Seasons & episodes

There is a showdown in The Woolpack between the Kings and the Dingles when Cain shows his face for the first time since Tom and Charity’s wedding.

Charity tries to appeal to Cain’s better nature by pleading that if she ever meant anything to him he should tell the truth. With Debbie present, Cain confidently assures Charity that everything has worked out for the best and affectionately goes to hug her.

Charity is delighted when she overhears Jimmy telling Matthew that he is sick of Sadie getting all of the credit at work. When he goes on to say that he would never have married her if he had known what she was like, Charity sees an opportunity and corners Jimmy telling him that they have a lot in common. Val decides to help raise funds for Eric and offers to sell his watches to Rodney. Thinking this is an impossibility, Eric jokes that if she does he will cook for her in the nude! Much to Eric's horror Val succeeds in making the sale and Eric is left with no choice but to get his kit off! Sam gets a shock when Alice asks him to move to Norfolk with her. Sam is torn between his feelings for Alice and the love of his family, but Zak is intent on keeping his son close.

Zak spends the day telling Sam how much he would miss out on if he left Emmerdale and reinforces the importance of being close to the family. With his father's words playing on his mind, Sam tells Alice that Zak needs him and the couple spend a romantic evening holding hands for the last time. As it gets late, Sam walks Alice to the bus stop and both are sorrowful as they say goodbye. Over at The Woolpack, Charity feels down as Debbie refuses to speak to her until she admits that she loves Cain. Luckily for Charity her spirits are lifted when a miserable Jimmy walks in and she instantly sets about forming alliances with him.

Zak notes Sam’s agony over Alice’s departure and after visiting Butch and Ben’s graves he returns in a new frame of mind, telling his son he must not miss his opportunity to be happy. They drive to the train station and Sam makes a dash for a train.

Jimmy attempts to build bridges with his wife and admits that it's been his fault that Tom has been pushing him out. Sadie tells him they all need to keep their heads low and not upset Tom. Sadie and Charity meet in the street and have a few words.

Jimmy’s off to play golf, but Sadie tells him they’re having lunch at Tom’s and that he should cancel his plans. He says he won’t, but then, as always, Sadie gets her way and he reluctantly says he'll go.

After a series of anonymous calls at the B&B, Ethan suggests to Alan that Shelley may be on the other end of the phone. When it rings again Alan listens carefully and thinks he can hear crying. He asks if it is Shelly but the call is cut off. Meanwhile, Steph lies on her bed deep in thought as she remembers the night that Shelley went missing. As her mind flashes back she opens her eyes in horror. Over at Dale View, Chloe continues to play happily families with Carl and she shocks him when she comes home with a pet dog. Carl is clearly not impressed but Chloe is unperturbed by his reaction. Chas warns Charity that if she wants to continue to manipulate Jimmy she’ll have to be quick because he's off to France with Sadie.

Chloe leaves The Woolpack in a state of panic after seeing Carl and Max flirting with Tamsin and Libby. When Carl eventually comes home, Chloe makes it clear that she is upset and as he tries to tell her that things aren’t working out Chloe breaks the news that she is pregnant. Alan informs DI Keysell about the phone call he received the previous day and the inspector warns him that it could be a hoax. Despite this, Alan can’t help but hope that Shelley is alive and he becomes increasingly convinced that she has been trying to get in touch. Meanwhile, Charity tells Jimmy that if he is looking for proof that Sadie has been speaking to Cain he only needs to check her phone bill.

Chloe emotionally blackmails Carl by telling him that the pregnancy is her problem and not his. Carl insists that he won’t turn his back on her and reluctantly agrees when she suggests a termination. Chloe later books an appointment with her GP and then tells Carl that her biggest fear is losing him. Meanwhile, Alan gets his hopes up when the mysterious calls to the B&B are traced back to Newquay. Knowing that Shelley has always been fond of the seaside town, Alan is convinced that she has been trying to get in touch. Elsewhere, Andy’s hopes of wooing Libby are dashed when she mentions that she has a boyfriend.

Ethan visits Steph in prison and is stunned when she tells him that the flashbacks in her mind have made her realise that she must have murdered Shelley. Steph asks the curate to tell Alan the truth and to let him know how sorry she is. She then calls her solicitor and insists that her plea is changed to guilty. Over at The Woolpack, Carl cancels his trip away with Max in order to spend time with Chloe. Chloe is smug that she finally has Carl just where she wants him. Jimmy‘s suspicions towards his wife intensify. After some rooting around he manages to find the number of the private investigator that she hired to photograph Cain and Charity. He arranges to meet him the following day.

DI Keysell interviews Steph about Shelley’s death but becomes frustrated when she insists that she can’t remember exactly how she killed her. Later that day, Steph calls her father to apologise for the hurt that she has caused. Alan hangs up in fury before breaking down in tears as the magnitude of the situation finally hits home. Jimmy meets the private investigator and is shocked to learn that Sadie held back pictures of Charity fighting Cain off after the kiss. Jimmy can’t believe his wife's behaviour and after seeing his anguish, Charity seductively assures him that Sadie will get her comeuppance. Over at The Woolpack, the open mic competition gets underway and Viv can’t resist mocking every joke that Bob makes. Viv's comments only add to the comedy value and the pair are voted joint winners, much to Viv's horror!

Ashley gets a surprise during his sermon when Laurel returns from her travels a day early. The vicar makes it clear how much he has missed his other half by wasting no time in asking for her hand in marriage. Ethan visits Steph at the remand centre and advises her to confess the whereabouts of Shelley’s body. Much to his horror, Steph explains that she wishes she could but she simply can’t remember what happened. Chloe enjoys Sunday lunch at the King's and takes the opportunity to get better acquainted with Tom. While Carl goes to the pub, Chloe insists on staying to help and subtly hints that she would like to marry his son.

