Rhys and Beth give in to their feelings 
Thursday Dec 20, 18:30
Hannah tries to play cupid when Rhys reveals to her that Sarah has dumped him. Having just received a mysterious Christmas card ostensibly from her dead father, Beth thinks someone has got it in for her when a brick is chucked through the window at the Ashworths'. Sarah and Rhys realise Hannah has orchestrated a meeting between them when they see each other on a night out, but Sarah insists that it is over with Rhys. Beth is left in tears by Rhys after he overhears Sarah confide in Hannah she was advised by Beth to dump him. When Rhys follows Beth home and they find themselves alone, will they be able to contain their lust?
Steph tears into Darren when she finds him at the hospital after Jack's heart attack. But as Darren breaks down in tears, blaming himself for ruining everything, Steph realises he is also in pain and could do with someone to talk to despite all he has done. Feeling utterly irredeemable, a guilt-ridden Darren pours his heart out, unable to articulate the deep regret he feels. Just then, Jack's monitor starts to beep furiously. As the crash team work on a seemingly lifeless Jack, Frankie, unable to contain her bitter resentment, has to be dragged away by Steph when she lunges at Darren. The sound of a heart beat is heard on the monitor as a thoroughly dejected Darren is chucked out and Frankie starts to cry. Has Jack pulled through?
Dom's due back today, and Jacqui reassures Tina that it is up to both of them to give it another go. Picking up that Tina seems far from festive, Myra decides to treat her family to a night at the Christmas karaoke at The Dog, asserting that they have been through the mill lately and she does not want it to affect the McQueen festive spirit. When her daughters are reluctant to duet with her, a tipsy Myra is delighted when Niall offers to sing with her. Although the duet is successful and the crowd laps it up, a subdued Jacqui whispers to Tina that she thinks Niall is weird. When a purse falls from Myra's pockets, Niall picks it up and quietly sticks it in his trouser pocket. Tina's on tenterhooks as she waits for Dom's return, when the phone rings and the answerphone kicks in…with an important message from Dom.
Niall spends Christmas with the McQueens 
Wednesday Dec 26, 17:50
Ever more curious about the family, Niall feels his plan is going well as Myra invites him to spend Christmas dinner at the McQueens'. Hanging around the landing on the way to the loo, he steals a family photo of the McQueens from Carmel's bedroom. The dinner proves a perfect setting for him to work out the dynamics between Myra and the rest of the family. But when Myra tells the family she feels blessed to have all her children here at Christmas, Niall seems quite affected by it. Everyone is stunned when he suddenly announces he is going. Back at his flat, his face contorted with burning hatred, Niall reads an old letter written by Myra when she was 14 then takes out a lighter and holds the photo to the flame…
Beth and Rhys act as if nothing happened between them the night before as a hugely happy and festive Ashworth family open presents and sit close. Everyone is stunned as Gilly announces he is going to Thailand. But Rhys is secretly thrilled, already imagining a future without Gilly to stand in his and Beth's way. It is obvious that the passion is as strong as ever for both of them, when Rhys follows Beth in Hannah's room. Rhys is forced to lie to Hannah that he was comforting Beth about Gilly going away. When a burning newspaper is pushed through the door, the Ashworths realise there is a vendetta against all of them. Beth begins to see a way out of the nightmare by suggesting she goes away travelling.
Praying that Jack will have forgotten what has happened, Darren is gutted as Jack comes to in hospital and tears into him for losing the pub to Warren. Darren's isolation becomes starkly apparent to him when Frankie and Jack barely acknowledge him as he leaves Jack's hospital room. As Warren's takeover of the pub becomes gossip in the village, Louise fears this will make them outsiders, but Warren is dismissive. When Warren insists to Frankie that Darren must fulfill his pledge, she warns him she will not let him get away with this. Finding Darren sitting slumped in the village, miserable and drunk, Warren leaves him gob-smacked when he offers Darren to by his half of the pub back for £100,000.
