Episode 10229/30 (22nd January 2021)

## Plot

**Part One:** Abi returns to work as she awaits Ray's response to her ultimatum. She doesn't tell Kevin what she's done. Elaine lends Yasmeen a hand at Speed Daal when Alya leaves her gran to hold the fort. Miles Ingham tells Ray he's going to prison either way and advises him to prioritise the development and confess to assaulting Faye as the lesser of two evils. Ray reminds his solicitor that if Nos. 4 and 6 aren't paid for right away the development will fall through anyway. As Kirk again chases him to repay the loan, Chesney demands that Gemma sign up Vanessa to the sales team. Ray arranges to meet Abi at the Rovers to discuss terms. Abi lies to Kevin that she's off to support a friend from the recovery group. Grace tells Michael she's leaving her lodgings and moving in with her aunt in Hull. Michael worries he'll never see his child. Yasmeen shows Elaine the ropes as the trainee serves an impatient Evelyn. Sally asks Kevin to keep Tim occupied so he doesn't go off looking for a fight with Ray. Ray tells Abi he'll turn himself in if she deletes the incriminating video first. Abi doesn't trust him to keep up his end of the bargain and refuses.

**Part Two:** Gemma meets Vanessa to pass on the Double Glammy contract. Upon hearing that Vanessa is using her child maintenance money to buy in, having been assured that she'll double her investment, Gemma changes tact and advises her to steer clear of the enterprise. Michael tells James he plans to ask Grace to move into No.3. James thinks it's a recipe for disaster. Gemma tells Sean that she didn't sign Vanessa and wants out of Doubly Glammy herself as it's a con. Elaine is interested in working at Speed Daal permanently and is given a week's trial. Alya is unimpressed when Tinkerbell, a Pomeranian Elaine is fostering, escapes from the office and urinates on the floor. Ray caves in when Abi says he's left her with no choice but to post the video to the internet. He agrees to hand himself in and trust her to delete the video afterwards but as they make their way to the police station Abi suddenly faints. Sean calls Rhydian Chivers, the next link in the chain at Doubly Glammy, and reports that Gemma has quit without paying him commission. Rhydian reminds Sean that he's contractually bound to pay in full every month and threatens to sue him. Having spiked Abi's drink with Benzos, a victorious Ray picks up her phone and deletes the video.

**Part Three:** Evelyn doesn't think much of Tinkerbell, comparing him unfavourably to Cerberus, and makes remarks about Elaine wanting a toy dog to fit in her handbag. Having received a copy of the bribery video from Abi, Debbie bursts into the bistro and finds Ray leaning over Abi's body. Ray is horrified to discover that Abi shared the video with her entire contacts list before she collapsed. He tells Debbie what he's done and demands she help him find a way out of it. Sean lets know Gemma know that if she doesn't pay up they'll both be sued. Grace is equally unconvinced by Michael's idea of them living together but agrees to brooch the idea to his parents. Debbie refuses to have Abi's death on her conscience and goes to call an ambulance. Ray chases her through to the kitchen and threatens to kill her if she does.

**Part Four:** Watching the video on his own phone, Kevin assumes it's live footage and races to the Chariot Square Hotel to make sure Abi's okay. As he sets off, he and Sally see an ambulance pulling up outside the bistro. Gemma explains her plight to Chesney. As Abi is rushed to hospital, Kevin and Sally find out that Abi was alone and a mystery person called 999. They assume it was Ray. Aggie is annoyed to come off a 12-hour shift at the hospital to find Grace in her house. She gives her the cold shoulder and Michael is forced to rethink his plans. Evelyn regrets her nastiness when Elaine tells her that Tinkerbell's previous owner left her for dead. Chesney uses the rent money to pay off Kirk and Sean. He shames Sean taking money out of his kids' pockets. Abi comes to as Debbie shows, pretending to have just heard what happened. Debbie claims to know nothing about the bribe.

## Cast

### Regular cast

* Kevin Webster - Michael Le Vell
* Abi Franklin - Sally Carman
* Roy Cropper - David Neilson
* Sean Tully - Antony Cotton
* Gemma Winter - Dolly-Rose Campbell
* Yasmeen Metcalfe - Shelley King
* Elaine Jones - Paula Wilcox
* Ray Crosby - Mark Frost
* Kirk Sutherland - Andrew Whyment
* Chesney Brown - Sam Aston
* Michael Bailey - Ryan Russell
* Grace Vickers - Kate Spencer
* Evelyn Plummer - Maureen Lipman
* Sally Metcalfe - Sally Dynevor
* James Bailey - Nathan Graham *(10229 only)*
* Emma Brooker - Alexandra Mardell
* Alya Nazir - Sair Khan *(10229 only)*
* Debbie Webster - Sue Devaney *(10230 only)*
* Seb Franklin - Harry Visinoni *(10230 only)*
* Aggie Bailey - Lorna Laidlaw *(10230 only)*

### Guest cast

* Miles Ingham - Peter F. Gardiner *(10229 only)*
* Vanessa Finney - Rachael Elizabeth *(10229 only)*
* Rhydian Chivers - Haydn Holden *(10229 only)*
* Paramedic - Monica Sagar *(10230 only)*

## Notes

* This was a one-hour episode made up of two production codes and was transmitted at 7.30pm. Both parts were written by Ellen Taylor.
* Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this episode was made with social distancing rules being observed by both cast and production crew, even when they were playing family members or people who shared residences.
* Kate Waters was credited as the fight arranger on 10229 for Abi Franklin's collapse in the ginnel, with Neil Finnighan credited as the stunt co-ordinator on 10230 for Debbie Webster's attempted flight from the Viaduct Bistro.
* *TV Times* synopsis: Abi collapses during a confrontation with Ray; Gemma turns her back on Sean's selling scheme; and Yasmeen offers Elaine a trial at Speed Daal.
* Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast: 6,806,947 viewers (9th place).