one of hope. "Let's sing that our voices be heard across Weatherfield and that they be heard high up in heaven." Claire's face crumples.

The singing can be heard from inside the Websters', where Sally is sniping at Kevin. She tells him he's ruining everything. People think she's taken him back or is letting him live there. "People can't decide if I'm a mug or a saint." Kevin asks what he can do. She tells him he can go and live somewhere else. Kevin says he's not leaving. Sally asks if he's trying to soften her up by having the baby there. "Because watching you with him makes me hate you even more! I want rid of you both!"

"Oh come let us adore him . . ." rings out across the street then Ken begins to read the poem.* We see each face in turn, with Tyrone watching from a distance. As the singing swells again a taxi turns into the road. It stops at the Rovers end and a pair of high heels is seen, followed by legs in fishnet stockings . "Oh my god!" says Steve. "Tracylove," says Deirdre. Yes, for it is she, Trouble with that capital T. "I know," she calls to her mother. "The most exciting new arrival for two thousand years."

The End of the first episode.

*Ken didn't find that poem in a book. It was specially written for the 50th anniversary by the Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy. Here are the words. I don't know where the line breaks are supposed to be and I don't want to second-guess Ms Duffy:

"If someone could direct me to a street where I could stand
Cobbles beneath my feet tearful with rain;
The shadows of my hopes behind the stained- glass windows of a pub, ghosts -
I would turn up the collar of my coat, walk, number each small, terraced house by heart:
Birthplace; neighbours - hardman, hussy, haridan, hustler, hero, heroine -
Threshold, bride and groom as clueless of next year as Christmas Eve;
Or exit-place, a hearse, a raw and local grief...
Then I'd retrace my steps, perhaps a baby's cry sharp as a sudden star nailed to the sky,
To stand now in this backstreet bar, nursing a beer
All my griefs, my gifts, and glad I live here."

Margaret Carr

Snow continues to fall as we return to Weatherfield. Deirdre rushes towards "TRACY LOVE!" and embraces her as the released prisoner looks triumphant. Steve calls over, asking what she is doing here. She says that justice has prevailed at last. She looks over at the viaduct and says that she heard about the tram disaster on the news before sniping at Becky that it was a shame she escaped it all. Steve tells Becky to ignore her as Deirdre and Ken lead her into the house. Becky glares at her and Tracy offers a sly smirk before going inside.

Gail is nagging David over how to cook the ham for tomorrow properly. She tells him that it has to be right for when Nick carves it. David takes offence at the fact that Nick has been chosen to be the carver but Audrey interrupts the conversation with the bad news that Tracy is back on the Street.

Deirdre is very excitable in the Barlow household and shrills that she can't believe Tracy is back. Tracy apologises that she hasn't come with any Christmas gifts but Deirdre says that is doesn't matter. As peter and Leanne come in, Tracy insists that they burst open the champagne.

Anna is basting the turkey as Gary comes downstairs. He is heading out but Anna stops him to say that she is thinking about inviting Quinny's mum round for Christmas dinner. Gary explodes and tells her to back off before pushing her to the ground and flying out of the door.

Sally and Sophie head upstairs to run a bath and sort some tidying out while Sian is left awkwardly standing downstairs with Kevin. Kevin tells her not to worry...he won't try and talk to her. She tells him that she can see he is hurting and he is surprised at finally receiving some compassion. Sian asks if he is coping okay with baby Jack and Kevin admits that he isn't sure that Tyrone has done the right thing. Sian offers to look after jack while Tyrone pops to see Tyrone. Kevin is grateful.

Tracy gulps down some champagne as peter relates the story of his escape from the rubble. Tracy unconvincingly acts sympathetic before turning the topic of conversation back to herself. She tells Ken and Deirdre that the forensic officer who worked on her case turned out to be a fraud so there is a question mark hanging over his evidence. She appealed and is on bail pending a retrial. Leanne coldly asks her if she wants to see Amy. Deirdre points out that Steve and Becky wouldn't be happy with her turning up so late on Christmas Eve. Tracy grins before asking if anyone fancies a drink.

Gail is enraged that Tracy has been released and worries that this will ruin Christmas. Audrey tries to get her to ignore it and just move on but Gail determines to have it out with her.

Hayley, Roy and Chesney are at the hospital as John and Fiz prepare to have Hope blessed. Fiz thanks them all for being here as the pastor arrives.

Nick joins Carla at the bar and says he will drink with her as she looks pathetic standing on her own. Carla smirks and comments that she is used to doing things on her own.

Michelle is shocked as Becky tells her about Tracy's release. Steve suggests that she is just out for a few days. Michelle says that that only happens with prisoners who are well behaved. Becky is also convinced that Tracy is back for good.

Tyrone is drinking with Kirk when Kevin comes in wanting a word. He asks Tyrone if he is convinced he has done the right thing with jack. Tyrone tells him to leave him alone.

Steve is telling Becky that Tracy is hardly likely to come round on Christmas Eve all guns blazing when Tracy comes round on Christmas Eve, all guns blazing. She wants a word...about their daughter. Becky has a look of foreboding on her face.

Becky, Tracy and Steve go through to the back as Tracy insists that she only wants to see her daughter for 5 minutes. Becky tells her she is asleep. Tracy coldly tells her that she only wants to speak to Steve...as someone who isn't Amy's blood relative, it is none of Becky's business. Steve reminds Tracy that they are a family s Becky has had enough and tells Tracy to leave. Tracy warns her that she is handy with a blunt instrument when riled, causing Becky to burst out laughing. As they argue, Amy comes downstairs as she can't sleep. Tracy looks triumphant and scoops Amy into her arms.

John and fiz hold hands as the pastor carries out Hope's blessing.

Peter asks Nick and Carla to join them but they can't. As they head off, peter speculates jokingly over where they're off to together. Leanne asks if he's jealous before telling him that she knows about Carla. He assures her that nothing went on between them and she was just helping her and Leanne says that she trusts him.

Kevin is pressuring Tyrone for an answer to the point where Tyrone grabs him by the shirt and pins him against a wall. He tells Kevin that he doesn't want anything to do with him or his son. He wants a fresh slate.

Tracy is telling Amy that the special hotel she was in (or as Amy corrects her, prison) wouldn't let her out so she phoned Santa and asked him for a ride on his sleigh as he came to see Amy. Becky listens for a while before going downstairs and telling Steve that she is churning out rubbish. Steve says they will all have to get on for Amy's sake.

Gail is banging on the Barlow door and Deirdre answers. She knows what this is about and asks Gail if they can't just bury the hatchet for Christmas. No such luck.

Gary is standing in the cold and Anna tries to coax him inside. He doesn't respond but just stares into space so Anna hugs him.

Sally and Kevin are arguing over Kevin leaving Jack with Sian. Sian tells Sally it is okay but Sally tells her and Sophie that Kevin is just using them. Kevin snaps and says he will leave. Sian asks where he will go and he shrugs and suggests a stable.

Tracy comes back downstairs and says Amy is fast asleep but so excited to have her mum back. Steve tells her they need to work together to make this less complex for Amy. Tracy agrees before saying that Steve can have her until 10am on Christmas morning. Steve is about to argue but Gail interrupts telling him not to worry as Tracy will be spending Christmas in hospital. She asks Tracy what got her out of prison. Sexual favours or blackmail. Tracy replies that her conviction is no longer safe but Gail retorts that it's the people of Weatherfield who aren't safe now that this evil, lying bitch is back on the streets.

Sophie is crying as Kevin packs. Sally tells her he is just using baby jack as a ploy for sympathy. Kevin storms out and Sophie begs Sally to let him stay until she relents and says that it's just for Christmas and she won't be speaking to him. Sophie runs out and catches up with Kevin.

Becky is laughing as Gail tears strips from Tracy. Tracy tells her that she is sorry and she was forced into it but Gail can see through her. Tracy's face hardens and she tells Gail not to be such a drama queen as she got off. Gail points out that that is because she is innocent. Tracy says she is doubtful as Gail's story had more holes than Joe's boat causing Gail to grab her by the hair and pull her to the floor. The women fight until Steve pulls them apart and Becky throws Tracy out. Deirdre follows and says that she can't blame Gail for being angry. Tracy says that it's not Gail she is bothered about...it's Becky. She promises that she will do everything it takes to get Amy back.

