Episode 9881/9882 (4th January 2024)

==Plot==
Part One:
Bob struggles to hold it together when he finds a parcel addressed to Heath in the post. He opens it and finds it contains guitar strings. At Home Farm, Gabby confides in Dawn that she thinks Jacob fancies her. Dawn believes Gabby could do a lot worse but Gabby doesn't see Jacob as anything more than a friend. Dawn advises her to let him down gently then. Wendy suggests to Bob that Cathy is telling the truth about Angelica driving but Bob thinks she's lying to save her own skin. Charity gets a shock when she sees an article in the Hotten Courier about Harry's death with the headline "My son was no gangster, says distraught mum." Marlon is apprehensive about Rhona reducing her hours and subsequently reducing their income. Rhona reminds Marlon they have the money from her selling her share of Butlers Farm and talks up the benefits of her working less for their family. Brenda calls in past the B&B to speak to Bob about the funeral but Bob isn't ready to discuss it yet. Afterward, Brenda reminds Bob that Cathy is still their little girl no matter what she's done and she's in bits because she's lost her brother. Bob insists she should've thought of that before she took the car. Nicola busies Angelica with jobs in the café. Leyla checks in on Liam as the crash was bound to bring back memories of losing Leanna. Liam states whatever he's feeling is nothing in comparison to what Bob is going through. Nicola informs Angelica that some of the kids are going to lay flowers at the crash site. Angelica explains she and Arthur are going together so Nicola instructs her to behave with decorum and say nothing if Bob or Cathy are there. Brenda needs Bob to believe Cathy is telling the truth. Bob wants to believe her but her but he can't. He explains Heath received guitar strings in the post this morning and it reminded him of the twins' 16th birthday when Cathy smashed up Heath's guitar. He wants to be there for Cathy, but it's taking everything he has not to hate her.
Part Two:
Liam offers Wendy his condolences and asks after Bob and Cathy. Wendy explains Bob believes Angelica's version of events over Cathy's, and as a result, Bob and Cathy are completely fractured at a time when they should be there for each other. At the Hide, Gabby does her best to let Jacob down gently but he doesn't give her the opportunity as he's too busy worrying about Eric. Charity stares at the article about Harry. When Mack suggests reading it isn't helpful, Charity throws the newspaper in the bin. Billy and Marlon meet up in the café for a coffee with Evan and Ivy. Gabby makes it clear to Jacob that she only sees him as a friend but she's left feeling embarrassed when Jacob reveals it wasn't her he was talking about. A few moments later, Victoria arrives at the Hide and Gabby is shocked to realise Victoria is Jacob's secret woman. Rodney urges Marlon and Billy to make the most the babies being little as they grow up so fast and he regrets not being more involved with his children when they were little. Rhona arrives in the cafe and finds Marlon staring adoringly at Ivy. As Arthur and Angelica are leaving flowers at the crash site, Cathy and April arrive with flowers of their own. Bob watches the awkward interaction from further along the road.
Part Three:
Victoria fills Jacob in on her Christmas in Portugal with Diane, Bernice, Paul. Gabby is surprised by the pairing but tells the couple she's happy for them. As Bob looks at the flowers and card Cathy left at the crash site, Liam appears. Rhona informs Marlon she's going to work twice a week. As they're talking, Ivy begins to cry and Marlon rushes to sooth her. At Keepers Cottage, a loved-up Victoria and Jacob plan how they're going to break the news of their relationship to Eric and Leyla. Bob is upset that Heath is being remembered by flowers at a crash site. Liam understand how he feels but explains people need it as a way of expressing their grief. Liam also makes Bob see that his actions towards Cathy now will affect the rest of their lives. He reminds him that Cathy's going through hell too and nobody deserves to go through that alone no matter what they've done. Sam is missing Lydia and wishes she'd come home. Jacob and Victoria sit Eric and Leyla down in the pub where they break the news of their relationship. Eric and Leyla are dumbfounded. Sam fusses over Samson as Heath's death has put everything in perspective. He tells his son he couldn't bear it if he died and orders him not to take stupid risks. Samson insists he's not planning to and the father and son hug. At that moment, Lydia returns home. A delighted Sam goes to hug his wife but decides shaking her hand is more appropriate. Leyla and Eric are appalled to learn about Jacob and Victoria's relationship but Jacob and Victoria insist they love each other and their relationship is serious. When Leyla comments David is going to go mad when he finds out, Victoria reveals he already knows. Eric queries if this is the reason David left. Jacob admits it partly is, much to Leyla's disgust.
