Seasons & episodes

Betty appears breezy and busies herself with funeral arrangements. The locals offer their support but Betty refuses to be down about Seth. Kathy, Laurel, Edna and Alan are all worried about their friend. Kathy makes many attempts to talk to Betty but is always interrupted. Eventually she sits her down and tells a stunned Betty that Seth had been ill for a while and was heading back to Betty to die. Kathy goes on to say that he had left her very specific instructions as to what he wanted at his funeral. She reads out a list that includes an echo friendly coffin, no hats, food poached by Alan and fine malt to be supplied by Eric.

The villagers are busy preparing for Seth’s funeral but Betty remains adamant that she will not be going. A crate of booze arrives care of Kim Tate. Meanwhile, Betty seeks sanctuary in Seth's hide, where she chides him for leaving her. As if answering her, Biff arrives and asks Betty why she isn’t ready for the crematorium. Biff explains Seth would only ever have Betty's best interests at heart and surely stayed away so long because he wanted to spare Betty having to see him suffer.

Debbie snogs Daz in front of Kayleigh to stop her bothering him. Kayleigh is devastated. Louise is comforting and arranges a girly night, to cheer up Kayleigh, assuring her that the right boy will come along. Kayleigh asks Louise some awkward questions about sex, which Louise dodges. Martin arrives and is taken aback by his daughter covered in make up. Louise fears she's offended Martin again.

Louise takes Victoria to her karate class and gets roped into joining in. She is paired up with Martin and although they pretend to be angry with one another, it's clear that they enjoy the physical contact. Victoria and Kayleigh blurt out that Louise and Martin fancy each other. They are both embarrassed but Martin bites the bullet and confirms to Louise that he likes her and asks her out for lunch the following day. Nicola arranges for Laurel to see a top dressmaker but is disappointed when Laurel fails to show any enthusiasm. When the dressmaker leaves, Nicola rebukes Laurel for embarrassing her, but Laurel tells her that planning the wedding doesn’t seem right at the moment as she is grieving for Seth. Lisa is furious when Debbie’s headmistress phones and informs her that Debbie has been wagging school.

Laurel decides that her love for Ashley is all that matters and that she doesn’t need Nicola’s frills at the wedding. Both Laurel and Ashley agree that they want a simple wedding and despite Nicola's regret, Laurel insists it's her and Ashley's day, not Nicola's. As Ashley heads off to work, Laurel flippantly wishes they could get married tomorrow. It's the day of Seth’s burial and Betty is being evasive, insisting she’d rather say goodbye to Seth on her own, whilst the committal takes place. Ashley can’t fathom why Betty would miss it, but Betty has her own reasons. The villagers speculate about Betty's whereabouts as Seth's eco-coffin is buried. And then, in the absence of a planned wake, they troupe off to The Woolpack to raise a glass to the master poacher himself. Betty, Laurel and the Dingles eventually join the group. Ashley spots they all have muddy shoes, but agrees it's best he doesn’t ask any questions. With everybody in attendance, the villagers raise a final toast to Seth.

After Ashley announces their banns in church, Laurel shocks him by declaring that she wants to marry him that day. After a bit of persuasion Ashley agrees and says that he wants the bishop to do the service so Laurel goes off to find him. The bishop is dubious about the sudden wedding but on hearing Laurel say that Seth’s death has taught her to live for the moment, he agrees. Nicola allows Laurel to drive the bishop to Emmerdale in the two-seater, leaving her desperately trying to get a taxi.

Kelly makes her way to Jimmy's for their date and bumps into Sadie, who takes delight in telling her that Jimmy is only using her to get over his grief and will drop her when he's bored. Kelly later admits to Jimmy that she's worried he is ashamed of her and asks him if they can go public. Meanwhile, Ashley is still furious about Sandy turning up out of the blue and calls him a cab, not wanting to hear his tales. Laurel insists that he tell her about his history and after divulging some information she feels there's more to this than Ashley is prepared to admit. Also, Viv tells Lesley that she's put the prices up in the shop to raise money for her wedding. She is determined that her wedding will be better than Laurel's. Lesley is outraged, but knowing that she can't afford to lose her job, she is forced to keep quiet.

Rodney is feeling downhearted after a knock back from Toni. He comes across an equally unhappy Lesley, who has been sacked for admitting to customers that the hiked up prices are to pay for Viv’s wedding. He joins her for a few drinks and as they are both feeling down, the drunken pair get carried away. Elsewhere, Sadie tells Matthew that she's been doing some research on the net and found that one of the agencies Kelly said she worked for went bust years ago. Taking no notice of Matthew's advice she hires a private detective, Colin Matthews and asks him to get her some dirt on Kelly. Also, Paddy and Toni continue to dupe Danny and Jo into thinking that they are a couple. Toni lies to Danny that she's been a bit deceitful as the loaded vet was due to meet a woman from a chat room. Both Danny and Jo fall for it hook, line and sinker and Jo worries that her joke has gone too far.

