Corrie Review - Sunday 25 December 2011

Writer: Jayne Hollinson
Director: John Anderson

It's Christmas morning on the cobbles and the residents are waking up to a snow covered street (very festive!). Steve takes Amy downstairs at number 1 to find that Santa has been watched by Tracy, who has finally got her family Christmas. Meanwhile in the Streetcars flat Becky awakes, all alone. At number 5 Chesney and Katy are back home with baby Joseph. Chesney says it's the best Christmas ever. Ken has bought Amy on old fashioned present to show that there's 'more to life than an XBox'. Steve announces he has to pop out to do a shift at Streetcars. Tracy worries that Steve is already going off her, now that she has lost the twins. However Steve has other ideas and goes to the Rovers to inform Stella that he is selling the Rovers and he gives her first refusal leaving her throughtful to where they're going to get the money from.

At the Platts it's not only Christmas but David's 21st birthday and he's got a new laptop. Kylie has decided to cook Christmas dinner and it's not going to plan and Gail offers to help, but Kylie declines. She remembers she hasn't got the sage for the stuffing and rushes off to the corner shop to buy some where she bumps into Becky. She invites Becky around saying that Max would love to see her. Becky agrees but says she won't stay for long. Sophie arrives and slates Amber for agreeing to be the bridesmaid.

At Carla's flat and with Michelle in the shower, she opens up Peter's Christmas present and is overwhelmed to see the necklace. Michelle walks in and Carla announces that she bought it for herself. Meanwhile in the bookies flat Peter receives a text from Carla tahking him. With Stella there, Leanne opens her present from Peter and is delighted to find he has bought her the mobile phone she was after. Stella on the other hand looks concerned, knowing that he had bought a necklace. Why didn't she open that?

Becky is enjoying being at the Platts with Max but as she says that with Christmas being for families she will leave after her can, Kylie reminds her that she is family and Nick says that he believes her over Tracy. David agrees and so does Kylie. Gail says how devious Tracy is and tells Becky she's welcome to stay as long as she likes. David asks Kylie about the turkey and panicking Kylie runs off to the kitchen to put it in.

Next door Owen is assembling the crib he has bought for baby Joseph and Faye says it's all thanks to her that Katy gave birth the previous night, due to the fact that she pulled out of the nativity and it was that which brought on Katy's labour. Anna praises Gary for getting Chesney there on time on the bikes. Gary says he's taken the bikes back to where they were taken from and that he hopes the owners have got them back. Izzy arrives and Gary is not impressed to see that she has brought along Will.

Paul has phoned Eileen to say that due to the fact Lesley's had a fall they can't make Christmas dinner. Declining to go to Sally's with Jason and Rosie, she sits at home with the frozen turkey and draws a face with a black marker pen on it's bum.

Over the road Becky has decided not to stay for Christmas dinner, lying that she is going to Roy and Hayleys. She gives Max a farewell kiss and says she loves him but is a bit upset to see that he goes running off back to Gail straight after. Meanwhile at number 1 Peter, Simon and Leanne have arrived. Amy shows Simon what Ken bought her for Christmas and Simon says he got him the book Huckleberry Finn. Peter gives Tracy a supportive hug. Steve arrives back saying he had stuff to sort out and that he has bought Tracy an additional present and it's outside. Despite Deirdre being about to serve dinner, they all trot outside to see what it is and Becky leaves the corner shop. She hides the other side of the wall as Steve takes Tracy up to Lloyd's house and annouces that he's been on the phone to Lloyd and he's bought it and that he's going to sell the Rovers to pay for it. Steve says that they need a place of their own once their married and that he hasn't got a ring because everywhere is shut. Tracy's speechless and Steve goes down onto one knee and proposes to her. Close to tears she joyfully accepts. Overhearing everything and watching via the reflection in the Kabin's window Becky is devastated and rushes around the corner and swigs out of the bottle of vodka, close to tears.

Back at number 1 everyone finishes their dinner and as Steve and Tracy embrace Deirdre looks at her with a look of disapproval. Peter announces that with everyone drinking he is going to go for a walk to get away from it but he plans to go to the factory to see Carla where they passionately embrace after she thanks him again for her present. Becky on the other hand is getting drunk from the vodka and storms around to number 1 and thumps on the door. Deirdre answers and realises Becky has been drinking. Steve says that he'll handle her and Becky pleads with him not to marry Tracy and that he's making a major mistake. When Tracy arrives Becky screams that Steve doesn't love her but Steve rebukes her saying that he does and that he plans to spend the rest of his life with her as she's everything that she's not. Becky responds that she's a liar and a murderer and Steve says she's just described herself and that he'd like a peaceful Christmas with his family and shuts the door. Becky is devastated and hurries back to the flat. She sits in hte dark looking at the wedding day photos of her and Steve. She sets fire to one and throws it into a bin. Scooping the rest up she throws them all into the burning bin and goes to the sofa to watch them burn but falls asleep.

In the pub Gary watches as Will chats to Izzy. Will tells Izzy he'd like to take their friendship onto the next level but Izzy declines saying she wants to just remain friends. He leaves and Gary goes to Izzy. She announces thast she wants to get back together with him and the two happily kiss, watched over by the pub and a shocked Owen.

Over the road in the cafe Rita, Dennis, Norris, Mary and Emily have joined Roy and Hayley for Christmas dinner. Roy is bringing everyone the Christmas pudding when Sylvia arrives back from her cruise. She's full of tales and entertains everyone with her rendition of the yukelele.

Nick calls around at the cafe with Becky's mobile phone, having found it at the Platts. Hayley says she hasn't seen Becky all day and Nick spots an ominous glow at the window of flat and panicking he dashes to kick down the door and get up to Becky, where the flames are beginning to take hold. Downstairs Hayley is full of worry for Becky but Sylvia assures her that she is probably in the pub but Hayley's hope is rapidly dashed as Nick exits the burning falt carrying Becky in his arms. Having heard about the fire Kylie rushes over to the side of her sister with David. Steve, Tracy and Deirdre also arrive and Steve's shocked to see what's happened. Kylie has to be held back from flying at Tracy, blaming her for what's happened. In the hospital as she recovers Becky tells Kylie to get home to Max. Later she has another visitor, Deirdre. Denying that Tracy sent her, Deirdre is close to telling Becky the truth that she knows that Tracy miscarried the night before and that she fainted down the stairs but holds back. Instead she pleads with Becky to leave town. Becky refuses and states that she's staying around to clear her name, leaving Deirdre worried.

Highlights

The opening shots of the programme. Brilliantly shot and the contrast between Steve's family Christmas and Becky's lonely one are abundantly obvious.

Lowlights

Tracy's lie. It will only come back to haunt her. If she'd admitted the truth to Steve at the beginning I don't think he'd have left her.

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