Season 21

Max and Jacqui have their first proper row, as she feels that he doesn't believe she is as capable of looking after the children as his other wives. Christy and Leanne realise that they have no other option than to close the bar down. After Imelda is caught stealing and slapped by Adele, her mother makes a trip to number 9 to insult the Murrays.

In a special double-length episode, Anthony decides to stand up for himself against the bullies, but it leads to a punch-up on the Close when more of the Cloughs and their mates pay a visit. Jessie feels that her friendship with Brigid is becoming strained due to their disagreement over Ray's bingo win.

Jimmy seeks advice from Dr Parr, but ignores his warnings in an effort to regain control of his life. Although Diane has made Anthony a promise, Marty insists that he must go back to school. Sammy wants a job interview, and plans to convince someone to give her one.

Christy decides it's time for a sharp exit when Tim threatens to put him in hospital. Tim also convinces Anthony that violence may be the answer to his problems with the bullies. Sammy wants a job at the health club, and hopes that Sol will give her one.

Brigid confronts Diane and Marty over their decision to stop Anthony going to church. Jimmy tells Nikki that he has stopped taking his medication. While Katie and Louise bond, Sammy decides that she needs an employment contract, and asks Sol to give her one.

A bombshell from the past, which he is totally unprepared for, is about to hit Ray. An educational welfare officer arrives on the Close, and discovers that no-one seems willing to give him any straight answers - but his threats to prosecute Marty and Diane make them reconsider their decision to keep Anthony off school.

Emily wants to build a water-feature in the garden, but Jimmy is adamant that he won't have another pond. Katie discovers why Sammy's husband is so fed up with her. An attempt to economise brings more misery for Mike and Rachel, and Ray confesses to Helen that her suspicions may well be correct.

When Nikki is suspicious of the woman she saw leaving the bungalow, Jerome advises her to ask Ray who she is. But Ray asks Helen not to reveal their secret to anyone else yet. Diane tries to keep calm at a meeting with the headmistress and the educational welfare officer aimed at reintegrating Anthony.

Marty decides that it's time to make a man out of Anthony. Jessie finds out Ray's guilty secret, and doubts that things will ever be the same again. Jacqui returns from her holiday to find unexpected lodgers in her home - but she is much more annoyed when she discovers who Sol has hired in her absence.

Jessie isn't speaking to Ray, and Nikki's plan to help reconcile them goes dangerously wrong. Steve tries to make Anthony understand why he is being picked on. Max and Jacqui make Sol aware of how Sammy has conned him and why she is not welcome as an employee of the health club. Jimmy smells chemicals wherever he goes.

Diane is horrified to discover that Steve risked his life to rescue Jessie and Ray from their burning bungalow. Then a hysterical Nikki realises that Jerome must be trapped in the bathroom....... Jacqui is determined to revoke Sammy's contract and remove her from her job without paying her anything.

Jimmy is warned that he should immediately start to take his medication again. Sol tells Sammy what a difficult position she has put him in. Diane discovers that Anthony has taken down his crucifix, candles and posters. Jessie and Ray need to find somewhere to stay, and Bev is furious to discover the state of her bar - or, as it is now known, "Leanne's Lounge".......

After sacking Leanne, Bev breaks down in front of Jimmy, distressed that her business has been ruined. Katie feels that Sammy is taking advantage of her again. At school, Adele plans to go on a foreign holiday with her friends - but Anthony just feels as if he is walking round with a target on his back.

When Jacqui and Max come out of the shower, they find Ray soaking his feet in a basin downstairs. Bev tries to take steps to resolve a few matters, while Katie pleads the case for Sammy to be kept on at the health club - but will she be heeded? Nikki chooses Jimmy's shoulder to cry on, making Emily wonder what is going on.

Jacqui delegates the decision of whether to keep Sammy on to Sol, but makes it clear to her that any further contact is no longer welcome. Jimmy encourages Jessie to forgive and forget - but then she discovers that Ray has a photograph of Sylvia. Meanwhile, Tim has another cunning plan.......

Tim is convinced that he and Steve are going on to bigger and better things, but Steve wants to stay on the right side of the law. Jimmy tries to prepare himself for any eventuality, and Bev has a couple of willing volunteers. Ron tries to assure Jacqui and Mike that all that really matters is his family - but then Mike tells him what has been going on at home.......

Nikki begins to feel that she will have no option but to drop out of university. Ray is concerned when Jessie is determined that Helen should be invited to visit them both. Emily wants to practise her nail extensions on Tim. Marty and Diane desperately want Steve, Adele and Anthony to leave their bedroom so that they can get on with their.......reading.

Jessie and Ray are beginning to get on Rachel's nerves, and when more secrets emerge during a visit from Helen, a shouting-match wakes Mike up. A reminder of Ron's impending release from prison drives Katie back to the bottle.

Sammy tries to sober Katie up. Jimmy decides to throw a pancake party - but Adele finds it boring. Lance returns to the bar, but not to work. Marty is in trouble when Diane discovers the truth about his insurance scam, and Nikki refuses to accept the &pound

Jessie accuses Helen of wanting Ray's money, which makes her reconsider whether she wants to continue trying to build a relationship with him. Anthony receives a Valentine's Card containing a threat. "Bev's Bar" reopens, and there are plenty of callers.......asking for directions to "The Shelf". Mike and Rachel have a more romantic evening alone than they expected.

