Seasons & episodes

Jo is pleased that her relationship with Andy seems to get back on track, but she's thrown when Andy claims that Sarah has been talking about having a little sister. Jo tries to laugh it off, but a serious Andy suggests that they talk about it a bit later. Jo is sure that having a baby now would be a bad idea, but Andy is angry, and he tells her that if she's not prepared to start a family, then they may as well split up. Val gets back early from her solo honeymoon and she wastes no time in seducing her hubby.

Marlon can’t raise Donna's spirits in hospital and when Ross delivers the news that she's hot gossip at the station, Donna only feels worse. Donna is miserable that Ross can’t bring himself to support her actions over Viv and Freddie and she announces that she's going to quit the police force. Val suggests some bedroom fun to get Eric's forgiveness for her mystery tattoo and it seems to do the trick.

Doug happily awaits Hilary’s arrival at Arthur’s party and tells Laurel that he's decided to leave the village with Hilary to give their marriage a proper go. But Hilary never arrives for the party and he is devastated when she tells him that she wants a divorce.

Val tries get Bonnie to leave but she's stopped in her tracks when Bonnie reveals that the 'Derek' tattoo refers to a barman they met on holiday. Bonnie promises to keep it secret, but Val feels obliged to join Bonnie for an all-day drinking session.

Bonnie calls her ‘daughter’ and tells Val that she can’t go and stay with her after all as they’ve fallen out. Paul is suspicious and uses the redial on the phone to find out whom she was talking to and he gets the speaking clock. Paul confronts Bonnie, who confesses she was lying about having a daughter – and Val's liaison with the barman - because Val is her only friend.

Andy’s perfect husband act falls apart when Jo refuses to discuss having babies. Andy quickly loses his temper and grabs her shoulder, but he is taken aback when she wrestles free from his grasp and calls him a wife-beating monster. Jo orders Andy out of the house and Daz is concerned when he sees Andy downing drinks. Jo later worriedly tells Daz that Andy has failed to come home and isn’t answering his mobile.

Daz is worried when he learns that Andy hasn't been home all weekend, while Jo reports Andy to the police as a missing person. Daz sets out to find Andy and finally discovers him in a complete state after a weekend bender. A miserable Andy admits he's scared to go back home in case his family will reject him. Daz tries to make Andy see sense and reminds him that Sarah needs him. Andy returns to a relieved Jo, but he collapses.

Matthew is at Home Farm when he is confronted by a menacing Grayson holding a gun! The situation gets worse when Katie returns early from the village show and walks in on them. Grayson takes Katie hostage along with Matthew and demands to know where Perdy is hiding out with the baby, but both Matthew and Katie refuse to talk. Carl and Jimmy burst in on the scene after returning to Home Farm to find out why Matthew didn't turn up at the village show. Grayson ushers Carl and Jimmy into the room at gunpoint.

Belle is bullied by Nicola, who is desperate to get a new story out of Rodney, but Belle doesn't take kindly to Nicola's tone. Belle visits Rodney and he tells her a story, but she informs him that Nicola has been pushing her to get a story from him. Belle reports back to Nicola and hints that Rodney may be on to her.

Doug visits Brenda to apologise for coming on to her, but when Brenda goes to get them a coffee, Doug gets a nasty itch in his groin. Brenda returns to witness what appears to be Doug touching himself up and she is horrified. Doug tries to protest, but Brenda rings the police. Doug is taken into the station and when Ross spots him scratching, he sends him to see the doctor.

Bob is angry when he discovers that McNally has written a misleading article in the Courier about Viv's charity collections and it isn't long before Nicola confronts him and demands that her charity donation is returned. Later in the pub, Bob insists Viv pleaded guilty to save her family and nothing else, but Nicola claims the villagers all want their money back.