Tom and Carl rush to Chloe’s aid when she falls down the stairs. Tom is left stunned when she lets slip that she is pregnant. Despite her protesting, Carl takes Chloe to the hospital but as she is about to have her scan she asks Carl to go and talk to Tom. Left alone, the doctor tells Chloe that she was never pregnant. However, she later lies to Carl that the baby is fine and that she can’t go through with the abortion. Elsewhere, Laurel is delighted when Diane offers her a home at The Woolpack and is thrilled when Nicola throws her a surprise welcome home party. Laurel's day improves even further when Nicola offers her a job and she is left overwhelmed by her perfect life in the village.

Chloe’s manipulation of Carl continues when she threatens to go and live with Siobhan so they can bring up their children together. Fearing that he will lose access to his baby, Carl assures Chloe that she has his full support and they later announce the pregnancy to a surprised Jimmy and Matthew. Elsewhere, Chas enjoys a night out with her policeman boyfriend, Denzel, but when Marlon and Shadrach spot them together she is forced to pretend that she has just been arrested!

The villagers attend a tearful memorial service in honour of Shelley and they all gather around as Alan reads a sonnet from one of her poetry books. Alan stays behind and talks aloud, telling Shelley how much he misses her. He gets the fright of his life when there is a tap on his shoulder and he turns around to see a surprise guest - Shelley! Over in The Woolpack, Chas offers Carl a listening ear as it is obvious that he is struggling to come to terms with his new situation. The chemistry between them is clear but they have little choice but to deny the feelings they have for one another. Meanwhile, Zak sets about finding out the identity of Chas’ new man and gets the wrong end of the stick when he sees her chatting to Rodney!

Alan is still in shock after Shelly’s surprise appearance, but at first he’s just glad to see her. Shelly tells him she had to go after seeing him on the television and seeing how much pain he was in. But what was initially joy turns to anger on Alan’s part as he can’t understand why she didn’t come forward sooner. He tells her about his sleepless nights, wondering where she was.

Shelly and Alan have been in the police station all night giving their statements. Much to Keysell’s annoyance, Shelly tells him she doesn’t want to press and charges on Steph. He tells her Steph will be released as a consequence, which obviously scares the poor woman. Betty and Viv are left shocked when Shelly and Alan step out of the taxi. Viv waits for Shelly to give an explanation, but she just apologises.

Charity is about to pay for her groceries in Viv’s shop, but noting Jimmy’s presence she pretends she has forgotten her purse and is pleased when he offers to lend her the money. Charity later goes to Home Farm to thank Jimmy, but her sexy attire suggests that she has got more than money on her mind.

Charity goes to visit Jimmy wearing a very revealing dress and instantly turns on the charm. Jimmy suspiciously asks her if she is leading him on but Charity insists that her only motive is to have some fun, as she leads him to the bedroom. Meanwhile, Ethan picks up Steph from prison but advises her to stay away from Emmerdale. Taking his words on board she agrees and heads off to a hostel in Leeds. Over in The Woolpack, Eric tries to drink away his misery as his impending trial looms heavily on his mind. When he starts to get lippy with the locals, Val steers him out of the pub and he repays her with a kiss when they arrive home.

Alan gets a shock when he finds Steph on his doorstep demanding to see Shelley. After he slams the door in his daughter's face, Steph heads to The Woolpack but is upset further by the reception that awaits her. With nowhere else to go, Steph heads to the church where Ethan questions her about why she has come back. Steph insists she loves Alan and Shelley and that she wants to tell them that she approves of their relationship. Meanwhile, Eric has a meeting with his solicitor and is devastated to hear that he could face a six-month sentence for the fraud at the factory.

Steph tries to live a normal existence in the village only to find a hostile reaction wherever she goes. Even Ashley is irritated by her presence, annoyed that Ethan didn’t consult him before inviting her to stay at the vicarage. Shelly goes out for a walk and is disturbed to come face to face with Steph. Having feared her for too long, Shelly pulls herself together and is strong as she approaches the woman who previously held her hostage. Over in The Woolpack, Jimmy flirtatiously asks Charity if there is going to be a repeat performance of the other night. Charity agrees and they arrange to meet the following day. Elsewhere, Pearl and Len discuss their future and finally agree that they don’t want to leave the village after all.

Charity goes to Home Farm to see Jimmy and she bides her time as she waits for a pre-arranged phone call from Chas. When Charity takes the call she apologises that she has to go and promises Jimmy that she’ll make it up to him. Charity heads to a hotel and makes a reservation for the following day. Elsewhere, Tom asks Paddy if he has any work for Max and is shocked to learn that his son has already turned down a part-time job at the vet's. Tom is determined that Max should earn himself a living in the village and tells Paddy that he is prepared to fund the job to make it a full-time position. Elsewhere, Steph bakes cakes and delivers them around the village in an attempt to make amends. Unfortunately for her the only person that shows an ounce of appreciation is Shadrach!

Max begins his job at the vets. Paddy introduces him to the new receptionist - Libby. Max is up for a kiss or two when he asks Libby out for a drink after work. Meanwhile, Eric is going to court for his trading standards case. Val is on tenterhooks waiting for Eric and she admits to Diane that she's not sure if he's coming back. Diane is surprised by Val's reaction, but her sister tells her that Eric is misunderstood. Eric waltzes into the pub a free man after Steph took all the blame in the handbag scandal and was given a conditional discharge.