Ray and Jessie argue bitterly over Helen. Adele tells Marty and Diane her holiday plans, and tries to convince them that her life isn't one long drunken orgy. Jacqui is disappointed that she and Max have different views on the importance of Valentine's Day. When Bev tells Jimmy she is lonely, he finds a way of cheering her up that involves the pool table.

Max prepares for a night of passion with Jacqui, but she brings Katie over after finding her depressed on her birthday. After Nikki takes an interest in a students' demonstration against tuition fees, Jerome patiently waits for her to be released from the local police station. Marty and Diane think they have come up with a way of spoiling Adele's holiday plans.

When Adele winds Marty up by telling him everything she has been buying for her holiday, including a big box of condoms, he tells her to leave. Leanne carelessly chooses her moment to apologise to Bev - when she is cleaning the windows and has a bucket of water handy. Some people struggle not to see the funny side of Nikki ending up in police custody.

Bev discovers that her bar has been trashed, and Jimmy points out that there is no sign of a break-in, so it must have been someone with a set of keys. Ray gets depressed that Helen wants nothing more to do with him, but Nikki gets Jerome to find out her address for him. Jacqui is finding it increasingly hard to cope with looking after the children, especially when they are doing things like flushing one of Max's shoes down the toilet.

Adele discovers that Leanne is her new boss at the garage, and when Bev finds out, a vicious fight breaks out just as Max is trying to pay for his petrol. Tim's promises prove hard for Steve to resist, but Jessie's actions leave Nikki feeling betrayed - and after waiting at Jimmy's for Ray to return home, Helen insists that he is not to have any further contact with Stephanie.

Christy comes up with a poem to win Leanne back, and a plan to help her claim compensation for her facial injuries - he'll beat her up a little to make them look worse. Emily gives Tim an idea for his next criminal act, and relations between Jessie and Nikki deteriorate further when the insurance company won't pay out the full amount claimed for losses in the bungalow. Nisha tests Sammy's blood pressure, and advises her that she stands no chance with Sol or Gary.

Ray receives a card from Kitty, but Jessie insists that she can wait until they resolve their disagreement with Nikki and Jerome over the insurance payout. Steve decides to go on a heist with Tim. Bev finds out that Leanne has contacted a solicitor, and appeals for Max for help - but he hasn't much to give, especially as he has been asked to give evidence as a witness to the altercation.

Bev feels helpless as her bar goes up for sale, but Adele reveals that Leanne has been unable to obtain the letter she wanted from Gary. Jimmy decides that he wants to move away from Liverpool to live with Lindsey in Newcastle. Mike and Rachel's ability to repay their debts is assessed in court, Tim and Steve's plans begin to take shape, and Ray receives news that Kitty has died.

In a special double-length episode, Steve and Tim are unable to prevent Jimmy from joining them on their heist and wrecking their chances of obtaining the loot they are seeking by going mad with a bulldozer. At his first school governors' meeting, Max meets a professional lady who reminds him of Patricia, and has a drink with her afterwards. Furious that Jessie won't help her and Jerome with their financial problems, Nikki reveals to Ray that her grandmother is much more wealthy than she has led him to believe.

Tim discovers that Jimmy has written an account of their bungled robbery and plans to post it on his website. When Jimmy has a manic moment, Emily warns Nikki to be careful around him - but she joins him in the room in which he has been locked up for his own safety, and finds that he is wanting cuddles, and more. Bev is taken aback by Mike and Rachel's offers of support.

Jacqui finally admits defeat, and tells Max that she wants to go back to work. Emily worries that Tim's luck will run out one day. Leanne boasts that she has a star witness in her battle against Bev, not realising that he has been forbidden to say anything in her favour. Anthony suffers a worst humiliation than ever before at the hands of Imelda and Paige.

Bev thinks that things can't get any worse for her, but then a policeman arrives. Jimmy ends up in hospital after making an unsuccessful attempt to walk to Newcastle through the Mersey Tunnel. Jacqui offers Rachel a job as Emma and Harry's nanny. Helen is keen to trace her real mother, and Marty asks Max for help in getting the bullies expelled from the school.

Nikki decides to accept the money Emily offered her, but then discovers that it has now been spent, as Tim is determined to go legit. Katie experiences a frightening moment in the surgery, Rachel tells Mike she has agreed to work for Jacqui, there is a surprise for Max at Gary's flat-warming party, and it looks as if the bullies will be expelled at last.......

Jacqui plans to introduce a creche in the health club. Mike plans to tell Ron that he has taken in lodgers. Imelda plans to bully and humiliate Anthony again - but this time he fights back.

Jacqui tries to persuade Max that "Bev's Bar" is worth buying. Rachel gives Mike a night to remember. Leanne can't interest Gary in a photograph of her buttock, and Anthony is having trouble sleeping.

Mike feels that he and Rachel deserve better. Max is not convinced that Jacqui is doing the right thing by buying "Bev's Bar" - but she has some even more unexpected news for him. Jessie agrees to pay Nikki's tuition fees for her.

Jimmy realises that he has to fend for himself. Jacqui wants no-one to know her news yet - but Katie already does. Emily breaks a nail while putting up her course certificate, and goes to the walk-in centre for treatment. Jerome wants nothing more to do with Jessie, and Bev has a suggestion for Max.

Nikki volunteers to take care of Jimmy, no matter what Jerome thinks. Nisha is frustrated that Sammy is turning into "Goldilocks". Max tries to reassure Jacqui. Marty has good reason to be annoyed by the results of Tim's DIY work next door.