Part Four:
Outside The Woolpack, Eric tells Brenda about Jacob and Victoria's relationship. As they are talking, Eric has a tremor. Brenda urges Eric not to be too hard on Jacob and suggests recent events have shown them life is too short to fall out with people you love. Bob decides he needs to see Cathy. Eric knocks at Keepers Cottage and encourages Jacob to phone David and make things right somehow. Jacob states he's tried but David won't answer his calls. Eric orders him to try harder. Lydia explains to Sam that when she heard about Heath, she couldn't bear to be away from her family any longer. Sam is glad to have her home. David has answered Jacob's call but won't talk to him so Jacob passes the phone to Eric. Eric passes David's message to Jacob and Victoria, telling them that he hates them both for what they done. When Eric reveals Victoria is in the room, David hangs up. Eric tells Victoria and Jacob that he hopes all this upset is worth it. Charity retrieves the newspaper from the bin. Cathy runs into Angelica at the Hide and confronts her, questioning when she's going to start telling the truth. She gets in Angelica's face and demands Angelica tells people she was the one who was driving and she was the one who murdered Heath. At that moment, Bob walks in. Jacob tells Leyla she's going to need to accept his and Victoria's relationship. Leyla refuses so Jacob says they're going to have a falling out then. Bob is disgusted by Cathy's bullying behaviour and believes she was trying to force Angelica into lying for her. Cathy insists that's not what was happening but her protests fall on deaf ears. Bob tells Cathy that this time, she cannot manipulate her way out of trouble although Cathy is adamant she's not trying to. Bob declares Cathy is dumping on all his memories of Heath as every single one is associated with her. Cathy realises Bob wishes it was her who was dead instead of Heath. Bob doesn't deny it.
==Cast==
===Regular cast===
*Bob Hope - Tony Audenshaw
*Wendy Posner - Susan Cookson
*Billy Fletcher - Jay Kontzle
*Dawn Fletcher - Olivia Bromley (9881 only)
*Gabby Thomas - Rosie Bentham
*Charity Dingle - Emma Atkins
*Mackenzie Boyd - Lawrence Robb (9881 only)
*Sarah Sugden - Katie Hill (9881 only)
*Marlon Dingle - Mark Charnock
*Rhona Goskirk - Zoe Henry
*Brenda Walker - Lesley Dunlop
*Evan Fletcher - Malachi McKenzie (9881 only)
*Sam Dingle - James Hooton
*Angelica King - Rebecca Bakes
*Leyla Harding - Roxy Shahidi
*Liam Cavanagh - Jonny McPherson
*Nicola King - Nicola Wheeler
*Eric Pollard - Christopher Chittell
*Jacob Gallagher - Joe-Warren Plant
*Rodney Blackstock - Patrick Mower
*Victoria Sugden - Isabel Hodgins
*Ivy Malcolms - Lois Boote
*Arthur Thomas - Alfie Clarke (9881 only)
*April Windsor - Amelia Flanagan
*Cathy Hope - Gabrielle Dowling
*Will Taylor - Dean Andrews (9882 only; uncredited)
*Gail Loman - Rachael Gill-Davis (9882 only)
*Samson Dingle - Sam Hall (9882 only)
*Lydia Dingle - Karen Blick (9882 only)
===Guest cast===
None.
==Locations==
*The Grange - Residents living room
*Home Farm - Kitchen
*Jacobs Fold - Living room/kitchen
*Smithy Cottage - Living room
*Café Main Street - Interior
*Hawksford Outdoor Pursuits - Hide Bar & Bistro and entrance
*Weatherton Road
*Keepers Cottage - Front hall and living room
*Wishing Well Cottage - Yard and living room/kitchen
*The Woolpack - Bar and forecourt
*Main Street
*David's Shop - Shop floor
==Notes==
*This hour-long episode was shown at the regular time of 7:30pm.
*Viewing Figures: UK broadcast - 4,206,000 viewers (28th place).
Category:Emmerdale episodes
Category:2024 episodes
Category:Extended episodes