So what have we learned?
-Gail has every faith in David when he is on ‘Ham Watch' (I wonder if he was good enough to spot Kate Ford's hammy acting...?)
-Tracy is as large as life and twice as nasty
-Hands on mothering isn't Tracy's style. Bludgeoning people with blunt instruments who rile her is, however
-There's no manual for a baby
-Bad news travels fast

Dubious Awards
Most generous prison: "They release murderers for Christmas?" Becky
Most effective description of her own return: "All that devastation, destruction and needless suffering." Tracy
Most shared doubts: "I just can't believe it!" Deirdre on Tracy's release. Frankly, I don't think Corrie's millions of viewers can quite get their heads around it either...
Person with lowest festive expectations: "I just couldn't have wished for a better Christmas present!" Deirdre on Tracy's release.
Understatement of the night: "It's like a warzone!" Kevin on the Webster household.
Most sympathetic sibling: "I can't believe it...you, a crippled alchy!" Tracy to Peter
Most unbelievable claim: "I'm not here for a slanging match!" Tracy to Becky and Steve
Most believable claim: "Who've you been sleeping with now?" Gail to Tracy

That's all for now. A Tracy filled Christmas to come. Don't get too excited now...
Duncan Lindsay

Written By Jonathan Harvey Directed by Duncan Foster

It's Christmas Day and it's not going to be very Merry for most people! I'm here with the first half of the hour long Christmas Day Corrie....

Deirdre makes some fancy orange juice drinks for her and Tracy. Simon is already hands under the tree because Deirdre said he could open one little gift while he waits for Peter to get dressed. Deirdre is very happy to have Tracy home. She makes a joke about the state of the Kabin and tells her mother that as far as scenes in the pub goes, they ain't seen nothing yet! She has nothing good to say about Becky and isn't having her bringing up Amy. Simon looks at the toy he's opened a bit oddly. He says it's a tram! Oops!

In the pub, Steve brings out an oversized snowman and says everything will be fine. Becky's not so sure with Tracy already calling the shots. Steve wants to put it behind them for the day and have a good time. Becky grabs hold of him saying as long as they can put the Wicked Witch of the West in a cage they'll be fine. Lloyd comes out from the back and retorts that he thought Liz was in Spain! Ouch! He teases Becky about the glittery decorations and then lets Tina in. She's dressed in a sexy sort of Mrs. Clause outfit or something. Anyway, she looks cute and Lloyd looks appreciative. Tina and Becky talk about Tracy for a minute, Tina admitting she can't stand her (not that she's known her at all but i guess that has to do with her sabotaging Gail's trial). The women go into the back to see the kids. Lloyd and Steve hit the lager taps.

Rosie shows off her new shoes, a birthday present, I think, that Jason bought her online. Sally hands round champagne and orange juice in flutes and asks if Rosie can actually walk in the very high heels. Well, no, but they're for looks right? Kevin, having come downstairs holding baby Jack, gets a mouthful from Rosie and a very caustic remark from Sally about him staying with her last Christmas when he really wanted to crawl into "that tart's bed!... Mince pie, Jason?" Sophie admonishes her for speaking ill of the dead but Sally thinks it being dead doesn't make a bad person good again.

In Tyrone's house, furniture is still scattered around the room. He's lying on the sofa, drinking ale and listening to Christmas music on the telly and looking pretty pathetic.

Peter is putting one of Simon's cars together and bickering with an apologetic Ken who had forgotten he'd bought Simon a train (not a tram). Tracy comes through to the kitchen where Deirdre is thoughtful and missing her mother moaning and slagging her off. Tracy thoughtlessly (is there any other way?) pretends she knows how her mother feels because she missed Amy. Deirdre, politely but with a sarcastic air, figures it was a bit different. Blanche died. Tracy was in prison because she killed Charlie. Ken offers to take the train back to the shop and get something else. A Tram? Simon asks! Peter and Ken continue to bicker and Tracy gets stroppy because Leanne is still in the bathroom. "That girl is so self centred!!!" (sigh. it's going to be a long year if she's going to be in it).

Chesney shows John a tiny little bear that has a light up red heart on it that he's bought for Hope. she can't have it in the incubator but she'll always have it. John says he's off to the hospital. He offers to give the kids a lift but they're going to see Izzy and Owen first.

David bounds down the stairs, hoping to get some sort of birthday greeting but no, Gail is on a rant to Nick about Tracy and her brass neck. He is ignored. Nick isn't defending Tracy while Gail retells the whole sad story. Finally, she apologizes to David. He's not having it.

Betty is directing Tina on how to set up the buffet while she's sitting in a booth folding napkins. Ciaran comes in and is cheeky and charming to Betty but she's not having that either.

Instead of jumping straight into the car and heading to the hospital, in an obvious plot contrivance, John is standing looking at the memorials at the barriers. Of course, Charlotte's parents have driven there to see where she died and leave a wreath and they see him standing there. He was supposed to be in New Zealand if you will recall. Oops. I told you he should have just said he was going to his parents'! They want him to come to theirs for Christmas lunch and he, of course, doesn't want to but because Katy and Chesney come out of the house a few feet away, John jumps in their car and hides from them. He's so stupid!

The back room of the Rovers is heaving with people, kids and a little tree. Becky and Amy, dressed in a cheerleader outfit, are performing a cheer when Tracy comes in to fetch Amy. She tells Steve and Becky that Amy's outfit looks ridiculous. They tell her that Amy's really into Glee (tv show) and Tracy pretends to know what they're talking about. She tells Amy she's getting her out of that hell hole. Tracy civilly thanks Becky for taking care of Amy and tells Steve, when he asks if she's bringing Amy back at all, "We'll see!" Cheryl asks who that was. Trouble, Lloyd replies.

After the break, Amy and Simon are dancing to what is probably a Glee cd. Most of the rest of the Barlows are enjoying the children and joining in where they know a few words. When the song is over, Tracy crows about Becky being ticked off because Tracy can so easily manipulate Steve. Amy picks up a fluffy dress off the floor. It's a fairy costume complete with wings that Tracy had someone else on the ward in prison make for her. She wants Amy to wear it but Amy wants to keep her Glee cheerleader dress on. Since Tracy must have her way, she tells Amy she looks silly in her dress and throws a glass of wine all over the child so she has to change. (sigh)

Kevin has put the baby down. Sally is giving him the silent treatment. She tells him he's not eating with them, he can have it in the conservatory with his b.... well never mind.

Betty is sampling the pies and Ciaran has a taste. He compliments her on her perfect pastry and pours them each a sweet sherry. He pulls out a sprig of mistletoe and charms her into a kiss.

Becky and Steve are bickering in the kitchen. Cheryl and Lloyd try to get them to realize they're upsetting the children but the row blows full out. He's walking a fine line and she accuses him of bending to Tracy's every whim. He tells her the way to handle Tracy is to call her bluff. She didn't expect him to give her Amy so openly so that's why he did it. It keeps her off guard. He thinks. Becky says it doesn't matter, Tracy still has Amy and might not bring her back. Barlows 1, McDonald's 0.

At the hospital, Fiz is trying to get hold of John. He's tucking in to a big plate of Christmas turkey with Charlotte's parents while a horribly off key song is playing. It turns out it's Charlotte herself. She always had a unique voice, her dad says. John doesn't think it's very good but pretends of course because that's what he's good at. Seems they had given her the gift of studio time for her 40th birthday and she made the cd for them. It makes them feel a little closer to her and they promise to make him a copy. Oh. Not necessary, he mumbles. They think he's quite selfless. He says he's quite forward, really, if they only knew the truth! Charlotte warbles The Wind Beneath My Wings. It's a farce, this, but kind of funny watching Stape squirm.

Things are hopping in the pub. Ciaran is chasing all the women around with his mistletoe. As he passes Steve, Steve grabs him for a big kiss! Claire is smiling with the boys, food is being laid out on the buffet and children are being danced with along to bouncy Christmas music. Claire realizes there is one gift left in a bag but it's one from Ashley and she's been reluctant to open it. Becky sits down and urges her to. It's a French style beret and a stripey top. (*gulp*)

Becky rouses the troops into party mode (they have moved the Jukebox over to the wall opposite where the doors to the toilets are, probably because there's decorations all over that wall!) People are all happy and wearing funny hats when Tracy and Deirdre arrive with Amy. She's now wearing the fairy dress. Tracy says Amy had an accident and hands the dress over in a plastic bag with a few snide remarks. Becky holds her temper admirably.

Down the row, Tyrone is sitting by himself. There's a knock on the door so he goes to see who it is. It's Maria, little Liam and Kirk who have brought Christmas to him. Awwww.

Back to the pub, everyone is dancing with Tracy showing off. Claire comes out wearing her new top and Tracy turns even more despicable than you thought it was possible to be with a very insincere sorry to hear about... um... Thingy. She confronts Tracy, reminds her she used to call Ashley Tweety Pie because of his voice, how she insulted them every chance she got. Tracy tells her to get out more and stop living in the past. She asks how Ashley died and was he in the tram? Claire scolds her and says not to be so flippant. Tracy, still smirking and dancing around, and calling Ashley "What's his name". Claire shouts that his name was Ashley and Tracy accuses her of still being mentally insane and then twirls away.

The Platt/Tilsley/Roberts crew are huddled in a corner as far away from Tracy as they can get. Tracy tries to flirt with David who puts her down firmly while the Barlows watch, horrified. Gail decides she's had enough and wants to go home. Tracy starts in on Gail much to Ken and Peter's annoyance. They urge her to call a truce. Gail says she'll stay if Tracy keeps her mouth shut so Tracy smugly does that zip motion over her lips with a smirk. Of course. She pulls Amy over to a booth for a cuddle. Amy refers to Max as her brother and then tells Tracy that Steve paid money for Max. Uh oh. Bag's open and the cats are running wild down the cobbles.