Sammy, Nisha and Katie enjoy a girls' night in. Anthony goes to church to confess to his worst sin. Max forces Jacqui to tell him the truth. Emily isn't convinced that Nikki is doing the right thing - but neither is Jimmy. Marty and Steve repair Tim's repairs.

Jacqui thinks she will fail as a mother, and Rachel thinks she may be planning to get rid of her baby, although Mike thinks she'd be more likely to sell it. Anthony has a panic attack in church, Max interviews Lance, and Sammy continues to use Katie.

Katie is sent home from work drunk. Rachel becomes jealous of Mike's offer to help Bev. Emily's plans are frustrated, and Jacqui admits that she doesn't want to be pregnant, as she has so much else in her life.

Nisha gets Katie off the hook, but she isn't particularly grateful. Steve becomes concerned about something he finds in Anthony's room. Ron is released from prison, and Jimmy is released from hospital - but are they both ready to face the outside world again?

Anthony fights back when bullies attack him again. Jacqui feels that her life isn't her own any more - and Sammy, Sol and Leanne are all getting on her nerves. Tim has trouble disposing of builders' waste, and Ron admits that he felt suicidal in prison.

Nikki invites Jimmy to the opening night of the bar, but becomes worried when he starts drinking. Gary asks Katie to come and talk to him if things are getting too much for her. Max fears that history is repeating itself when he receives a telephone call about Jacqui.......

Bad news about Jacqui is received at the bar - she has been in a car crash, but is still coming to the opening. Bev tries to reassure Ron with a cuddle, but he loses control and wants more. Imelda's mother makes a television appeal, and another angry visit to the Murrays'.

When Sol's wife discovers that he has been having an affair, both he and Sammy are going to regret it. Jimmy finds the account he wrote of the bungled heist, and resolves to take control of his life again. Anthony wrecks the science lab at school, Bev invites Ron to move in with her again, and Louise runs away.

Sammy thinks everyone regards her as an unfit mother. Ron visits several of his former clients, but isn't able to convince anyone to use "Great Grannies" again. Tim's first assignment as a "lifter and shifter" is not what he was expecting. Jerome desperately wants Nikki back, but will a new haircut help to convince her?

Rachel begins to feel that Jacqui is taking advantage and treating her like a slave. Sammy feels that she is being bribed. Jimmy offers to help Sylvia to find her mother, and Ron wants someone to explain why a pig has just run through his house. After putting Leanne in her place, Jacqui collapses in agony on the Parade.......

Jacqui wakes up in hospital, unaware of what is going on. Tim and Steve liberate Rover the pig when Christy is only willing to slaughter it if they pay him. Helen and Jimmy have a drink together, and Marty discovers that Adele's boyfriend has eaten the meal Diane left for him.

Jacqui struggles to cope with the consequences of recent events, and fears that Max will hate her. Jimmy is becoming obsessed with his research, and Nikki is worried that he is not ready for a relationship with Helen. Ron feels that he has lost his identity, but Anthony thinks that his nightmare may be over.

Max becomes convinced that he and Jacqui should move away, but Ron fears that he will end up on his own. Jimmy and Helen become closer, but Ray strongly believes that Jimmy should tell her about his illness. Nisha decides that a cleaner needs to be found for the flat.

Tim's latest quest for easy money turns into hard work. Ray discovers that Helen plans to introduce Jimmy to Stephanie. Sammy resents the amount of influence her estranged husband has over Louise, and Jacqui unsucessfully tries to persuade Ron to get out of bed.

Jimmy can't bring himself to confide in Helen. Although Jessie advises him not to interfere, Ray threatens to tell Helen what Jimmy is concealing from her. Adele receives some unwanted advice about safe sex from Diane, and Emily embarrasses Tim by insisting that he cleans the toilet.

Jacqui asks Bev to try to convince Ron to get out of bed, and she delegates the job to someone else she is sure will succeed. Steve tries to lay down the law to Adele's enormous boyfriend. Tim and Emily's first wedding anniversary doesn't go as they planned.

Max, frustrated that Ron is always visiting for no reason and putting his DVDs in the wrong cases, wonders if he might be encouraged to get back together with Bev. Jimmy decides to tell Helen the truth, but finds that she has disappeared. Nisha wants to talk to Katie about Clint.

In a special double-length episode, Gary blames himself when his favourite patient dies in his surgery, Louise doesn't appreciate being kidnapped from Richard's by Sammy, a misunderstanding causes Ron to take off all his clothes, and Adele and Laura run out of fake tan embarrassingly quickly - but will gravy browning be a suitable substitute?

One year after Clint's death, Katie still feels haunted by him, and Nisha tries to convince her to move on. Ron and Jimmy reflect on the lack of women in their lives, but Ron learns something he never knew about a pool table. Sammy and Bev discuss single parenthood.

Ron has some proposals for Jacqui involving laundry and house-swapping. Ray denies that he plans to see Helen - but Tim sees them together, and encourages Jimmy to confront them. Josh causes trouble between Rachel and Mike.

Mike's toothache is getting worse. Adele tries to dump her boyfriend . Nisha is worried about Katie, but goes for a drink with Gary after work. Ray explains prostate glands to Tim and Steve, and Leanne takes an interest in spontaneous combustion.

Adele's latest boyfriend has a few drinks too many, and turns up at the Murrays' absolutely poetic. Nisha invites Gary over again when she hears that Gabby plans another night of working late - but this time he turns her down. Josh's bad behaviour becomes too much for Rachel, but Jimmy thinks he may have found what he is looking for.