After a night of passion, Lesley proudly reports to Simon that she and Rodney are together. Simon confronts Rodney, who admits that last night was a drunken mistake and Simon orders him to put Lesley straight. He tells Lesley it shouldn’t have happened but is shocked when she agrees. Meanwhile, Kelly is horrified when, after some help from Sadie, a Mrs Connors walks in to The Woolpack and announces Kelly didn’t have a modelling contract but had posed topless. She also makes it clear that everything Kelly has financially was leeched from her own husband. Also, Toni is continuing with the game that she's using Paddy and flaunts a pricey looking engagement ring in front of Jo. Jo flips and accuses Paddy of being too silly to realise Toni's a gold-digger and blurts out that Toni isn’t Fireblade. Paddy laughs that the joke is on her because he found out days ago.

Rodney is horrified to learn that Lesley still hasn’t got the message that he's not interested when he discovers that she has declared herself his significant other for an upcoming council do. That evening Rodney goes to the pub and is about to come clean with Lesley when an opportunistic Kelly grabs his arm and says she's going to the council do with him, prompting Lesley to flee in a flood of tears. Rodney is pleased to have solved his dilemma as he spends the evening with Kelly. Simon later gives Rodney a piece of his mind and clouts him for treating his mother so badly. Rodney feels awful. Meanwhile, at the council do a drunk Councillor Ledbetter is complaining that his wife is away and quick thinking Val responds by saying that she's heard that the stiff looking new Mayor Angela, would love Ledbetter to loosen her up. Eric and Val watch in amusement as Ledbetter makes an outrageous pass at an extremely unimpressed Angela, who, unbeknownst to him, is a lesbian!

Eric is desperate to step into Ledbetter's shoes and sets about schmoozing the Mayor. Angela says she would welcome the idea of Eric sitting on the committee if it weren't for the fact that his partner is currently facing a criminal conviction. Eric's devastated when Angela gives him an ultimatum - Val or the committee. The village realise that Rodney and Kelly are an item. Paul is disgusted when Kelly comes downstairs having spent the night with Rodney.

Having been told that Val’s court case may affect his chances of getting on the planning committee, Eric sheepishly goes to see Val and tells her that their relationship is over. When Val reacts badly, he tries to appease her by suggesting that they just pretend to have fallen out instead. Elsewhere, Steph has a glint in her eye as she tells Adam that people seem to be getting the wrong impression about their relationship. They discuss arranging a day at the races and Adam asks if it would be as friends or as something else. Meanwhile, it becomes clear that there is a growing attraction between Dawn and Danny.

Steph and Adam are disappointed when their day out at the races is cancelled due to rain. They agree that they should continue to make the most of the day and Adam leans in for a kiss, but they are interrupted by Val who steals Adam's attention with a long tale of woe. An irate Steph later then threatens Val not to mess things up for her, viciously grabbing her hair and warning her to stay away from the doctor.

Steph becomes increasingly possessive over Adam and when he offers to drive Val to Hotten, she decides that locking him in his room is the only way to keep them apart. As Adam bangs and shouts to be let out, Steph realises what she has done and runs out in humiliation. Steph hates herself for losing control and later returns and quietly unlocks the door. Adam patiently asks her what is going on and Steph finally opens up to the doctor. Steph tells him about the way she treated her father and her jealously over his relationship with Shelley. Meanwhile, Jo plays Cupid and leaves Dawn and Danny alone over lunch. Danny goes in for the kill and kisses Dawn, but a phone call from Scott ruins the moment and Dawn is left frustrated when Danny tells her that she needs to deal with Scott before anything more can happen between them.

With Steph’s words from the previous day looming heavily on Adam’s mind, he tries to get her to open up about her difficulties with Alan and suggests she contact Shelley. Steph stonewalls him. Later he tells Alan that Steph is very distressed about what happened last year and asks him if he could bring himself to offer his forgiveness. Alan is furious at Adam's interference and as he shouts he clutches his chest in pain. He is soon rushed to hospital. Lesley remains devastated over Rodney's rejection of her and new relationship with Kelly.

Val stands in court and says that she is one of life's victims. She goes on to give a sob story of her life including being beaten by her father and bringing up Paul on her own. On top of trying to get the sympathy vote, she pulls out a wad of cash and says that she is going to return all of the stolen money. Diane is clearly disgusted with her sister. Elsewhere, Steph is nervous about visiting her father in hospital, but when she eventually does she is horrified to learn that Adam has been questioning him about the past. Steph returns to the B&B and asks the doctor what he said to Alan to upset him. Adam insists that he was only trying to help but she tells him that his interference isn’t wanted.