I'll leave you there to wait for part two... Happy Christmas everyone!

Tvor

Here is the second half of Christmas Day's hour long episode.

We're back in the Rovers and Ciaran is carving the turkey as Ken is trying to make a selection on the jukebox. Tracy takes Deirdre aside and asks her what she knows about max. Deirdre explains that Kylie has moved away so max is living with Steve and Becky.

Gail watches Tracy and wonders what she is up to. Audrey tells her to drop it.

Nick joins Peter and says that he has an idea that will be mutually beneficial. If he steps in to manage the bookies, Leanne can concentrate on caring for Peter. Peter seems keen. Leanne watches worried.

John's Christmas dinner with the Hoyles continue. Mrs Hoyle takes out a Christmas pudding which Charlotte made back in May. She gets emotional over how much she misses her daughter. John says that he is sorry. She replies that he doesn't need to apologise...it's not as if he killed her.

Mary is dressed up as Santa and calls Rita, Norris and Emily into the caravan. Inside, she has set it out like a mobile newsagents and she asks Norris if he wants to take her for a ride. The caravan of course…

Sophie is subdued as Kevin sits alone in the conservatory with jack. She asks Sally whether he can come through but Sally can't cope with it.

Tracy introduces herself to max as Becky watches her closely. She then asks Becky where Kylie is. Before discussion can continue further, josh spills juice on Amy and Becky rushes to clean her up. Tracy shouts at Claire that she doesn't care if her husband is dead, she can still keep her kids under control. Becky takes Amy away but Tracy stops her and says she is taking Amy home with her. She tells Steve that he can visit anytime, just not with his skank of a wife. Becky grabs Tracy by the hair and throws her across the table. Amy looks scared and Tracy shrills that she is scared. Becky laughs hysterically as she is made to look the bad one and Tracy slips into the back, with a satisfied smirk on her face.

Tracy is comforting Amy and promising her she never needs to be around Becky anymore. As she goes to take her home, Becky and Steve stand in her way but they are floored when Tracy says she will contact social services about them buying Max if they don't let her have Amy. Becky yells after her that she won't get away with this...buying Max is never as bad as selling Amy to Hayley and Roy was. Steve tells Becky to keep her voice down but it's too late, Amy has heard. Tracy assures her that Becky is a liar and Becky screams for her to say that to her face. Steve ushers her inside.

Claire, Tina and Graeme are discussing Tracy's callous words about Ashley. As Graeme speaks ill of Tracy, Deirdre says 'shame on you' to which Graeme replies that she should be the one to feel ashamed for defending Tracy's cruel actions.

Leanne asks Nick what his conversation with Peter was about. He asks her to meet him outside.

Becky is asking Steve why he gave up Amy and didn't fight. Steve said that he didn't have much alternative. Becky wonders what they are going to do.

Norris and Mary return from an afternoon's trade in the mobile newsagents. Mary for some reason is carrying a keyboard and she insists on playing a tune.

Lloyd is telling Steve that it was bound to happen that Tracy would use Max against them. Steve doesn't know how much more he can cope with.

Leanne is surprised that Nick is managing the bookies and he says he just wants to be close to her. He tells her that one day she will wake up and realise that she has made a terrible mistake...and he will be there waiting. They share a passionate kiss before Leanne pulls away and flees back inside.

Jack can be heard crying. Sally reluctantly goes through and takes him from Kevin. Left alone, she looks at the baby and sobs

Claire lights a candle for Ashley near the Joinery. There is a photo of him there. Lloyd puts his arm around her. She says she can just about manage when the kids are around but when they're not, she feels like she is drowning. He embraces her as she cries.

Kirk asks Maria and Tyrone if they have had a good day. They both shrug and Kirk says it's understandable seeing as Tyrone's wife has just died and he's found out his baby isn't his. Maria scolds him for being insensitive.

Leanne comes back in and peter calls for silence. He announces that he plans to be out of his wheelchair on Valentine's Day so that he can walk up the aisle and renew his vows. Everyone cheers but Leanne looks quite stunned.

John arrives at hospital. Roy and Hayley have organised a dinner and excitedly tell him that he has the biggest portion. He tries to hide his dismay.

Rita gets up and sings David Essex' 'A Winter's Tale' Claire is emotional and runs outside and we see a montage of characters looking deep in thought. Sally, then Kevin then Tyrone followed by a smug Tracy cuddling Amy and Steve and Becky looking broken hearted. As the song draws to a close, Claire goes outside into the snow and sees a single star shining in the sky. Her tearful face breaks into a wide, happy grin…

Duncan Lindsay

Written By Jayne Hollinson Directed by Ian Bevitt

Tracy is playing a board game with Amy and Simon. Ken and Deirdre chat about how Amy is out of sorts. Simon points out that Tracy is cheating so that Amy will win and leaves the table as Peter rolls in, bumping through the doorway on his way. This causes Tracy to make fun of him but he insists he'll be out of the chair before long. She continues to tease him and takes a swipe at Leanne too, referring to her past as a prostitute. Ken admonishes her. Only Kidding, she gleefully gurns. Leanne goes to answer a knock at the door. It's Nick. She's not happy to see him but Peter calls him in, telling the others that Nick is covering for him in the bookies. (Why? There's still John, isn't there?) Deirdre and Ken lift an eyebrow at that but Leanne makes sure to mention it wasn't her idea. Tracy immediately flirts with Nick offering him anything he wants on a plate. He looks a bit taken aback and Leanne gets her own back with a very good dig at Tracy, calling her a Black Widow who kills anyone she mates with. Only Kidding! She and Nick go to work, Tracy expresses her annoyance at Leanne only to be told she started it. Amy asks when she's going home. No answer.

In the pub, Max is asking where Amy is. Becky figures Tracy's patience for being a mother won't last long. But for everything Becky suggests, Steve has an opposite opinion and Becky glares at him for it but admits she misses Amy, too.

In Webster Towers, the girls are down for their breakfast and find Kevin eating his at the table. Sally comes down and orders him back into the conservatory. The females chat while Kevin turns on the small telly in the conservatory while little Jack lies there content and quiet. The telly appears to be on the fritz. He overhears Sally tell the girls she'll take them into town shopping later.

Tracy is taking Amy into town as well, for some girly shopping but Amy seems to be dragging her heels. Ken scolds Tracy and says Amy has been uprooted from her home. You can imagine how well that goes down. Ken advises her to take things more slowly but Tracy isn't having Amy anywhere near Becky.

Leanne is explaining how things work in the betting shop. He seems more intent on gazing at her than listening. She snaps at him.

Mary is stocking the mobile Kabin with a song. Two yellow coated workmen headed to the crash site glance up at the noise. Norris and Rita arrive with arms full of papers and magazines. Norris is grumbling about having to spend the day with Mary singing all the time. Mother called it "trilling" she chirps. More like "shrilling" Norris spits. Rita sympathises with Mary, not Norris. The bickering continues as Tracy comes out her door with Amy. She approaches and sucks up to Rita but manages to insult Norris. She then asks Rita for a job. However, as Norris, the "bald sidekick" is the owner now, it seems Tracy has shot herself in the foot. Not that she was ever in with a chance. No vacancies for homicidal maniacs. She goes off in a strop. Gail comes up the pavement and Rita greets her gently. Gail moans about having to take the bus to do her shopping instead of a taxi. Life can be very unjust. Rita reminds her about the recent deaths. Ah. Duly ashamed.

Fiz and John arrive home in a taxi and glance up at the workmen clearing the end of the road. He steers her inside where she says it's hard getting used to leaving Hope at the hospital. (I must have missed where she was sent home) They've been advised to get a bit of rest before going back. John is staring out the back window as he fills, or overfills the kettle.

Ken arrives to check up on things at the shop. Leanne greets him with crossed arms, defensively. She repeats that it wasn't her idea and insists that it's all over. Ken correctly reckons it might be for her. Nick comes in and Ken suggests he find another job. Not up to you, Nick points out smugly. Ken promises to tell Peter if Nick makes any kind of move on Leanne because he'd rather Peter not be made a fool of. His words don't seem to make much impact on Nick but they do, of course, to Leanne, cementing her resolve. For the moment.

After the break, we are in the pub where Steve is scrubbing a table. Eileen has come in and sits down with him to sympathise over Tracy's escapades, taking Amy back. Eileen, while she hates Tracy, does point out that Tracy is still her mother and can understand why she'd want Amy back after being in prison for years. Tracy did have custody before going to prison, so Amy was only with Steve because of that. Steve isn't so happy to hear that.