Jacqui shows Max around the house to which she is keen for them to move. Sammy needs to convince Nisha not to move out of the flat. Jimmy is frustrated that Nikki always has to be the voice of reason. After scaring Anthony, Russell brings Diane flowers as an apology.

Katie is welcomed back to work. Mike is in pain, and wonders why Ron is wandering around with pieces of paper and a tape measure. Beth has a temperature, and Gary diagnoses an ear infection. Bev is desperate for help - but will she get any?

Mike is furious when he discovers what Rachel has got him for their wedding anniversary, and how she has paid for it - and when he discovers the secret that Ron and Jacqui have been keeping from him, he storms out. Bev receives friendly support from Gabby after her taste in tablecloths is criticised, and not everyone is impressed with Gary's advice when Beth's temperature rises again.

Helen is not pleased when she discovers that Ray didn't pass on the information Jimmy gave him for her. Brigid and Jessie plan a trip to London for the Queen's Jubilee. Mike and Rachel's relationship seems to be in big trouble, and Rachel blames Jacqui - but then she figures out who Mike is staying with.......

Jimmy begins work on his "Citizens' Jubilee", and receives some favourable indications that Helen wants to continue their friendship. Bev is summoned to Josh's after-school club when Josh gets into more trouble - and when Adele and her boyfriend go to talk on Bev's balcony while baby-sitting, he locks them out.

Helen and Jimmy set off in search of her mother, but are not successful. Then they discover what went wrong, as Ray reluctantly reveals information that he has previously concealed. Marty plans to build a pond, but Brigid's plans receive a major setback that she had hoped to avoid.

Jessie wonders what other secrets Ray is keeping from her. Nisha is not convinced that Katie is on the road to recovery. A mysterious stranger in a car is watching the parade, and Sammy is frantic with worry when Louise and her new friend Tanya go missing.......

Sammy is reluctant to allow Louise to go on holiday to Spain with her wealthy friend. Rachel panics when Beth's condition worsens, and she has to be rushed to hospital. Katie laughs for the first time in ages - but not at Nic's chat-up lines. Gabby pokes her nose into other people's business, and Jacqui and Max celebrate an anniversary.

Sammy is missing Louise, and reads a newspaper article which makes her fear that her daughter may be in danger. Max foresees a logistical nightmare, and uncertainty regarding Jessie and Ray. Katie wants a night out, Bev feels that she is being used again, and Mike is furious with Gary's incompetence.

Jerome feels neglected as Nikki is spending too much of her time with Jimmy. Bev wants to invite everyone to her 30th birthday party, but Jacqui won't let her put up posters in the bar. Anthony discovers Adele forging a letter from Marty giving her permission to go on holiday.

Anthony is a reluctant participant in a police reconstruction of Imelda's last journey home from school. Beth is discharged from hospital, and Gary tries to stay out of Mike's way - but eventually a heated argument between them ends in a brawl. Katie asks Nic out, and Nikki and Jerome reflect on how far they have moved on - or not - in the past year.

Helen is coming for Sunday lunch, and Jimmy needs to ensure that he doesn't look as if he has wet himself. Then he and Helen have a big audience when they kiss in the back garden. Most of the people at Bev's birthday party don't really want to be there - and when Bev sends Josh to stand in the corridor outside for being naughty, he goes down to the parade, and is knocked down by a car.

There are some last-minute hitches which prevent the Farnhams and Dixons from house-swapping as planned. Gabby receives a visit at work from someone she hoped she would never see again. Rachel is not pleased about the amount of time Mike is spending at the hospital with Bev and in her underwear drawer.

A horde of teenagers descends on the Close. Steve is feeling guilty, and goes to visit Josh in hospital. Gary feels as if everyone is trying to trip him up. Max discovers that Ron is not planning to take Ray and Jessie with him when he moves.

Alan Gordon is not pleased when he discovers the mess his son Stuart has made of their new home. Anthony is interviewed by the police regarding Imelda's disappearance. Diane discovers that Adele has sold a family heirloom, and Helen tries to get inside Jimmy's mind.

Marty is the next Murray to face police questioning regarding Imelda. Mike is determined to obtain an apology from Gary. Jessie barricades herself in, and Max and Jacqui suspend their move until she is evicted. Ron finds a box that he believes contains masonic regalia, and breaks the lock trying to open it.

Despite some of the unhappy times in their past, Max and Ron are both having second thoughts about the house-swap. Gabby fears that a stalking ordeal from her past is starting all over again, but is reluctant to involve the police. The police are not impressed when Marty doesn't accurately remember where he was the day Imelda disappeared.

Gabby's past catches up with Gary. Nisha takes Jimmy for a walk down memory lane. Marty is convinced that the police are treating Imelda's disappearance as a murder enquiry, and they want to frame him. Tim can only suggest that he finds a good lawyer.

Steve and Tim have different ideas on how they might retrieve Adele's bracelet from Hookey, but will either of them work? Katie receives a promotion. Jessie feels that she is being taken for granted, and is determined not to be evicted from Ron's. Nikki thinks Jimmy still needs her help.

Alan and Debbie Gordon move into number 5, with their daughter Kirsty, who has just lost her mobile phone and her boyfriend, and sons Stuart and Ali, who argue over where their computer will go. In case they need to know Ron's medical and family history, Bev fills in all the details. Nikki tries to persuade Jessie to move out of Ron's, and Gabby is fed up with receiving unwanted calls and text messages.

