Episode 10271/2 (12th March 2021)

## Plot

**Part One:** Simon is horrified when Jacob reveals how he rips off Harvey, the big boss, by stealing a few drugs and selling them separately. Bunging him some money to keep quiet, Jacob heads out. Asha is deeply in love with Nina and pushes the reluctant girl into meeting with her in the evening. Kelly is upset with her foster home. Jacob tries to chat her up and offer her drugs. He's suddenly scared when an expensive car pulls up. He gets into it and is driven off. Asha hears that Shannon's hotel in Manchester has a special offer on. Carla tells Steve and Tracy that Peter is being discharged and warns them not to cause him any stress. Asha asks Dev for money for the hotel so she can surprise Nina with a night together, but he refuses. Abi isn't pleased to be reliant on Debbie for the wedding venue. Presuming it's Nina who is rushing things, Dev confronts her, letting slip about Asha's plans. Ronnie gets himself a local job. Aggie is away as her aunt in Birmingham has long Covid. Nina tells a hurt Asha she doesn't want to go to the hotel.

**Part Two:** Nina explains to Asha that she's not ready for a closer relationship and suggests they should revert back to being just mates. Asha hides her deep disappointment and encountering Kelly and Summer, agrees to spend some time with them, wanting to get wasted. The girls are shocked when she suggests they buy some drugs. Abi finds an alternative venue in Manchester that she likes and insists that Kevin tell Debbie they're turning down her hotel. Ronnie checks into the Rovers. Kelly obtains two Ecstasy pills from Simon. Peter is back home. He refuses to forgive Steve and the two argue again. A fed-up Tracy leaves them to it, but Amy warns her that Ken has said they'll have to move out if they can't stop rowing. The girls go back to Summer's flat. She refuses to take any drugs and she and Asha nip out for drinks. Harvey approaches a terrified Simon and reveals he knows Jacob's ripping him off and he's put him in hospital. He asks him what he knew about Jacob's deception. Asha and Summer return to the flat and find Kelly unconscious, having taken one of the pills.

**Part Three:** Simon convinces Harvey that he's never stolen from him and knew nothing about Jacob's scam. Harvey asserts in that case he's earned himself a promotion. The girls call an ambulance. A desperate Simon tells Harvey he wants out, but pointing out he still owes him £2,000, Harvey says he'll do as he's told or he too will end up in hospital. Steve tries to make amends with Peter again but once more fails. Nina tells Roy that her friendship with Asha is over. Simon tells Leanne about Harvey. She says they've no choice but to go to the police. Kelly is kept in at the hospital, sleeping off the effects of the drugs. Billy arrives, wanting to know what happened and insists that Dev is told. Rushing to the hospital, Dev tells Chesney to get Simon to cover at the chip shop.

**Part Four:** Dev angrily demands answers from Asha as to what happened. Ed and Ronnie celebrate Ronnie's new job with drinks in the Rovers. About to go to the police station, Leanne and Simon hear from Chesney about Kelly. Simon confesses to an appalled Leanne about the part he played. A nervous Kevin turns down Debbie's offer. She's not convinced by his insistence that it's not personal on Abi's part. Dev marches into the cafe and accuses Nina of having something to do with Kelly's drug taking. Nina explains that she and Asha split up, she knows nothing about drugs, and he should go easy on Asha as she's clearly hurting. Simon plans to run away to get away from Harvey but Leanne has an alternative idea. Ed is drunk. James reveals that Aggie called and was unimpressed that he was out with Ronnie. Ed shrugs that Aggie's always had a downer on Ronnie, but he's missed his brother. Asha refuses to open up to a sympathetic Dev. Leanne tells Simon she'll meet Harvey herself and sort matters out.

## Cast

### Regular cast

* Simon Barlow - Alex Bain
* Jacob Hay - Jack James Ryan *(10271 only)*
* Leanne Battersby - Jane Danson
* Roy Cropper - David Neilson
* Asha Alahan - Tanisha Gorey
* Nina Lucas - Mollie Gallagher
* Kelly Neelan - Millie Gibson
* Summer Spellman - Harriet Bibby
* Tracy McDonald - Kate Ford *(10271 only)*
* Carla Connor - Alison King *(10271 only)*
* Steve McDonald - Simon Gregson
* Dev Alahan - Jimmi Harkishin
* Abi Franklin - Sally Carman *(10271 only)*
* Kevin Webster - Michael Le Vell
* Ed Bailey - Trevor Michael Georges
* James Bailey - Nathan Graham
* Ronnie Bailey - Vinta Morgan
* Jenny Connor - Sally Ann Matthews
* Peter Barlow - Chris Gascoyne
* Amy Barlow - Elle Mulvaney *(10271 only)*
* Billy Mayhew - Daniel Brocklebank *(10272 only)*
* Chesney Brown - Sam Aston *(10272 only)*
* Debbie Webster - Sue Devaney *(10272 only)*

### Guest cast

* Harvey - Will Mellor
* Nurse - Julia Nelson *(10272 only)*

## Notes

* Last appearance of Jacob Hay until 26th November 2021.
* This was a one-hour episode made up of two production codes and was transmitted at 7.30pm. P694/10271 was written by Debbie Oates and P694/10272 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.
* *TV Times* synopsis: Nina's rejection sends Asha down a dark path; Jacob's boss Harvey gives Simon extra responsibility; and Steve's apology fails to appease Peter.
* Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast: 6,187,098 viewers (10th place).