Back at Number 1, Ken tries to put Deirdre forth as a better alternative to Nick. Peter figures at least Nick won't be snogging the punters and Deirdre assures him she doesn't want the job anyway. Ken offers his services instead. Peter doesn't need the help of either of them and says Nick and Leanne get on well together. Peter is a bit suspicious, what do they have against Nick? Ken says he just doesn't take to him, trying to cover tracks. Leanne has arrived home for lunch and overhears the tail end of the conversation. Ken gives up and goes out somewhere to get a newspaper.

John is clearly upset, and all nerved up. He pulls a cd out of his pocket, it's a copy of Charlotte's Songs that her parents have given him. You can almost hear the Telltale Heart beating beneath the floorboards! He lurches to the kitchen and stuffs the disk into the bin but takes it out again and hides it in his pocket as Fiz comes in. He offers to take Fiz to lunch in the Rovers. She wants to go look at the tributes at the site first.

Outside, Tracy is taking a glum looking Amy out of the taxi. Claire walks by and Tracy apologizes for the other day. Claire knows Tracy isn't sincere and says so. Tracy wonders if she could buy the butcher shop to open a florist in it. Claire reckons it's a good idea, she won't have to buy flowers for the funeral of the next man she kills. Tracy snarls and insults Claire, asking what use is she to anybody. That hurts but Claire's back is already turned to Tracy so Tracy can't see she's hit home. Amy heads to the pub door but Tracy pulls her back.

Tyrone meets Fiz and John as they come out and Fiz hugs him. As he leaves. Fiz comments that there are some folk that nothing seems to go right for. John looks ironic and agrees.

In the pub, Claire is ranting to Becky about Tracy. Becky is pleased to hear that Amy appears to have given Tracy a hard time. In a booth, Gail and Sally are chatting to Rita and Eileen. Sally is enjoying giving Kevin a hard time, hoping it might make him leave and get his own place. That way Rosie can move back home. Eileen comments that Rosie takes an inordinate amount of time in the bathroom in the morning. Eileen leaves and Gail goes to the bar. Sally admits to Rita that she's angry and sad altogether and doesn't care if it's also hard on Kevin, it's all his fault. Rita does agree there. Sally goes to the bar to see Tyrone who's standing there looking sad. She tells him when he gets back to work, and a routine, things will get a little easier. Tyrone reckons he has to find a job but Sally insists that he shouldn't give up the garage, it's his business too! Tyrone is horrified at the idea of working with Kevin but Sally pushes him. Kevin has taken everything else, don't let him take that as well.

Fiz and John are looking at the flowers and tributes along the barricade. Norris and Mary have arrived back and are still bickering. She shushes him because the Stapes are paying their respect. Fiz spies flowers for Charlotte from her parents. John's face falls as Fiz reads out the card. He looks like he's going to be ill and turns away quickly, followed by Fiz.

Amy is sitting in the back yard with Eccles. Becky hears her talking to the dog and comes round the back gate. Amy tells her she wants to come home and goes for a cuddle in Becky's arms.

John is crying in the house. He says it's not just Charlotte, it's everything. She reckons it's the worry over the baby as well (which is probably is but it's the guilt that's the big thing, isn't it?) He thinks Hope is paying for all the bad things he's done. Fiz says that's all in the past and is trying to be strong for everyone else. He says he's not a saint. She's going to make an appointment with the doctor, he's exhausted.

Sally finally returns home. She sits down and turns on the telly which is the non-working one. She leaps up as Kevin comes through and she demands her telly back. No way. He bought it. They start screaming at each other. He hollers that if Sian can stay there without paying and gets all the home comforts, he certainly can!! Oops, Sophie and Sian have come in and over hear that and naturally, are very upset. Kevin says Sian could go back to her mother's and Sophie insists she isn't going. The girls run upstairs (and anyway, it was Sally and Kevin that invited Sian to stay in the first place). More bickering and accusations. Sally runs into the conservatory to retrieve the cushions she bought and Kevin takes his "pouffe" (looks like a footstool to me!) out as it was a birthday pressie. Sally whips round and throws a cushion at his head.

Deirdre has brought a plate of biscuits to Tracy. Ken criticizes, saying Tracy is never happy unless people are all doing her bidding. True, that. Tracy accuses her own step-dad of turning on her (no, sorry, would you refer to your adopted father as a step dad?) Anyway, Ken has had enough of her for one day and gets up to take Amy to the park. Tracy tries to stop him as he hasn't asked permission. He snaps that they don't need it. They've looked after Amy for years. Tracy does look abashed. But Ken goes out to the back yard to get Amy and she's gone, though Eccles is still there.

Steve is walking through the neighbourhood, on the phone to his mother in Spain. Tracy is out the front and he can see she's distressed and hangs up the phone. Tracy tells him Amy is missing. Steve shouts at her and goes in the pub to see if she's in there. Of course, that's exactly where she is, with Becky. Tracy accuses Becky of kidnapping Amy who defends herself. There's a big argument, witnessed by Claire. Becky refuses to give Amy back and Amy doesn't want to go anyway. Tracy plays her trump card. She is prepared to tell everyone Steve and Becky's "little secret" .

What could that be? Three guesses and the first two don't count!

Tvor

When this was broadcast I was in the Scilly Isles enjoying my Christmas break, oh well, off to the back streets of Weatherfield where this episode was written by Julie Jones and directed by Ian Bevitt.

We open in the hallway of the Rovers where Steve is telling Amy to put her coat on as she is going home with her mummy. Becky calls him unbelievable - but he clearly has no alternative given the weapon that the Mad Cow has unleashed. Ken taps Dreary on the arm and suggests they withdraw. Amy runs into the back room and promptly locks the door. Becky suggests using Tracy (aka Mad Cow)'s head as a battering ram to get the door open. Claire volunteers to get Amy out and Mad Cow and Becky start arguing. Steve sends Becky to the bar - so as Tracy points out Amy needs her parents to sort it out and Clarabelle can run along as well. (Mad Cow is clearly not intending to build any bridges this week). Becky and Claire depart.

At home Dreary has a glass of wine and Ken a mug of tea (coffee) and they discuss Tracy's revelation of a little secret although they have no idea about the payment for Max. Dreary reckons she should have stayed but Ken believes that they should not be interfering. He reckons that Becky and Tracy are as bad as each and gets called sanctimonious (which I can just about spell) for his efforts. He gets told off for fence sitting and she downs the wine.

Amy sensibly puts on his earmuffs so she cannot hear Steve trying to talk her round. The siege of the Rovers.

Across the Street Sian and Sophie are snuggled up discussing Kev's order for the former to leave. Sophie tells her she is better than family - but if she goes then Sophie will go as well - so she will go nowhere.

Fiz and John are in the bar - and tell Rita that Hope is getting stronger every day.

Becky is worrying about Steve consorting with the enemy (probably rightly).

Steve and Mad Cow are sitting on the floor and he is telling her off. As they talk she even apologises and says she should have taken things more slowly. He calls her a bull in a china shop and they both worry about Amy - who is stubborn. Steve and Mad Cow smile at each other. Mad Cow shows Steve the pictures of Becky which had been with her in prison. She reckons that Amy kept her sane. Steve starts to think that Mad Cow is not that bad - who admits she is a bit too gobby for her own good. Steve puts his arm around her to provide comfort - watched by Becky.

At the Webster residence Kev comes in from the conservatory for a cup of tea - and finds that as Sal pays for the shopping all of the food and beverages and so on are in "her" cupboard whilst "his" cupboard contains a very old tin of lobster bisque from a hamper and some bamboo shoots. She has a huge smile on her face. The girls come downstairs and ask if they can make some lunch - Sal proudly shows off her cupboard full of goodies. Kev and Sal argue and the latter re-assures the two girls it is their home.

At the surgery John is explaining to the dishy doctor about his lack of sleep. The doctor is very understanding - he knows about the terrible problems with Hope and it is to be expected. But John cannot tell him about the two murders and the identity swap - merely that he is troubled. John goes on about his guilt - as an abstract - but cannot explain why. John says he cannot think straight, puts his jacket on. The doctor offers sleeping pills and suggest counseling - but John refuses it.

After the break Becky is at the door and starts talking Amy around - and she offers eggy bread - which gets the door open in seconds - and Becky gets a large cuddle - we see Mad Cow's face over Becky's shoulder - totally unhappy.

Once the eggy bread has been consumed Becky keeps trying to stop Amy leaving her home. Mad Cow and Becky exchange insults - the former calls the latter an uncontrollable rottweiler. Steve knows there has to be compromise and goes to get Amy - and Becky in unhappy at not being supported.

Rita meets Kev in the Street and admires baby Jack. Kev tells Rita how difficult things are with Sal - and he regrets it. Rita invites him back to Emily for some team - but it gets him indoors out of the cold.