After having a few words with Jessie, Ron becomes ashamed of his recent behaviour and invites the Hiltons to move next door temporarily after all. Marty is worried and frustrated, and grounds Adele. The Gordons have their first visitor - their other daughter Ruth, who has left her husband and wants somewhere to stay.......

Max and Jacqui question Mike's motives in continuing to take action against Gary. Nikki has second thoughts about going away on holiday with Jerome. Ruth's husband, Sean, turns up and discovers that her former lover, Dan, is with her. Adele is nervous around her new boss.

Leanne tells Alan and Debbie a few things about the Close and its residents that their estate agents didn't mention - but they are more concerned about Ruth, and are convinced that it is no coincidence that Dan has suddenly reappeared on the scene. Ron has more to worry about than he thinks regarding his missing box, Ali comes home drunk and knocks on the wrong door late at night, and Gabby receives some shocking news.

Gabby and Gary have dinner with Max and Jacqui, but Gary and Jacqui are surprised to find that Gabby and Max have already discussed the death of Rob. Mike is determined to pursue his action, although Rachel isn't sure that they can afford principles. The Gordons discuss the use of foul language in the home. ["Domestic friction causes foul language to rise to the surface"]

Rachel provides Mike with some valuable ammunition against Gary. Ruth learns something she didn't know about her past. Tim's plans to dispose of builders' waste include sneaking some into Nic's skip and dumping the rest at a roadside. Gabby is feeling guilty, and Ali gets himself arrested.

Marty is concerned that he will be charged, and discovers that he has apparently given Adele permission to go on holiday. Ali is cautioned for his drunkenness. Jimmy faces embarrassment as he tries to buy some condoms, Anthony rescues Brigid from a mugger, and Alan receives sex tips all day on Kirsty's phone.

Mike feels that there is a conspiracy against him when the surgery write to him at his old address and Jacqui doesn't pass the letter on. Diane insists on reporting Brigid's mugging to the police. Nikki and Tim consider the benefits of synchronised love-making, and Stuart struggles to recognise Ron with his clothes on.

Ruth is successful in getting a job at "Bar Brookie", but rather less so when she tries to retrieve some of her possessions from Sean's. Ray has the art of competitive tendering well and truly mastered, Marty feels that Brigid is in the way, and Helen receives a letter from Iceland about her mother of which Jimmy is suspicious.

Ron and Mike install their washing machines, and Mike tries to persuade Ron to give him a job in the new business. Leaving Josh alone in the flat could prove expensive for Bev, as he manages to find a way of wrecking Brigid's new hair-do and Lance's suit. Helen, not wanting to rush things with Jimmy, goes back home

Marty receives a telephone call which worries him. Jessie reluctantly goes with Ray to an antiques fayre. Brigid plans to return home, but is persuaded to stay on in the Close for a bit longer. Gary suspects that Ron is not at all well, and after Jimmy shows him a shocking image on a t-shirt, he collapses with another heart attack.

Ruth's first day at work turns out to be a harrowing experience, as the battle to revive Ron after his heart attack begins. At the hospital, Mike is frustrated that no-one will give him straight answers - but, after talking to Gary, he discovers they have more in common than they ever realised.

Diane is shocked when Marty reveals a certain amount of unpleasantness in his family's past which is making him fear for his future. Ron is resisting the treatment he needs, but can Mike and Jacqui persuade him to think again? Kirsty tells Ruth that she needs to get some "attitude", Gabby can't face going to work, and Katie is drilling holes.

Steve claims to be going out to service a van, but the way he is dressed makes Marty think he is taking it for a romantic meal. Ron's past life flashes before his eyes as he sets off on the road to recovery. There is an unexpected guest at the Gordons' send-off barbecue for Kirsty, and Anthony is tormented by his recollections of the death of Imelda.

Ron risks his life with his decision to reject Jacqui's offer to pay for him to have his triple by-pass operation sooner rather than later. Jerome proposes to Nikki, and wants an answer before they go on their European holiday. Ruth wants Dan to become part of the family, but is shocked to discover that Sean has started proceedings to divorce her for her adultery.

Jimmy realises how much he is going to miss Nikki while she is away on holiday. Katie reads a newspaper report that she finds to be in poor taste, discovers that Nisha has chosen to have a drink with Gary instead of spending time with her, and offers Nic hassle-free sex on a plate. Anthony is suspicious of Marty when he lashes out at Adele.

Emily is not convinced that Nikki is doing the right thing by marrying Jerome. Leanne tells Debbie that Marty is suspected of murder. Jacqui begins to wonder if Rachel is a suitable child-minder for Harry and Emma. Ron tells Jacqui what music he wants to be played at his funeral.

Diane angrily confronts Debbie when she finds out what she has been saying from Emily. Gary grudgingly gives Alan the nicotine patches he wants. Mike discovers that Ron has cut him out of his will, Jimmy is missing Nikki, and Helen has an unexpected visitor.

Mike decides to make a few changes to Ron's laundry business, especially his customer base. Ruth is locked out by Sean, and feels that Alan has betrayed her. Jimmy begins to regret helping Helen to find her mother, and Debbie tries to resist the temptation to steam open the envelope containing Kirsty's "A" level results.

Tim follows Steve, and discovers exactly what kind of servicing he is carrying out. Max wants to replace Rachel with a qualified child-minder. Diane is anxious about Brigid's health, but still wants to know exactly what Marty is concealing. Alan's ladder is too short, so he borrows Sean's.

Tim is ready to do his next "job" - with or without Steve. Ray and Jessie brighten Ron's mood, and he almost splits his sides laughing. Anthony feels responsible for Brigid's illness, and Sammy considers cutting up her credit cards.