Bob begs Nicola and Val to reconsider the legal action against him, but Nicola claims that as Viv pleaded guilty, they want their money back. Bob is at the end of his tether and as he tries to prepare the twins to go and visit Viv, he loses his temper and throws his customers out of the cafe. Later, Cathy manages to lock herself and Heath inside the car after taking Bob's car keys and Bob is forced to pay Eli to break into the car. Bob visits Viv without the twins and returns, devastated, confessing to Edna that Viv has told him she needs to distance herself and doesn't want him to visit her again.

Bob sinks into an even deeper depression after his visit with Viv and a worried Edna convinces the villagers to put the legal action on hold. Nicola refuses to drop it and approaches Bob for an out of court settlement and a furious Bob tells Nicola he's penniless and - literally - offers her the shirt off his back. Bob is riled and he heads over to the Courier offices and demands to see the editor, but when he's ejected from the building he climbs up on a decorator's platform and tells the gathering crowd that the Courier has ruined his life. Jasmine spots Bob and calls Val and Terry, who rush to coax him down.

Lisa is determined to get the supervisor's job over Lexi and Zak promises to help her. Zak and Eli devise a scam to make Lisa look like the best worker and they rope Shadrach, Chas and Sam into helping. The Dingles head over to a stately home that Eric has already furnished with curtains and blag their way inside.

Lexi is annoyed when Lisa presents Eric with the additional curtains and she realises she's behind. Lexi takes Gennie's work, but she's left fuming with Gennie when Eric criticises the quality. Lisa has a go at Lexi for bullying Gennie and Eric hauls Lexi into his office.

Debbie is shocked when Sarah draws a picture of Jo crying with Andy towering over her. Sam realises his suspicions about Jo and Andy are correct and tells a stunned Debbie, who refuses to believe that Andy would beat Jo. Debbie, however, is rattled and confronts Jo, who eventually breaks down and admits the truth. Jo begs Debbie to keep it secret, explaining that she loves Andy and she is sure it will never happen again.

Marlon confides in Ashley that Donna is having panic attacks and Ashley has a talk with Donna, who admits her fears following the crash and explains that Ross is the only one who understands her. Ashley wonders if her feelings for Ross run deeper and Donna confesses that she feels confused.

Donald is stunned when Anna reveals that their client has taken his business to the Kings and she insists that Carl must have tipped the Kings off. Donald refuses to believe Carl could have betrayed him but he is hurt when Carl confesses but blurts out that Anna has made his life a misery.

Donna gets the go ahead to return home and she impulsively kisses Ross in her excitement. The pair are stunned and Donna hurriedly pulls away and tells Ross to get out. Ross pleads with Donna that the kiss must have meant something to her, but Donna hurtfully denies it. Donna hides her guilt when she speaks to Marlon

Katie approaches Andy and trying to help, wants him to be aware that Jo is spreading vicious rumours around the village. Andy is stunned as Katie explains Debbie asked her whether he ever hit her when they were together. Andy is grateful for Katie's loyalty but privately rattled as he denies hurting Jo. Later, when Jo arrives home,

Eli takes a job for Debbie driving Louise back from the airport and he asks Louise how it feels to be engaged. Louise tells him how happy she is, but after she leaves the cab, Eli finds an engagement ring on the back seat and decides to keep it himself.

Nicola finds herself with nowhere to go when Val chucks her out and she's also penniless, as the publishers won't give her any more money until March. Paul reluctantly offers to let Nicola move in, but Katie is furious when Nicola takes over her room while she's out, as well as ruining the only photo Katie has of Perdy's baby. T

Eli takes Debbie on a romantic picnic and pops the question. Debbie is amused but Eli insists that he adores her and wants to help her get custody of Sarah. Debbie agrees to marry him, but stresses that it is only as a ploy to get Sarah.

Matthew agrees to make Nicola events co-ordinator in recompense to Anna for shafting the De Souzas over a client. Matthew tells Nicola she can have the job if she brings in some business before the end of the day. When she hears about Jamie and Louise's Christmas wedding she poaches their booking and Paul is sacked as wedding co-ordinator.