Peter is sitting in his wheelchair lifting weights when Tracy returns to the Barlow household saying that cow (Becky) cannot get one over on her. Amy is playing - but is almost totally ignored by her mother - Ken goes to play with her. Leanne returns and Peter points out his improving muscles - but Tracy reports him as unable to pull the skin off the custard - Leanne snaps back that he was nearly killed in the tram crash. Peter stretches his arms and the weight hits Mad Cow who snaps that she got more peace in prison. Leanne suggests she takes steps to get locked up again. Mad Cow suggests she moves into their flat whilst they are unable to use it - but Leanne says no instantly. Mad Cow says she wants to settle down with her daughter having got out of prison and have a quiet life. Leanne says she has started well - even Emily Bishop is crossing the road to avoid her! Peter bows down to his wife.

Sal welcomes Kev home by suggesting that she was hoping he had been run down. And once he has put Jack down he will be taking back the large television. Sophie asks how long this will continue and Sal's response is until Kev realises he is not wanted in the house. Kev points out he pays the mortgage. Sal suggests ground rules - but even Sophie tells her father off. Kev can see everyone is against him.

The Barlows are eating when Nick arrives - Tracy calls it embarrassing the frequency with which they keep meeting - borderline stalking. Apparently they did a roaring trade at the bookies and Nick departs. Mad Cow asserts that he would like a go on Nick - simply because she is frustrated - she asks Leanne if she has any tips on Nick and Leanne responds that it was a long time ago. Dreary tries to change the subject but Mad Cow goes back to talking about the very fit Nick but Tracy continues to stir - although told to stop and Leanne goes out to get some fresh air, so Mad Cow calls Leanne a right stroppy mare and asks Peter how he puts up with her.

John is sitting at home staring at the sleeping pills and throws them away.

Nick finds Leanne in Roy's Rolls and sits down to try and chat her up. She tells him it is finished and he must move on - and whilst his head knows it he cannot convince his heart.

Steve finds Becky in the smoking area. Becky calls him an animal without a backbone - a book which Amy has and he should be on the front cover. Steve says it is not that easy. She says he trampled over her feelings. They argue. Over the wall Mad Cow can hear them arguing and she starts to laugh. Becky reminds Steve that no-one walks over her - certainly not Tracy Barlow. Becky wants to know what there is between Steve and Tracy - she is playing him - and Becky knows it. Steve calls her paranoid - but Becky reckons he is thick if he cannot see it. Becky and Steve part.

Tracy observes the current score is one - nil.

Kev comes in and gets pot noodle and exchanges a look with Sal.

Tracy comes round and tells Becky that was quite a row and then observes that more people divorce after Christmas than at any other time of the year. Becky tells Mad Cow to get lost - but Tracy continues to mouth off. Anyway she is thinking of becoming a counselor. Becky stands up and grabs the mouthy Mad Cow. Tracy reminds Becky that she and Steve go way back and they have a connection - which is why Becky hates Tracy so much. Tracy says Becky can see it and can do nothing about it. Tracy says having a baby with someone gives you an unbreakable bond between the parties. Something Tracy will never have because she is incapable of giving him a child. Becky says her family mean everything to her. All she has ever wanted and no-one is taking it away from her. Tracy predicts that this will be Becky's last Christmas with Steve - but next Christmas, Tracy, Steve and Amy will be a family.

Becky will see her dead first.

See you soon.

K Richard W

Sally's out in the Street when she spots Kevin pushing the baby along in the pushchair. She runs and knocks on Tyrone's door and tells him that she's just seen Kevin taking the baby off to the childminder's before he opens up the garage. If Tyrone hurries he can get there before him. "Cheer, Sal," says Tyrone.

Tracy is sitting at the breakfast table, bemoaning the lack of male interest in her life. (Hardly surprising when she so closely resembles a black widow spider!) "I need a man," she says. Deirdre tells her she needs a job. Tracy's mind, however, is not on work. She tells Peter that in three years inside she got absolutely no 'action' at all. Peter remarks that knowing what she's inside for would hardly be a big turn on. Ken lifts his head out of his newspaper and wonders if this is really a suitable topic of conversation for the breakfast table. (And I wonder where Simon and Amy are?) Tracy says she was staring at the builders across the street for three hours yesterday. Deirdre tries to be encouraging, saying she'll meet someone nice eventually. Tracy doesn't want to meet somebody nice. "I wanna get laid!" she says. Ken stands up, he's going to take Eccles for a walk. Tracy says they should talk about sex more openly, then Deirdre might not get caught on CCTV, and Ken wouldn't be heading down the towpath! She tells them they're a pair of randy old goats, that's where she gets it from. Peter hides a smile behind his hand.

Kevin arrives at the garage to find Tyrone there already. He remarks that he didn't think Ty would be there. Tyrone points out that it's his business as well. "So you're here to make a point," says Kevin. "I'm here to fix cars," says Tyrone. Kevin wonders if he'd like to work somewhere else. "It's not enough that you took my wife and kid off me, now you want to take my livelihood as well?" snaps Tyrone. Kevin says it might be best if he buys him out. "What if I want to buy you out?" retorts Tyrone. Kevin's lost for words.

Back at the Barlow's, the conversation has turned to Tracy's future employment. Deirdre thinks Carla is looking for someone at the factory, but Tracy's not interested. Deirdre then suggests the bookie's, does Tracy fancy that? Tracy replies that she fancies Nick, she's sure they could rub along nicely. Peter then sits up and takes notice. "Hang on," he says to Deirdre, "you can't just go dishing jobs out in my shop!" Deirdre says he's always looking for people, but Peter says he's got enough people, thanks. Deirdre reminds him Tracy is family. "Yes," says Peter, "and that's one reason for not employing her." He adds that he knows Tracy isn't even serious about it. Tracy says she could be, she could be a business partner, she's still got the stash her gran left her. Peter looks up. "Now you're interested!" she says with glee. Peter says he doesn't care if she's Richard Branson, she's not working in his shop. Deirdre asks him to at least let Tracy go and see Leanne and Nick to see how they're fixed. Peter says she can, but he knows what they'll say because he'll tell them what to say. Deirdre mentions Carla again. "Get it through your thick skull, Mam," snaps Tracy, "I do not want a job in the factory!"

Over at the garage Tyrone suggests that he buys Kevin out so Kevin could stay at home and be a full time daddy to Jack, instead of leaving him with strangers. Kevin wants to know how Ty knows about that. "Sally," says Tyrone. Kevin then realises that Sally has been egging Tyrone on about the garage. Tyrone points out that Kevin is in the wrong, so why should he just walk away? Kevin offers a generous amount, but Tyrone calls it guilt money. Kevin says there is no way he's handing the garage over to Tyrone or anyone. Eventually they agree to just carry on fixing cars.

Gary's eating his breakfast as Anna tidies up around him. She suggests they take a run out somewhere, just the two of them, to the beach or countryside. Gary doesn't want to, but he does apologise for shoving her the other day. She tells him there's no harm done, but doesn't want him sitting in the shed all day. He tells her he likes it out there, it's the only place he gets any privacy.

Tracy goes to the bookie's and tell Nick they might be working together soon. "Over my dead body," says Nick, adding hastily that that's not an invitation! Leanne comes in then and Nick asks if she knows anything about it. Leanne says she doesn't. Tracy tells them that's because she and Peter have only just discussed it, and she might even buy a share. "So you'd better get over our little misunderstanding!" she says to Leanne, but Leanne isn't intimidated and tells her there aren't any jobs. "So unless you've come to put a bet on...." Tracy says she might have, but doesn't really understand how it all works, could someone show her? She leans seductively towards Nick. "Sure," says Nick, and calls John out from the back!

Maria sits down in the pub with a plate of food, when Chris comes in. He tells her he's heard she's got a shelving crisis and he can fix it for her. Maria looks embarrassed and declines his offer. He asks exactly what she's heard. "Nothing," she says, and mutters something about Kirk sorting out his own mess. Chris says there are two sides to every story, but no one seems interested in hearing his. He turns to leave. Maria calls him back and suggests they talk while he looks at the shelves. They leave together, and she leaves the food she just ordered, untouched!

Gail and David walk into the pub. Claire asks Gail if she had a nice Christmas. "No," says Gail, "you?" "No," replies Claire. David and Gail start discussing her hunt for a job. Gail looks across at Tracy who's playing the fruit machine, and wonders if she ought to sell up and move away. David tells her not to be daft she can't let Tracy drive her away. Sally overhears and tells Gail that Carla is looking for someone. "Doing what?" asks Gail, but isn't keen when she hears it's sewing not office work. "Is it beneath you?" asks Sally. David tells her nothing is beneath Gail and asks if they give training. Sally says they do, and it hasn't been advertised yet. Gail thanks her and says she'll bear it in mind. Tracy, over at the fruit machine, pricks up her ears and then picks up her bag and leaves.

Back at the bookie's, Leanne and Nick are discussing Tracy. Leanne can't imagine what Peter was thinking. Nick thinks Tracy had an ulterior motives, she obviously fancies him! Leanne is snappy and says he flirted with Tracy as much as she flirted with him, and Nick thinks she's jealous. (He's probably right!) He tells her she doesn't have any say over what he does, how he behaves or who he flirts with.