Diane discovers what is wrong with Brigid. Ron is horrified when a priest turns up at his bedside. Josh manages to steal scissors and cut the plaster cast off his leg without Rachel noticing. Tim is determined to complete his latest "job", but he needs to persuade Steve to repair the lorry he has procured.

Brigid volunteers to call in on Mike to check on how well he is handling the business in Ron's absence. Anthony forges a letter to the police from Imelda. Jessie feels unsettled, Sammy doesn't like being told that Louise is a bad influence on a gangster's daughter, and Marty swears Christy to secrecy about certain things in his past.

Gabby arrives back, with a new haircut, but Gary is not convinced that she is over Rob's death. Ted offers to take Sammy to Spain along with Tanya and Louise. Diane becomes concerned that she can't get any answers from Marty, and he doesn't come home from work.

While babysitting Josh, Gabby gives him back his water-gun, and joins in with him in drenching people on the parade below. But someone is able to retaliate. Sean is surprised to find out that Dan doesn't want to oppose him in his battle for the custody of Luke. When Marty finally reveals what happened between himself and Jan, Diane throws him out.

The police arrive at the Murrays' with a search warrant, and arrest Marty. Dan is irritated when Ruth receives a bouquet of flowers from Sean. Sammy decides to take Ted up on his holiday offer. A mix-up with Jacqui's carpet delivery provides Stuart and Baz with a mischief-making opportunity that is too good to pass up.

Diane tries to convince D.S. Casey that no-one in the Murray household could have sent the letter purporting to be from Imelda, but something is then found buried in their back garden. Debbie has some advice for Ruth, and Mike is becoming impatient with Ron.

Anthony confesses to forging the letter from Imelda. The police discover that Marty's computer was stolen from a pharmacy. Ruth panics when Sean doesn't return Luke at the time he promised to. Ron feels as if he is becoming a burden to everyone.

Emily is convinced that Marty is a serial killer or a paedophile, and undermines Diane at work. Ron has a small accident after Mike leaves him to fend for himself. Jimmy shows signs of developing green fingers, and Ray takes delivery of something that Jessie doesn't want to use before she is 100.

Jessie and Ray cannot agree on whether flat-pack or home-made furniture is better. Lance is becoming desperate for help in choosing Max's wedding anniversary present for Jacqui. Gabby disagrees with the school governors' decision to suspend Marty indefinitely, and Sean clashes with Ruth again when he goes to the bar after she keeps him waiting for his access to Luke.

On Luke's first day at school, Sean turns up and lays down the law to Dan. Max has several attempts at finding a suitable romantic gesture to celebrate the first anniversary of his wedding to Jacqui. Jimmy's garden designs lead Tim to wonder whether he is still taking his medication, and Brigid plans to move in with Ron to be his full-time nurse.

Adele returns from her holiday, and has a confession to make. Lance and Bev make a bet regarding whether Max, Jacqui, Gary and Gabby are wife-swapping. Stuart confronts Marty and tells him exactly what he thinks of him, and Leanne is also not afraid to speak her mind. But for others, actions speak louder than words.......

Sammy returns from her holiday. Ray unveils a work of art with smooth, rounded edges. Katie feels that she can't commit to Nick. Marty begins to panic, as his kidnappers demand answers, and Diane is concerned when he doesn't return home.

Sylvia returns to the Close, wanting Helen's forgiveness. When Marty is released by his captors and examined by Gary, he is advised to seek immediate hospital treatment or risk losing his eyesight. Leanne wonders whether she could benefit from botox, and Sean and Ruth attempt to resolve their differences.

Sylvia admits that she still can't handle being a mother to Helen, and doesn't want her husband to find out about her past. Debbie receives a card from Kirsty with a photograph of her and an Elvis lookalike at an American wedding chapel. Adele wants to leave school and live a little. When Bev reprimands him, Josh fights back.

Ruth considers whether to play Sean at his own game. Debbie offers Adele more hours at the petrol station, then realises that this will probably annoy Diane again. When Ray becomes frustrated with Stuart's insolence and cuffs him, Ali knocks him down. Steve panics when he is visited by his girlfriend's husband, who has decided to hit him where it will really hurt.......

Max comes up with a solution to Bev's problems, seconding Lance to the bar for some of his shifts. But Bev delegates to him the task of looking after Josh. Alan warns Ray that no-one disciplines his sons except him. Steve discovers that it is not his skills as a mechanic that Ian has highlighted on his website.

Nikki is shocked when Jerome announces a date for their wedding. Jessie gets drunk and uses one of Ray's hammers to make her feelings about his handiwork known. Sean is furious when he turns up to collect Luke from school and finds that they were expecting Dan. Steve's website is getting more hits than he would like.

Lindsey invites Jimmy on a holiday to Florida, and Nikki asks him to give her away at her wedding. Jessie insists that she did nothing to be ashamed of while she was drunk. Bev has to fish Josh's toothbrush out of the toilet, Sean gets drunk and falls asleep while Luke is with him, and Gabby receives notice to attend Rob's inquest.

When Ruth discovers that Luke arrived at school late, and he tells her why, she realises Sean has been drinking again. Jerome is pleased to hear that Jimmy will miss his wedding by being in America - but Nikki plans to postpone it so that he can be there. Steve is angry about the local newspaper's coverage of Marty - and when he receives a threatening phonecall, Tim urges him to get even with the Cloughs.

