Welcome. The episode commenced with a very hungover Leanne waking up to find Ryan sharing her bed and it seems she has little recall of recent events. He would like a nice big fry up - but Leanne suddenly realises that she should be in court this morning and is already late. Her day gets worse when Debbie drives through a carefully located puddle soaking Leanne as retribution for her flirting with Ronnie - so she will appear quite woebegone in court. Added to which even though she knows the boss of StreetCars he cannot provide a cab to get her to court. Toyah offers to drive and despite herself Leanne is forced to accept. Things improve slightly in court as Leanne is awarded community service and we look forward to her getting a role in the next series of "The Outlaws". After toasting Nick and Toyah's passports and nearly causing a fire, just about everyone on the Street queues up to tell Leanne how self destructive she is being, how she cannot keep raiding the Bistro profits and that she needs to change. She takes a decision to sell her share of the Bistro to Nick today and later we see documents being signed and she surrenders her keys to the flat. It is unclear if she is paid any money but perhaps she would like to buy a share of the Rovers? She and Ryan acknowledge it was a one off, especially after Tracy reminds Leanne she has been there (in 2012 for those with short memories and of course he was then wearing a different head).
The Platt household is far from happy - Lily is attempting the stroppy teenager routine even though she is only 11 and is apparently unaware of "stranger danger" as that only applies to little children. David tells her she needs to be more "street smart" - but gets nowhere. We later learn that "David the dog" (Dthed) needs to be more street smart as he has reportedly been hit by a car and is at the vet's for a scan. Dthed apparently managed to escape from the garden - no-one knows how - and it may have been a simple accident until later on David receives a text message from an unknown number but assumed to be Harvey that he (David the human) will be next. [Following the response to the attack on Piper on Emmerdale it was notable that the incident was entirely off screen - apparently soap viewers are quite happy with humans getting murdered and the like but harm a single hair of a pooch on screen and the complaints go through the roof. For those who are worried Piper is safe and well]. Of course David the human is worried about the vet bills and starts taking additional steps to secure the house and ensuring all is safe for his family. Dthed has to have an operation and will be on pain killers and will be home tomorrow to Lily's relief.
Bethany is back at Sarah's. She has arranged to collect her stuff from Daniel's flat. Bethany says that Audrey is right - the female family members have a screw loose over men. Bethany has also decided that she is going to London and taking the job. Over at Number 1 Ken is telling Daniel how disappointed he is and also worrying that Cassie has not arrived. Daniel reports on the secret that Bertie is keeping and that Cassie is untrustworthy. Given there have been multiple warnings Ken takes it seriously and later confronts Cassie. Butter wouldn't melt with that one as she spins the most confected lie heard in years. Ken swallows it and offers to pay for private consultations for her to help her addiction.
In hospital Lauren is a free woman and Frankie is responding well to the antibiotics and should soon be allowed home - finally they can start their new life. Except that Joel's mother Anthea drops in. She has not come to create trouble but to apologise for Gus, to say that they are dropping the custody case and that she feels guilty for what they did. She says goodbye to Frankie and tells him to be good for his mum. Max later says he would like Lauren and Frankie to be a real family together and get their own place and after some discussion they tell each other that they love each other.
Jenny and Daisy have a long chat with the former pointing out that Daisy only has herself to blame for being this week's topic of conversation over her activities. As Bethany moves out Daisy comes by and Sarah has a few words to say. However Daisy recalls that Sarah was in a similar situation between Adam and Damon not so long ago in the Bistro in 2023. Honours just about even. Later Bethany sits down with Daisy in the Rovers back room for a talk. Bethany apologises for Sarah and admits Daisy being around continually drove her mad. Daisy confirms Daniel's story that it was a mistaken one-off, but that she (Daisy) will always love Daniel and she apologises for upsetting Bethany in public, but Bethany was always chosen over her by Daniel as he loves her. Bethany makes one observation - she does not reckon that either Daniel or Kit is fit or ready to be a parent to Daisy's baby and perhaps Daisy should consider being a single mother like Sarah. Daisy later receives the DNA results but decides to delete the email unread, she has decided that neither individual is good enough to be the father to her baby.
Contrary to my earlier impressions whilst Tracy is back so is Tommy O and they are getting a swanky posh apartment in Cheshire - so presumably the coaching job in Spain has come to an end.
And on a slightly sad note this episode would typically have been filmed about 6 weeks ago - around the same time that Carol Royle's husband died in a freak accident. It must be a huge loss for her and our sympathies go to her at this somewhat late stage. I hope her appearance tonight was recorded before that event.
Written by Julie Jones and Mark Wadlow. Directed by Emma Lindley.
Kosmo