Gail is sitting at a table. David takes drinks over to her and tells her Carla is at the bar. She tells him to keep his nose out. "Then don't come home tonight and start whinging about your miserable life," he says. "I don't whinge!" says Gail, indignantly. (Pardon?) She decides to go and speak to Carla about the job, but Carla tells her it's gone, and the successful candidate just walked in. Gail turns and sees Tracy! Gail furious, knowing that Tracy eavesdropped on her conversation. "You can't employ her, she's a violent criminal!" she cries. Tracy is smug. "I was only showing initiative," she says, "but the fact that you wanted the job did add to it's appeal!" Gail goes and tells David what's happened, he's outraged, but she tells him to leave it and they go out.

Chris is talking to Maria about his stormy relationship with Cheryl and how Lloyd is set against him. "Talk to any other girl I've been out with," he says, "I've never had any complaints." Smiling and fluttering her eyelashes, Maria agrees to let him sort out her shelves.

Claire goes up to Tracy and tells her that what's amusing to her hurts other people. Gail, Steve, Becky, and Amy who's caught up in the crossfire. Tracy tells Claire she's a busybody, sticking her nose where it's not wanted. Claire retorts that there was time when Tracy was glad of a nosy neighbour when it suited her twisted purposes. "So gullible," says Tracy. Claire says she's toughened up since then. "Why, because that woodentop husband of yours kicked the bucket?" snaps Tracy. "Oh, sorry, mustn't SQUEAK ill of the dead!" Smirking she turns her back on Claire, who tells her that the real victims of her lies are the real victims of domestic violence. Tracy declares that it's their own fault for putting up with it. She leans in close. "I didn't!" she says.

Gail and David have returned home. Gail is very upset, and David tries to tell her it was a rubbish job and she wouldn't have wanted it anyway. Another petty little victory - Gail reckons Tracy is taunting her, if only she'd shown some remorse for what she did to Gail in prison, if only she'd come round and apologises, but no.... David tells her that Tracy doesn't do remorse. Gail talks again about moving away. "I can't stand this, she's everywhere I turn." David says it's time someone had a word with her. Gail tells him not to do anything stupid, if Tracy can get him into trouble, she will. "Leave this to me," says David, "I know exactly how to wipe that smile off her ugly mush!" Gail looks up. "David...." she says. "And don't try to stop me, either," says David. Gail says she was going to wish him luck. "You really hate her, don't you?" says David. "More than I've ever hated anyone in my life," says Gail quietly.

Leanne comes home to find Peter doing some exercises in his wheelchair. Breathless, he says he's not as fit as he was when he was a navy recruit. He tells her they had a phone call from the travel insurance company about the cancelled honeymoon. They're going to cough up, minus the excess. He's upset that they should be on their honeymoon now, and can't wait to get out of the wheelchair. She kisses him and says she doesn't care. "One day at a time, don't try to run before you can walk," she says.

Sally is over at the garage and she and Tryone are griping together about Kevin.

Wearing a very short skirt, Tracy is getting ready to go out 'on the pull'. Deirdre is glad Ken's still at the library. She points out too, that Tracy has upset 90 percent of the population and warns her to be careful. Tracy assures her she can handle herself.

Leanne walks in as Nick finishes a phone call. He tells her he's just told John it's ok not to come in because of the worries about the baby. "As long as that's all it is," she says. He asks if she thinks he's that desperate to get close to her he would give staff time off, he's not some bird of prey hovering, waiting to pounce. She says she thinks it's important they know where they stand with each other. He says he still loves her, she still loves him, but now she's married. At that moment the door opens and in wheels Peter, he's come to take his wife out for a swanky meal!

Anna finds Eddie in the pub. She asks him to come home and try and coax Gary out of the shed, he's been in there all day. "But don't antagonise him, he's on a short fuse, believe me I know!" He asks what she means. "Just come home will you?" she says.

Deirdre joins Ken in the pub too. With David standing close by and listening, she tells him Tracy is slapping on the war paint and Leanne and Peter have gone out for a meal. (Where is Simon?) Ken suggests they go out somewhere to eat too. David finishes his drink and leaves.

Kevin arrives home with the baby, moaning because the childminder charged him an extra ten pounds for being five minutes late. He tells Sally that Tyrone came into the garage shouting the odds, and thinks she put him up to it. "It's got nothing to do with me," says Sally. Kevin mutters that they managed to make it through the day somehow. "Don't know how much longer we can carry on though."

Wearing his most sinister face, David appears behind Tracy in Ken and Deirdre's house, startling her. "You frightened the life out of me" she snaps. He says that's what he was hoping, to freak her out. She asks what he wants and he tells her her he's giving her a taste of her own medicine, making her scared so she can't leave her own house. She makes a dash for the door but he gets there first and grabs her arm. "Go on, run," he hisses into her face, "as long as you keep on running as far away from me and my family as you can get."

Anna hands Eddie his tea on a tray. He's still convinced that there's something she's not telling him and pesters her about it. Eventually she tells him it was her own fault for mentioning Quinny's mum, it wound Gary up, he shoved her and she fell back. "It was nothing," she tells Eddie.

David is still gripping Tracy's arm and berating her for messing with peoples lives, especially his mum's. She tried to get Gail sent down. Tracy however, isn't intimidated. "Will you listen to yourself David," she says, "my mum, my mum!" She goes on to say he might think he's all dark and moody but deep down he's just a mummy's boy! She tells him it's time he flew the nest and became a real man. She adds that she didn't ask to be released, but she was and her family are here, her daughter. He tells her to pack up and leave, start a new life somewhere else. She tells him he's a backstreet hairdresser, not Reggie Kray, so he should go before her mum gets back. He tells her they're not going to be disturbed, he made sure of that. Her tone suddenly changes and she becomes quite seductive. She tells him he's really filled out, and asks if he works out. She moves in close and says they both know the real reason he's there, she and him go way back.

Eddie marches into the hut in their back garden and starts shouting at Gary, telling him there's a name for people who hit women. He drags his son to his feet. "Coward," he shouts pushing him. Gary responds by punching his father, and Eddie falls back. "What have you done?" yells Anna.

Back at the Barlows, Tracy tells David that deep down he wants her, and that's why he came round. He's wanted her for years and now she wants him too. David spots the iron and wonders if she's really going to smash him over the head with it. She tells him Charlie deserved what he got. "I want to talk about you and me," she breathes. He tells her she's messing with his head. "David, you look like you want to rip my clothes off, whereas I want to rip your clothes off," she says, adding that she wants to take him upstairs and do everything she's dreamed about doing for years. The next moment they're kissing passionately and heading for the stairs and David's taking his jacket off!

Anne Logan

This update is dedicated to all those NZers who are now getting an extra half hour of the Street - just another six and a half years and they'll have caught up!

It's Nick's birthday and Gail's given him a jumper. A nice old-man jumper David calls it. Gail wonders where David was last night and he's a bit resentful at being asked. But he does say he decided not to go and see Tracy because that would give her the satisfaction of knowing she bugged him. They talk about New Year - Nick's not in the mood to celebrate but David seems to embrace the idea of a fresh start. Gail says that like it or not they're celebrating Nick's birthday tonight. "This family's got a lot to be grateful for."

There's nothing for the Webster family to celebrate. Rosie's still ignoring Kevin. Sally tells the girls the factory workers are thinking of going on a pub crawl tonight and she might join them. Things are going to be different. Sophie asks Kevin where the creche is. Sally thinks it'll be some "chainsmoking chav in a tiny terrace with a houseful of babies." Kevin says the childminder is a lovely lady who's looked after kiddies for years. Pam put him on to it. She cares about what happens to Jack. "People might hate what I've done but they know it's got nothing to do with him."

David's embarrassed to meet Tracy in the street, though she calls him "lover-boy" and praises his skills. She admits she's been without sex for three years but says it soon comes back. "It's like riding a bike." This amuses David enormously. "You said it, love!"

Nick's in the betting shop and has good news - the insurance company is going to process his claim. Leanne is grumpy and not interested. Nick invites her out for a drink because it's a special day but she says she's got far too much to do to worry about New Year's Eve. Nick's clearly upset that she hasn't remembered his birthday.

Eddie's going on about Gary hitting him. Anna tries to shut him up. Gary comes downstairs and apologises straight away. Eddie says he's hurt and disappointed and Gary asks if they want him to move out. They say not but Gary goes out without any breakfast, obviously annoyed with himself.

In the pub they're getting ready for the evening and discussing the donations for the prize draw. Steve goes to see Amy.

He meets Tracy in the street and is surprised she's left Amy with Deirdre when she was so desperate to spend time with her. Tracy says she can't spend every minute of every day with Amy. Steve's also annoyed she's left Amy with Deirdre when he and Becky so much want to see her. "Steve, we've got a deal. You don't hassle me about Amy and I keep my mouth shut about you and the chav buying up kiddies like cut price Brangelinas." She goes off to get her hair done for tonight.