Jack suggests to Diane that she end her feud with Val, pointing out that she has tried to put things right by returning the money. Diane doesn’t think this is enough but she is left thoughtful when Victoria reminds her that Val stood by Diane when they thought she was going to die. Diane later apologies to her sister and offers to let her stay at The Woolpack. Val declines her offer, determined to stand on her own two feet. Over at the B&B, Adam plays Steph at her own game and locks her in a bedroom in an attempt to force her to talk.

Steph wishes that she hadn't told Adam about her past, saying that all it has done has made her feel helpless. She tells Adam that she wants him out of her life and asks him to pack his bags. Adam chases Steph as she storms out of the B&B. He calms her down and Steph says he doesn't have to leave if he doesn't want to be that whatever they had is over but Adam insists Steph must talk to Alan. Later that day, Steph goes to visit Alan at Betty's house as he has just returned from hospital. They talk about the past and Alan admits that Steph was a very difficult child. Steph comments that Terence was the favourite and that he received all of the love. Alan is astounded at how strongly Steph feels about this and is protective of his son when Steph says that Terence was a bully. Alan says that he feels it's the other way around as Steph put Terence into hospital after hitting him with a brick.

Steph tries to see her father, but he wants nothing to do with her. Betty shames her over the damage she's done to her father. When Steph realises that he won't listen to her, she tells Alan that Terence didn’t really rape her and that she was lying yesterday. Alan is appalled that she could lie about something so serious but she insists that she wanted to make him listen. She says that Terence did bully her but confesses that she has exaggerated the truth. Alan goes off, needing time to think. He tells Betty that he's starting to see both he and Steph have things to regret. Betty encourages him to find Terence, but he says the past is best left behind.

Ivan offers to take Nicola out after she has had a fight with Simon. However, Paul is sick of Toni lusting after him and, thinking it will get her off his back, invites her to go with Ivan. Nicola looks daggers as Toni agrees. Feeling frustrated, Nicola gets drunk. Meanwhile, the Dingles are excitedly preparing for their holiday when Lisa says she’ll remain in the village for Sarah and the garage. Emily, however, offers to have Sarah and says that Dawn can organise the garage and they excitedly head off to the airport.

A courier arrives with Laurel’s wedding dress and Nicola can’t resist trying it on. When Toni catches her, Nicola is angry and humiliated and reaches for the zip, yanks it and it breaks. Ivan comes home and tries to help her but Nicola gets irate and tells him not to bring tarts home. Ivan tells Nicola that she almost sounds jealous and he leaves. Nicola gets straight on the phone to Emily for help. Emily arrives and gets her out of the dress whilst Nicola confesses that she fancies Ivan. Over in Spain, Eric tells Enrique Morales that he and the Kings are prominent figures in Emmerdale and he assures him that he’ll be very impressed when he meets them

Adam goes to see Alice and tells her that he knows about the cancer. He recommends that she have an abortion so that she can start treatment but she is determined that she will not harm her baby. Sam arrives back and Adam tells Alice she must tell him the truth. Sam struggles to take in the news and rushes off. He later goes to Adam and tells him to make Alice better. Adam tells him that Alice will need chemotherapy and that the only sensible course of action is a termination. Over in Spain at the presentation, Zak and Shadrach are bored and Debbie cottons on to the fact that Swords is trying to sell them a timeshare, so they get up to leave. Swords follows them and says that Lisa signed a contract promising to reimburse his costs if they chose not to purchase a property. He says they owe him 2,000 euros and tells them that he has their passports.

Louise admits to Martin that she really like him but as they kiss, Kayleigh walks in and disturbs them. They clang teeth and Louise cuts her lip. When Kayleigh makes it clear she is expecting her to stay the night, Louise gets embarrassed and makes a sharp exit before going home to tell Diane about the disastrous date. Meanwhile, Sandy arrives on Ashley’s doorstep only to learn from Daz that Ashley is on his honeymoon. Daz takes him to Betty’s where Sandy is quick to get his feet under the table. Elsewhere, Paul asks Ivan why he doesn’t want to make a go of things with Toni and Ivan explains that he has his eye on someone else. Later that evening Emily realises that Nicola is still carrying a torch for Ivan even though she denies it. A few drinks turns into a party at Mulberry Cottage and Paul is stunned when Ivan makes it clear he is attracted to him and kisses him.

Louise is trying to avoid Martin but Diane tells her she needs to make a decision - if not for Martin's sake then for Kayleigh's. Martin turns up at the pub and Diane sends him straight through to the back to see Louise. Caught off-guard, Louise is awkward and confesses that although she likes Martin, he wants too much too soon and commitment isn't really her style. Martin is disappointed but leaves. Afterwards Nicola can't resist winding Louise up about her latest failed relationship and furious Louise goes for her, but is held back by Bob. Later Diane finds Louise and tells her that her expectations are too high and she needs to realise that relationships take work otherwise she will end up alone. Her harsh words hit home and Louise walks away.