More hate-mail arrives for Marty. Bev becomes concerned when she sees Josh's new child-minder running away in tears. Alan discovers that Jimmy has gone on holiday without finishing his garden - but Emily volunteers Tim to take over the job. Nikki and Jerome have a difference of opinion regarding whether she is sleeping with Jimmy.

Max discovers that Jacqui has asked Rachel to work longer hours instead of sacking her. Marty is not keen to go on the holiday with Diane that Brigid has arranged. Nisha realises that all is not well between Gary and Gabby, Jessie probes Nikki for some answers about Jimmy, and Debbie receives a worrying phone call from Kirsty.

Kirsty finally returns home, and Ruth is concerned that this will mean Dan has to move out. While the Gordons are distracted, Luke falls into the hole in their back garden. Nisha's confession surprises Katie, Bev decides to give up managing the bar for Josh's sake, and Diane doesn't approve of Steve warning off the Cloughs.

Tim hopes to obtain tickets for a night out with Emily by undertaking a messy job for Hookey, but isn't successful. Debbie and Alan suspect that Kirsty might be pregnant, and Debbie contacts Sean behind Ruth's back. Diane tries to persuade Marty that they need to go on holiday to save their marriage.

Sean tries to resolve his differences with Ruth. Josh tries to help Mike with an important client's laundry, and turns it all pink. Adele tries to being a holiday atmosphere to the Close - but Steve is not impressed when he finds her running around topless.

Mike has had almost as much as he can take. Emily prepares for her graduation. Steve tells Adele she will have to pay for his van to be resprayed. Jessie is regretting marrying Ray, and is unsure that she wants to go on living with him - but makes a shocking discovery when she returns to the bungalow.......

Mike and Rachel decide to move out of Ron's. Emily is convinced that Jimmy is trying to break Jerome and Nikki up. Stuart and Ali regret making Ray's last days unhappy, and Christy is desperate to warn Steve that someone is looking for him.

Rachel insist to Jacqui that she deserves a pay rise. Gabby presents the case for Marty's reinstatement, but fails to convince the governors to think again. Steve wonders if he did the right thing by sending Jan packing, and Josh is sent off during his football match.

Nisha and Katie try to persuade Jacqui and Gabby to come on a night out. Debbie decides how to solve the accommodation shortage. Jessie doesn't appreciate the condolence card and flowers she receives from the Gordons, and wants to move to Benidorm.

Rachel regrets moving in with Bev when Mike starts sprawling around in his underwear, and Josh comes in to use the toilet while she has a shower. Jan barricades Steve in until he agrees to talk to her again. Emily celebrates her last birthday, and Tim is determined to make it unforgettable.

Lindsey reappears at the Corkhills', and insists that Nikki explains to her exactly what has been going on. Marty, Diane and Anthony return from their holiday, and Steve confronts Marty with what Jan has told him, and what he has found which supports her story. Ali and Stuart are dismayed to be the victims of a Halloween prank.

Marty tells Diane he wants them to stay together, but she is not convinced. Jan is keen to speak to her other children again. Jessie prepares to leave for Spain, and Nikki is distraught when she goes to see Jimmy at Helen's - he tells her he is not the right person to give her away, and Helen throws her out.

Jerome tells Nikki she will have to choose between him and Jimmy. Steve tells Adele that her real mother has returned, but Adele is not keen to speak to her. Diane walks out when she discovers Jan in her living-room, and a high-speed police chase ends up in the Close.

Ali fails to conceal his presence upstairs, and, after being taunted, is sent out. Brigid is concerned that Diane is not able to protect her children by being with them. Sean offers Luke and Ruth temporary accommodation

A body is thrown out of the Murrays' and left for the police to recover. Jimmy and Lindsey suspect that their captors are losing their nerve - but when Jerome tries to be a hero, his actions merely provoke them. Ron wants someone to nip into his house to turn off the tumble dryer, and two hostages are released.

Jimmy convinces the captors to let himself and Lindsey go by pretending to be on the brink of another nervous breakdown. Kirsty denies that she was raped, but Ali feels that he let her down. The robbers discover that Marty has been suspected of being a paedophile, and lock him in a cupboard. Max has to borrow clothes from Gary.

Adele is told to shoot Marty. Gary wonders how Jacqui ended up with an old wrinkly like Max. Anthony confesses to Jan that he killed Imelda. When Jerome admits to Nikki that he accessed her e-mails and sent a message to Jimmy purporting to be from her, she tells him she wants him out of her life for good.

Gary feels that Gabby doesn't understand him, but maybe Nisha does. Stuart discovers that Luke's face was cut while he was staying with Sean. Ruth thinks that Kirsty is holding something back. Psycho becomes increasingly frustrated at missing out on a pool final, and another hostage is released.

Emily tries to escape from her captors, but may be heading for a fall. Bev and Jacqui try to reassure Diane. Nisha and Gary go up to his flat. Three of the robbers want to surrender, but the others plan to make their escape using two of the girls as body-shields - and casualties and fatalities seem inevitable when a police helicopter crashes into the Parade.

At the hospital, Nikki and Tim anxiously await news of Emily. Debbie realises that Alan may have been moving her car for her when the helicopter crashed. Nisha and Gary take a long time to realise that they have not seen Katie since the crash - and when Bev is also missing, Ron realises just how much he loves her. Then a dead body is discovered.......

Margi flies in from Europe to be at Emily's bedside. Although Tim is convinced that she will recover, others are less optimistic. Sammy is speechless at Katie's news, Ali and Kirsty find it difficult to return home, and the police have devastating news for one of the Close's families.

