Episode 2199 (1st May 1997)

==Plot==
Eric wakes up tied to the fence surrounding the pig-pen and demands that Butch, who had come out to feed the pigs, untie him. Realising the time, he flees and doesn’t hear Butch offer him a lift back to the village. Rachel calls in on Dee to apologise about the way they had behaved at her hen night and Dee seems to accept the apology before Eric bursts in. She is shocked at how dishevelled he is but not as shocked as he is when a look in the mirror reveals that half his moustache is gone. Rachel tells him he would have to shave off the rest, when he prevents her from cutting it. Sarah and Jack are delighted to hear from their solicitor that contracts for the farm would be exchanged on Tuesday. However, their euphoria is short lived as later, all three have a meeting with the headmistress of the school and Miss Cullen. Andy apologises but the two teachers are unconvinced. The headmistress tells Andy he must learn how to behave before suspending him for three weeks. Jack says he had been expecting it but Sarah makes clear it was too harsh both in and out of the meeting. She is concerned Andy would miss out socially, but Miss Cullen is adamant that Andy would have to learn his lesson and questions their motives for fostering him. Biff meets his mother in a café to discuss his father's illness. She tells him that she had recently seen a woman with whom Biff's father had been involved, before the illness became extremely bad, who had told her that Biff's father had been admitted to a nursing home. Sandra suggests that Biff go and visit him, as she had, but Biff is outraged asking her why he should go and see him when he had never met him before. Sandra gives him the address of the home in Skipdale and leaves, telling Biff that if he wants to be having the same conversation in twenty years’ time with his own children it is his prerogative. Later, Biff tells Kathy about this revelation and she offers him a lift to go and see his father, but Biff is still uncertain as to what he should do. Terry tells Alan that he has got a new job at a theme pub in Leeds, but Alan tells him he already knows as he had been asked to provide a reference for him. Betty asks Viv to put a card up in the window of the Post Office advertising for a new lodger, as with Paddy gone and Terry going, she would need the money. Viv is shocked that Terry is leaving and demands to know why Vic hadn't told her. He says that if he had she would have only accused him of gloating, but he finds Viv's nonchalance over Terry's departure unconvincing. Vic is angry to find Donna on the phone to Kelly and grabs it from her, but Kelly hangs up. He rings back and realises that Kelly must still be in Stockport, but directory enquiries would not give him the address. As Vic shouts after Donna to find out where Kelly is the next time she rings, Viv tells him that she isn't surprised Kelly would not want to speak to him. Donna is upset and later reminisces with Alan on the steps of the Woolpack about happier times when Kelly had been around. The Dingles decorate their bus with balloons and banners and set off for the registry office, but without Zak, who had declared that he had to go and get Eric and Dee's wedding present. At the registry office, the congregation assemble but Eric becomes increasingly agitated as the time approaches and Zak has still not arrived with the wedding rings. The group head in and Eric continues to wait and when Zak finally does turn up, the wedding surprise turned out to be Sam, who takes over the role of best man. The wedding goes ahead, despite Sam taking some of the wedding vows quite literally, in that he tries to put the ring on Dee's finger and later kisses her. At the reception in the tea rooms, Eric apologises to Sam for the business with the plate and tells him that he appreciates the risk he had taken to come here and that if there was anything he could do he would do it. Sam asks him to introduce him to Dee. Eric obliges, and Sam asks Dee if she has a sister, much to Kathy and Dee's amusement. Zak asks Sam if Nellie had sent him a message and seems disappointment when Sam told him that she hadn't mentioned him at all. Sam confides in Zak that he would like to come home but a shopkeeper in Ireland relies on him as a delivery boy and Nellie needs him. Zak asks if Sam is happy, to which he replied he is, and Zak says that’s good enough for him, but upsets Butch when he refers to Sam as his favourite son. Eric thanks Alan for coming to the wedding, and Alan tells him to take good care of Dee. Eric presents Dee with an old-fashioned car which would take them on their tour of Britain honeymoon but the arrival of two police cars make Dee worry that it’s the immigration authorities again, but Eric instinctively knows they are after Sam. However, the guests inside hear the sirens and the Dingles hide Sam under a table. The police search the tea rooms including beneath the table, but Sam had gone. They apologise for their intrusion and promptly leaves after Eric threatens to complain to their superiors. Everyone assembles outside the tearooms to see the happy couple drive away and it is Mandy who catches the bouquet after shoving Linda out of the way. Dee and Eric wav everybody off and toldtellsthe driver to go, but when he turns round it’s Sam, who tells Eric apologetically that he can't drive.
==Cast==
===Regular cast===
*Eric Pollard - Christopher Chittell
*Butch Dingle - Paul Loughran
*Rachel Hughes - Glenda McKay
*Dee de la Cruz - Claudia Malkovich
*Jack Sugden - Clive Hornby
*Andy Hopwood - Kelvin Fletcher
*Sarah Sugden - Alyson Spiro
*Victoria Sugden - Hannah Midgley (uncredited)
*Lisa Clegg - Jane Cox
*Mandy Dingle - Lisa Riley
*Zak Dingle - Steve Halliwell
*Roy Glover - Nicky Evans
*Biff Fowler - Stuart Wade
*Zoe Tate - Leah Bracknell
*Steve Marchant - Paul Opacic
*Marlon Dingle - Mark Charnock
*Alan Turner - Richard Thorp
*Viv Windsor - Deena Payne
*Betty Eagleton - Paula Tilbrook
*Vic Windsor - Alun Lewis
*Kathy Glover - Malandra Burrows
*Sam Dingle - James Hooton
*Donna Windsor - Sophie Jeffrey
===Guest cast===
*Sandra Fowler - Kate Layden
*Superintendent Registrar - Mark Lindley
*Head - Taya McNeil
*Miss Cullen - Heather Peace
*P.C. Wilson - Steve Huison
==Locations==
*Wishing Well Cottage - Yard
*Victoria Cottage - Living room
*Tenant House - Living room/kitchen
*The Woolpack - Public bar and beer garden
*Windsor's Village Store & Post Office - Shop floor
*Hotten Registry Office - Exterior and marriage room
*Café
*Hotten County Primary School - Mrs Pritchard's office and corridor
*The Old School Tea Rooms/Pollard's - Main area
*Church Lane
==Notes==
*First appearance of Sam Dingle since 3rd October 1996 and last until 30th October 1997. 
Category:1997 episodes
Category:Emmerdale episodes