Episode 2671 (24th March 2000)

==Plot==
Zoe and Frankie are discussing Pete's funeral. Zoe tells Frankie that it may not be appropriate for her to attend the funeral as they don't know yet whether Pete was responsible for the crash. Frankie isn't happy about this and asks her if she would feel the same if it had been her at the wheel. Later, at Tate Haulage, Laura tells the other directors the results of the post-mortem. It confirms that Pete had not been drinking or taking drugs before the accident and that he was healthy - he died as a result of the crash. Sean goes off to tell the other drivers the news while Chris is more concerned about the company getting landed with the blame now Pete is in the clear. Laura tells them that one of them can now attend the funeral. When Zoe gets back to Home Farm she tells Frankie the results of the post-mortem, but Frankie says she knew all along that Pete wouldn't have been drunk or on drugs while he was driving. She comments that they must be gutted that they haven't got Pete as a scapegoat anymore. She is disgusted about the way the Tates have treated Pete and tells Zoe that Pete was her mate and she'd have trusted him over Zoe any day. Zoe asks what time Pete's funeral is, but Frankie tells her she won't be wanted there and storms out. It's Sarah's birthday and Jack and the kids have all come to visit her in hospital. Jack gives Sarah a present from Richie and Sarah puts it to one side to open later. She tells Jack that she's missing home. The doctor tells Butch that he has a tear in his liver. At the moment, he is fairly stable, and they are hoping the tear will heal. Butch wants an honest answer on what his chances are and asks her, hypothetically, if he had booked a holiday for the summer, would she advise him to get his money back? She tells him that she would, and Butch's brave facade disappears, and he admits that he's frightened. The doctor tells him that they're doing everything they can for him. Emily arrives, and the doctor breaks the news to her before leaving the couple to contemplate the news together. Emily asks if she must be a bad person for this to be happening but Butch reassures her that she's the best person that ever lived and Emily asks him to 'make me yours... forever' by marrying her. Marlon walks in. He's just been told the news and is trying to put on a brave face and not cry. He says he'll let Zak and Nellie know what's happening. Butch asks him to tell Lisa too and then asks him if he'll be his best man. Marlon says he will, and Emily tells him he'd better get his skates on as they're getting married today. Marlon arrives at the Dingles' with Lisa, Paddy and Mandy. Nellie tells Lisa to get out, but Lisa tells her to listen to her for a minute. She breaks the news that Butch is dying but Nellie doesn't want to hear it. She is upset that they all knew before her. Marlon doesn't see why it matters but Lisa understands and hugs her. Nellie asks Zak to make the pain stop but, of course, there's nothing he can do. Zak is told about Butch and Emily's plan to get married and that Butch has asked him to get Ashley. Nellie and Butch have a heart-to-heart at Butch's bedside while Emily is getting ready for the wedding. Nellie tells him he has to fight but Butch says that sometimes you just have to accept things. He regrets the fact that now he'll never have kids and Nellie tells him that he would have made a great dad. Emily is sitting in the waiting room with Marlon, Lisa, Zak and Belle. They are accompanied by Kathy and Seth (both still in-patients themselves) and Betty. Kathy asks if they're intruding but Emily tells her that it's a happy day as it's their wedding day. She hasn't got anything to wear for the service so Kathy, Marlon and Lisa spring into action to get things sorted before the ceremony. Lisa hands Belle over to Zak and tells him that she still loves him. Before the ceremony, Butch asks to speak to his dad alone. He asks Zak to look after Emily for him. He says he knows that Emily irritates Zak sometimes but, whenever this happens, he should think of Butch before he opens his mouth and not say anything to upset her. Zak tells him that the doctors are 'talking rubbish' but, if it makes Butch feel better, he'll make that promise. Kathy has lent Emily the most recent wedding dress from her collection. Nellie is blunt and tells her that she looks a 'right fright' in it. Luckily, Lisa saves the day and produces an outfit that Butch bought Emily. At Butch's bedside, Ashley conducts Butch and Emily's wedding ceremony. Emily says that she gives Butch 'my heart today and, for as long as it's beating, he'll be with me and when it stops I'll be happy cos I know he'll be waiting for me and we'll be together again... forever'. After Ashley has pronounced them man and wife, the congregation each give Butch their congratulations and leave. As Lisa leaves, Butch tells her that Zak loves her. Zak gives Emily a comforting hug and Ashley tells Butch he'll put in a good word with the man upstairs. Finally, Butch and Emily are alone. Butch confesses that he doesn't feel too well. Emily asks him if he wants her to get someone, but he says he just wants her to lie beside him. Outside in the waiting room, their friends and family reminisce about Butch and drink a toast to him. As Emily lies with her head on Butch's chest, she realises that he's gone. She remarks that he looks ever so peaceful, kisses him and reminds him that he promised to wait for her. The others are laughing at some of Butch's past antics when Emily comes out but, when they see her face, they stop. When Emily breaks the news, Nellie becomes hysterical saying that she wants to see her son but Zak holds her back. Ashley sits with Emily as she starts to cry.
==Cast==
===Regular cast===
*Butch Dingle - Paul Loughran
*Emily Dingle - Kate McGregor
*Frankie Smith - Madeleine Bowyer
*Zoe Tate - Leah Bracknell
*Marlon Dingle - Mark Charnock
*Zak Dingle - Steve Halliwell
*Mandy Dingle - Lisa Riley
*Lisa Dingle - Jane Cox
*Paddy Kirk - Dominic Brunt
*Laura Johnstone - Louise Beattie
*Christopher Tate - Peter Amory
*Sean Reynolds - Stephen McGann
*Kathy Glover - Malandra Burrows
*Betty Eagleton - Paula Tilbrook
*Seth Armstrong - Stan Richards
*Victoria Sugden - Hannah Midgley
*Sarah Sugden - Alyson Spiro
*Jack Sugden - Clive Hornby
*Robert Sugden - Christopher Smith
*Andy Sugden - Kelvin Fletcher
*Rev Ashley Thomas - John Middleton
*Belle Dingle - Emily Mather (uncredited)
===Guest cast===
*Dr White - Barbara Dryhurst
*Nellie Dingle - Maggie Tagney
==Locations==
*Hotten General Hospital - Intensive Care Unit, waiting area and ward
*Home Farm - Kitchen
*Wishing Well Cottage - Living room/kitchen
*Tate Haulage - Haulage yard and office
==Notes==
*Final appearance of Paul Loughran as Butch Dingle.
*ITVX synopsis: Butch's Death - The doctors have some bad news for Butch.
*This episode is incorrectly labelled on the ITVX website as 'Episode 2672'.
*Viewing Figures: UK broadcast - 12,340,000 viewers (11th place - combined figure including repeat).
Category:2000 episodes
Category:Emmerdale episodes
Category:Episodes outside of broadcast patterns