In the salon, Julie wants to know about Maria's date with Chris but Maria insists it's just having a drink. Emily, her hair wet and stretched back off her face, is in the next chair. Is it just me or are they making a real effort to show some characters more realistically? There was Rita after the tram crash, apparently completely make-up-less (apart from some artfully applied cuts and bruises, of course). And now Emily with wet hair. David wants to know if she wants a change for the new year - a Mohican perhaps . . . Emily thinks a Mohican might be fun, if only to see Norris's reaction. Tracy comes in and David cuts Emily's ear! Audrey tells Tracy they're fully booked and concentrating on their non-murdering customers. Tracy says she's an innocent woman, wronged by a cruel justice system. She goes off into town to find a real hairdresser's.

Kevin stops Sally outside the factory and tries to discuss getting on to a better footing for the new year but she refuses. Tyrone comes back in the tow wagon and snatches a spanner from Kevin's hand. He's labelled on their tools with red or yellow tape to show whose is whose. "I thought yellow suited a sad little coward like you."

Steve's talking to Amy, who wants to go home to her real bed. Steve explains that her mum's been away for a long time and wants to see as much as possible. Amy wonders if Becky wants to come and watch Enchanted with her. Steve says Becky has to work, "but I promise we will do something very very soon." Deirdre tells him she thought he and Becky might have put up a bit more of a fight.

In the pub, Steve tells Becky that Amy's upset and confused and there's not a damn thing they can do about it. The wonderful Rula Lenska, in the guise of Audrey's friend Claudia is back! She's in the Rovers and has come to donate a prize - a full-on hairdo at her place, cut and colour, Indian head massage, the lot. She's a bit scathing of Audrey's own donation, a pedicure and manicure.

Tracy comes in and orders a red wine. Gail watches as she goes over to talk to David. She sees Tracy touch his bum as she asks about a re-match and goes over to tell Tracy to get her hands off him. "That's not what he was saying last night," Tracy taunts. David denies it and Audrey says Tracy's just trying to wind Gail up. But Tracy says, "You know those pants you bought him for Christmas - the blue and purple check ones he was wearing yesterday, I bet you think they're really trendy. They're not." She walks out leaving David looking abashed and Gail looking annoyed.

Leanne's back in the betting shop and Nick tries to talk to her, saying he knows things are difficult between them. It turns out she's just fed up with living with "Melvyn Bragg and his chain-smoking wife," an ex-con who sits on her backside all day, and two arguing kids. But then she tells him to mind his own business about her private life. "I'll be back at five," he says meekly.

"A can of lager in a shed in my dinner break - I don't think I've ever felt more alive," Izzy tells Gary. He doesn't want her to tell him there are people worse off. But Izzy says she was going to say if he thinks he's got it bad then make it better. She asks about Eddie's thick lip and tells Gary he's taking her to the Rovers for New Year's Eve. He agrees, but only because she's such a bully.

Emily meets Kevin in the street and comments on what a bonny baby Jack is. She admires the way he's stood by his child and taken his responsibility. This seems to affect Kevin very much and he hastens away.

Emily next comes across Gail and Tracy talking. Gail wants to know if Tracy's just trying to wind her up but Tracy says this show's Gail's inflated sense of her own importance. "Nobody wants you here, Tracy," says Gail. "Why don't you just go and do us all a favour?" Tracy says she wouldn't do Gail a favour if her life depended on it so she'll be staying, especially if it causes Gail grief. "You'll get what's coming to you, Tracy. Monsters like you always do," says Gail. She walks away as Tracy says childishly, "Oooh . . . I'm shaking!" Emily walks up to Tracy and asks what on earth she thinks she's doing. "You've barely been back a week and you've already alienated half the street." Tracy protests that it's not her, it's them. "You were given a second chance," says her godmother, "to watch your daughter grow up. To live a normal, productive life. And what do you do? You revel in hurting people." Tracy tries to argue that it's not like that. Emily points out she knows Tracy. She's known her since the day she was born. "And I've never been more ashamed of you in my life." She walks away and Tracy looks genuinely upset.

Eddie Windass is watching a comedy and Eddie urges him to go and talk to Gary. Eddie thinks they should arrange for Gary to see the army psychiatrist. They're interrupted by Gary coming in, seemingly perfectly normal, and asking where his new shirt is and is there enough hot water for a bath.

Nick tells Leanne they still have to work together. She points out that he can tell Peter he's had enough and clear off whenever he likes. She grabs her coat and tries to leave. Nick stops her at the door. He says he only asked her for a drink because it was his birthday and a treat would be nice. Leanne tells him there are plenty of women who would love to have a drink with him but she's not one. He should move on.

Audrey arrives in the Rovers and finds Claudia settled there and on first name terms with Tina and Mary. "You're a legend," says Tina when Claudia offers her a drink. "So was Medusa," mutters Audrey. She demands to know what Claudia's up to but Claudia acts innocent. She says Mary's been filling her in on the gossip. She knows all about "David's new girlfriend," Tracy.

At the bar, Sally, Julie and Izzy discuss the news that Tracy's going to be working at the factory. Julie wishes Izzy luck tonight and describes Gary as a deep, brooding "ginger Heathcliff." Izzy thinks maybe he's a bit too deep and brooding. Julie says she'd take brooding, even downright miserable. "Oh, god, I need a man!" "Trust me," says Sally. "You don't."

Leanne greets Peter at home at Ken's. He asks her to take Nick's pay over. Tracy has refused. Leanne says she'll do it later. Nick's been getting on her nerves. "He was like a bear with a sore head just because I forgot his birthday." Tracy is suddenly alert. She asks Peter if he wants to go out for a walk and they go off together, Peter saying they can get Nick a card on the way. The minute they've left the room, Tracy is at the sideboard, checking out a bottle of wine.

Sophie and Sian arrive home to find Kevin packing. He tells Sophie he loves her. She protests that he can't leave but he says he can't see any other way. It's for the best, even though he doesn't know where he's going. Sophie is in tears.

Sally and Tyrone both happen to be in the street when he puts his bag and the baby into the car. Sally's mouth drops open and Kevin calls that he's sorry.

Around the corner, Tracy greets Nick at the betting shop door with "Hello, handsome," and holds out a gift bag containing the wine. "I don't want anything from you," he says. She says it's just a friendly gesture. He reiterates that he doesn't want anything from her. "Well, I don't see any other hot women queuing up to have a drink with you." He relents and opens the door again, taking her inside. She asks if there's anything special he wants for his birthday and they kiss.

The End for now. Watch out for the second episode.
Margaret Carr

Here's the update for the last Coronation Street episode of 2010. In a year where we have seen Joe McIntyre faking his own death a tad too realistically, Audrey Roberts getting to grips with a gigolo, Tony Gordon meeting his maker in a factory explosion, Gail McIntyre spending time in the slammer, John Stape and Charlotte Hoyle transporting a body in a wheelie bin, Tina McIntyre embarking on a relationship with Graeme Proctor, Sally Webster discovering that her husband Kevin is still a love rat, bonkers Mary Taylor holding Norris Cole hostage in a cottage to solve puzzles, clingy Natasha Blakeman making a triumphant departure, Roy and Hayley Cropper having an official wedding, Nick Tisley pursuing Leanne Battersby like a desperate puppy and a tram smashing on top of everyone, how will it end?

Leanne arrives at the bookies and enters to find Tracy and Nick in the midst of a nauseating clinch. Embarassed (and not very secretly jealous) Leanne tries to usher herself out but Nick follows her. He tells her to wait as Tracy crows that it's just a bit of fun. Leanne tells Nick that his standards are rapidly dropping before leaving. Tracy tries to pick up where they left off but Nick rejects her, saying that the moment has passed.

Anna is trying to hurry Eddie and Gary out of the door as she wants to ensure they get a seat in the Rovers. Gary assures her that he will catch up and she reluctantly goes with Eddie. Gary regards himself in the mirror and looks tense.

Sally is wiping her eyes as Sophie and Sian come downstairs in their coats. They say that they're going to a friend's from the church but they promise to be back for midnight. After they go, Sally looks at herself in the mirror and clears herself up. There's a knock at the door courtesy of Tyrone. He says that he doesn't want her to be alone and wondered if she wanted to see in the new year with him. She invites him in.

Gary braces himself and heads out of his house. A screeching pack of women soon drive him back inside. It's too noisy and it looks like he's staying in.

Nick approaches Leanne in the pub. She wonders how he could stoop as low as Tracy. He says that it meant nothing but she says that she's glad that it helped her see that she made the right choice. He said that he is sorry he is hurting her but she makes it clear that he isn't hurting her at all before walking away from him.

Anna and Izzy are sitting together. Gary is running late and Izzy contemplates heading home but Anna assures her that he will be here.

Leanne comes home and says to peter that she has found a free, well priced room at a hotel. He is surprised but touched by the sudden gesture and goes to pack a bag. Tracy comes in and smirks at Leanne as she passes before inviting Ken and Deirdre to the Rovers.