Margi blames Tim for Emily's condition, and Debbie is puzzled over Alan's whereabouts - but the police have some theories. Ron finds his missing box, and Nikki thinks she has dropped Matt right in it. Jan tells Marty about Anthony's confession, and Katie tells Sammy that Nic is the father of her unborn baby. Or it could be one of four other men she slept with.

Gabby almost walks in on Nisha and Gary. Adele is not pleased that Jan is likely to stay around for a while. Tim shocks Jimmy by revealing how he plans to pay for Emily's treatment. Katie narrows down the possible fathers of her baby to three, and Anthony explains to Marty how Imelda died.

Dan offers to help Debbie deal with the loss adjuster, Christy offers to support Jan if she needs it, and Lance wants to start collecting for a memorial to those who died. Leanne wants to claim compensation for post-traumatic stress, Nisha tries to persuade Katie that she didn't see what she thought she saw, and Marty doubts that Anthony will be able to keep his secret.

Debbie hunts through Alan's belongings in search of a clue as to where he has gone. Gary reluctantly prepares for a fortnight away. Emily is stabilising after an operation, but Ali is vomiting after a night out drinking. Marty goes to check out Anthony's story - but he is seen at the pond, and loses his car keys there.......

Bev is discharged from hospital, and Ron needs to borrow a car to bring her home. Marty burns everything he was wearing at the pond, but finds it difficult to remain calm. Sean wants Luke to have a normal Christmas, even though Alan is still missing and Debbie is refusing to get out of bed. Sammy encourages Katie to get back with Nic.

Ron sets up a new "Trading Post" on the Parade using Ray's caravan, but not everyone is impressed with his entrepreneurship or pricing. Josh doesn't want to leave Bev alone, and Rachel ends up being at their beck and call. Steve and Tim want revenge, Nikki has lunch with Matt, and an arrest is made at a funeral.

Marty is interviewed again, shown the evidence the police have found, and charged with Imelda's murder. Sean refuses to leave Luke with Dan. Ron tries to prevent Leanne and Christy setting themselves up in competition with him, and Tim and Margi are told that Emily is not doing as well as hoped.

When his workmate Kevin turns up with a pitiful collection for Alan, Kirsty throws him out. She assures Steve that she doesn't believe Marty is guilty, but Adele is wondering whether he really could have killed Imelda in order to protect Anthony. Leanne plans to set up a victims support group, and Katie tells Nic she is pregnant - but will he want to stand by her?

Tim tells Max he wants to buy "Trina's Tots"' premises for Emily, whatever it costs. But Nikki is not convinced that her sister will ever get better. Ruth discovers that her father's job is being advertised, Katie tells Jacqui of her plans to be a single mother, and Christy reveals his plan to keep Marty and Anthony out of prison - blame Diane.

Jimmy tries to flush Tim's nest-egg down the toilet, but Tim prevents him, and finds someone who reluctantly agrees to help him out. Ruth and Sean reach agreement on sharing Luke over Christmas, Anthony wants to go and visit Marty in prison, and Ron agrees to close his stall for a day - as long as Max compensates him.

Sean is frustrated when Debbie takes Luke out and doesn't return in time to give him the access Ruth had promised. Nisha is missing Gary - and when his plane home is delayed, she realises that she won't see him for another fortnight. Steve and Jan reluctantly feel that they must tell Marty that Anthony has gone missing.

Anthony is interviewed by the police, and confesses to killing Imelda. Jacqui discovers that Ron has invited Bev to join them for Christmas dinner. Ali and Stuart find one of Alan's secret stashes of cigarettes, Nikki wonders whether to go out with Matt, and there is a pair of brawling Santas on the Parade.

Marty is released, and joins the rest of the family taking Christmas presents to Anthony in the remand centre. At the Gordons', Debbie tries to put on a brave face, but breaks down when Luke wants to telephone his grandfather. Ron invites Brigid to join the family gathering at the Farnhams', and reflects on a year of tragedy and loss. Bev discovers the gifts she has bought from Christy are pornographic.

When Ruth takes Luke round to see Sean, she finds him drowning in his bath. Max opens his electricity bill, and discovers why it is so high. Adele blames Jan for breaking up the family, but can Marty persuade her to stay? Although others would prefer to watch telly, Ron insists on playing "Trivial Pursuit" - and no-one can answer the "Geography" question "Where is Alan Gordon?".

Tim tries to reassure Steve that things may not turn out too badly for Anthony, but Steve is appalled that Tim is planning to sell drugs. Lance turns up to invade Ron's privacy just as Brigid is searching for a toothbrush. Ruth has a go at Dan for going to a Christmas party without her, and Katie calls Nic out on Boxing Day - but not because her toilet is blocked.

Debbie is discovered peeling off the living-room wallpaper at four o'clock in the morning. Ron wants to increase his prices for the health club laundry, but loses the contract entirely when Jacqui admits to Max that she has been paying another firm to re-do it properly. Adele is convinced that Jan is trying to take Diane's place, and Ruth is annoyed when she sees Sean with Kirsty's friend Lizzie.

Mike and Rachel hope they will be babysitting at Jacqui's, but Jacqui brings the children round to theirs. Mike feels that he is failing Rachel, and resolves to do better in 2003. Ruth is reluctant to allow Sean access to Luke because he is seeing an attractive 18-year-old. Nic calls in reinforcements when he is surrounded by women, and Kirsty and Lizzie decide on their New Year's resolutions.