Rita, Norris, Mary and Emily are sitting together. Mary makes a toast to present and absent friends. Norris says that it is very thoughtful.

Tracy waltzes into the Rovers with Ken and Deirdre and asks Gail how she is. Gail tells her she's not welcome here. Deirdre points out that Gail isn't the landlady but Ken asks Sean anyway if it's okay. Sean is cheerful and says that it's fine but this decision doesn't go down well with Gail.

Claire is talking to Ciaran about Ashley and how he was kind and gentle. Ciaran agrees with her. Tracy calls over that she's ruining everyone's mood and suggests she lightens up and remembers what fun is. Upset, Claire runs through to the back.

Sophie and Sian are sitting at the bus stop, necking bottles of alcopops. They appear to be somewhat worse for wear as there is a lot of giggling going on. The story of them visiting a church friend is of course fabricated.

The Rovers new year raffle is underway and the first prize up for grabs is some saucy Underworld lingerie, which, of course, goes to Emily (who else?) Audrey is less than impressed when Eddie Windass wins a pedicure and manicure at her salon but he assures her that he'll give the prize to Anna. Audrey comments on what his toenails must be like but Gail scolds her for being drunk. The next prize is a haircut at Claudia's salon which, needless to say, is won by Audrey. Sean announces the next prize, which is having Lloyd as a chauffeur for a day. Have you guessed who wins this one? Chris is most amused but Lloyd isn't. Cheryl tells him to ignore him.

Tracy tries to entice nick into another amorous session but he informs her that their liaison was the biggest mistake of his life and he wouldn't go near her again. Tracy flounces off and bumps into Mary who is holding the lingerie up to her. Tracy snipes that she is making her feel sick. Mary warns her that she isn't a woman who can be intimidated but Tracy scoffs that she doesn't look much like a woman.

Claire is looking at photos of Ashley on her phone and smiling. Becky comes through and sits beside her. Claire asks if she is boring people over Ashley and Becky figures that Tracy has been around throwing poison again.

Tracy tries once more with Nick but gets a final rejection. Mary smirks and crows 'better luck next time' to which Tracy responds by calling her a freak. Tracy follows Nick over to where his family are sitting where she takes glee in telling Gail that she slept with both David and Nick. Gail and Audrey get up to leave and David warns Tracy to watch her back before he goes.

Maria asks Chris if she will be getting a New year snog. But they don't wait for the clock to strike midnight before they are locking lips.

Tina tells Steve that Tracy has been winding everyone up. Sean says she isn't that bad but as he goes to serve her, she calls him a gay boy. She then turns to Eileen and says that she looks ugly in the blouse to which Sean replies that Eileen will always look better than her. Tracy repeats her insult of gay boy and Steve threatens to throw her out. Mary agrees that it's a good idea as she doesn't think anyone else should have to move. Tracy laughs that it would take a JCB to move Mary anyway. Steve drags Tracy aside and warns her that she is making a lot of enemies. She responds that she doesn't care as she is leaving anyway...and taking Amy with her. As she leaves, Mary says that she thinks she is having a psychic vision. She tells Norris, Rita and Emily that she has forseen Tracy lying on a slab...and she isn't talking about chocolate.

Anna gets home to find the sitting room strewn with empty beer cans. Gary apologises for ruining her night but she says it's Izzy she feels sorry for. She reaches out to hug him but he snaps that he doesn't like to be touched.

Sally says that she finds it weird the way she is seeing in new year. She tells Tyrone she never expected any of this to happen before telling him he's a good man and she is sorry what Kevin did to him. He replies that he's even sorrier for what he did to her. They share a prolonged stare before leaning in for a kiss...but before their lips meet a drunken Sian and Sophie burst in. Sally is half amused, half angry at the state they're in and Sian and Sophie head upstairs laughing.

Nick grabs a bottle of whisky and drains a glass.

Gail is asking David how he could sleep with Tracy but he reminds her of how manipulative she is. Gail is determined that Tracy won't ruin another year and David replies in a sinister tone that she won't be a problem in 2011 before running out.

The clock strikes 12 and the residents in the Rovers wish each other a happy new year and hug and kiss (with Claudia grabbing a hefty snog from a shocked Lloyd)

As each bong from Big Ben rings out we see a different resident looking agitated...Claire, David, Becky, Gail and Nick all have one thing on their mind. Tracy.

Sally kisses Tyrone on the cheek and wishes him a happy new year. Upstairs, Sophie and Sian continue to giggle. Sian says she loves Sophie when she is letting her hair down. They share a kiss.

Tracy arrives home on her own. Someone is banging on the backdoor. She answers and rolls her eyes to whoever is there and asks what they want.

Sian is lying on Sophie's bed. Sophie looks down at her and asks her to stay with her tonight. Sian whispers that she wants her. As the two girls get passionate under the cover, we see a shot of a discarded bible on the bedside table.

Ken and Deirdre arrive home. Deirdre is confused as to why the back door is open. She goes into the back yard to see Tracy lying in a pool of blood, lifeless. Steve is crouched over her, with her blood on his hands. He insists that he just found her like this but she pushes him away and crouches by Tracy before screeching for Ken to call an ambulance.

Happy New Year indeed!!

So what have we learned tonight?
-Audrey's hairstyle can be mistaken for a lampshade.
-Leanne's days of jumping on board any man are over. Apparantely.
-Anna hates standing up on New Year's Eve
-You don't put gel in your hair if you aren't going out
-Too much thinking makes you go mad. By that logic, Kirk is therefore the sanest member of the Street.
-Leanne and Peter's favourite hotel is boutique with side by side baths and products to die for.
-Tracy calls Deirdre 'Sexy Specs'. Rita calls Mary 'Morbid Mary'. Audrey calls Tracy 'Troublesome Tracy' here's a few of my own suggestions: Demon David. Gullible Gail. Frustrating Fiz. Boozy Becky. Radiant Rita. Kid Selling Kylie. Nauseating Nick. Jail Dodging John. Respectable Rosie. Kegs-Off Kevin.
-Emily can say nothing but 'hear hear'
-Chris is a really rubbish kisser
-Sally drinks Hungarian wine
-Jesus was well into alcohol
-Ken's not getting any younger.

Dubious Awards
Most observant character of the night: "Tracy, you're not a very nice person are you?" Audrey.
Best assessment of own acting ability: "This is so embarrassing" Nick
Person most at risk of being shot down: "Shoot me down if that's a dumb idea." Tyrone
Biggest perk of disability: "I hate standing at New year. You're lucky having your own chair." Anna to Izzy.
Most uplifting drinking companion: "Just think Rita, had you not had a craving for secret chocolate, we'd be making a solemn pilgrimage to your graveside." Mary
Most genuinely hilarious lookalike: "Who do you think I am? Paul Daniels?" Gail. I see it everytime I look at her now!
Most dramatic change of sexuality: "Oh Gail, I never knew you were on me!" Careful, Sean, you'll be drowning next.
Person most in need of medical attention: "I just feel a huge hole really." Claire. And just think yourselves lucky that I didn't take that quote into any other territory!
Shortest Memory: "First time you'd have a professional touch your barnet." Claudia to Audrey. Well Lewis was a professional, wasn't he...?
The Last Horse Crosses the Finish Line Award: "Am I boring people?" Finally, after a decade, Claire catches on...
Least surprising revelation: "I was the bike of the Prison block!" Tracy
Question with the most hurtful answer: "I'm not that boring am I?" Tyrone.
Most misguided person: "No one knew a tram was going to come crashing out of the sky." Tyrone. Well I don't mean to boast, but I did!
Most modern day mother: "get up them stairs the pair of you!" Sally to drunken lovers Sophie and Sian. If that's not a green light, I don't know what is!
Most hardcore new year partiers: "Do you want some water?" Deirdre to Ken.
New Year wish least likely to be fulfilled: "I hope 2011 is better than this!" Sally.

And on the subject of New Year, what could some of the locals' resolutions be?
Maria: Any time I see a troublesome man, tell myself I can't change him and don't even go there.
Gail: Either take a leaf from Sophie and Sian's book or better still, become a nun. Because it's NEVER going to work out.
David and Nick: Prior to mounting the local tart, always check with each other that we haven't already been there.
Audrey: Dashing, suave, rich men are always too good to be true. Bear that thought in mind.
Norris: Always ensure there are plenty of excuses ready for the summer season when Mary will start longing for a cottage holiday.
Tyrone: Develop a suspicious side
John: Don't even move a muscle. If I do, someone will end up dead and I will to construct a web of elaborate lies.
Transport regulator for Weatherfield: Before the budget cuts come into force, ensure there is enough money in the kitty for tram line repairs. You just never know.

That's all from me. More soon
Duncan Lindsay

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Updates written by K Richard Whitbread, Martin Rosen, Duncan Lindsay, Ann Logan, Margaret Carr, Stella McLoughlin, Tvor.

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