Tony is horrified that Mercedes is going to ruin his life when she warns him there is no way she will let him marry her sister. He is left dreading what this means when Mercedes tells him she is going to make this a Christmas none of them are ever going to forget. But just as she is about to reveal all, Tina and a delighted Jacqui come tearing the stairs with their own announcement: Tina is going to be a surrogate for Jacqui and Tony. Although Mercedes is now more determined to ensure things are made difficult for Tony, her open defiance is drowned out as Tina insists that, with Dom confirming he is not coming back, there is no more obstacles. Amidst the uproar, no one notices Myra's absence. When Nana finds her upstairs crying in the loo, mother and daughter find themselves tearing into each over the baby they abandoned years back.
Tina goes through with her promise 
Wednesday Dec 26, 18:2
Jacqui wakes up filled with promise following Tina's offer yesterday to be surrogate. She is oblivious, however, to Tony's inner turmoil. He is concerned, not only with the decision to have a surrogate with his brother's wife, but troubled that Mercedes may still reveal their secret. Anxious to talk Tina out of the surrogacy idea, Myra and Mercedes go after Tina when Jacqui invites her to make plans. Over an awkward family meal, Tony's sperm is passed between Jacqui and Tina under the table. The penny finally drops for Myra and Mercedes as Tina emerges from the bathroom. However it's too late for them to stop Tina. Jacqui throws Myra and Mercedes out in the uproar that ensues, but they are gob-smacked by Dom's arrival.
Gilly is like an over-excited kid as he and Beth pore over a rough guide to Thailand. Increasingly aggrieved as Beth and Gilly outline their plans, Rhys is abrupt, criticising details of their trip although this does little to dent Gilly's confidence. An enraged Rhys catches up with Beth in the village and accuses her of lying to herself and Gilly. Back home, Gilly is forced to jump in and separate them after Rhys accuses her of being twisted – and even suggests that she could be behind the vendetta against his family.
Alone, down and out, Darren spends the night freezing in the back of Jack's car. Less than thrilled to see a dishevelled Darren slouching on her doorway in the morning, Jess turns down his request for cash and board but feels pity for him when he moans he has nowhere to go. With Jess feeling alone herself, there's an unacknowledged understanding between the pair as they realise they have a lot in common. Frankie and Louise come to an understanding in The Dog but Louise seems to be knocking down one too many wines for Frankie's liking. Wandering through the village, Darren and Jess spot a drunken Louise struggling to put her key in the door of Evissa flat before stumbling in. When they follow her in, they find, not only a comatose Louise, but also £3,000 of Evissa's takings.21
Dom punches Tony 
Thursday Dec 27, 18:30
Flooded with guilt and unable to find ways of breaking the news of Tina's surrogacy to Dom, Tony advises Tina against telling him until she is actually pregnant. However, a guilt-wracked Tina finds herself forced to come clean to Dom. An angry Dom insists if Tina is going to have kids it should be his – and that she must abort if she falls pregnant. When Tina refuses to hear about having an abortion, a disbelieving, desperate, red-eyed Dom heads off to confront his brother…
Unable to believe Beth is leaving him, Rhys pleads with her to change her mind, citing that it is not fair to pretend she loves Gilly when she has admitted loving him. As Beth insists she has no choice, they are disturbed when Gilly shouts that there is an intruder in the backyard. As Gilly comforts Hannah, who is left distraught by the intrusion, Rhys takes the chance to ask Beth to run away with him instead. Arguing that this would hurt not only Gilly, but Hannah who is still vulnerable, Beth insists they need time and distance away from one another. But as Gilly arrives with their airport taxi, Beth is nowhere to be found, leaving the two lads wishing for the opposite as they wait...
Jess has an attack of conscience about the money she and Darren stole from Louise. Reminding her that his dad nearly died, Darren insists they are going to use Warren's own money to win back the pub and make amends to Jack. When Frankie catches Darren after he sneaks into the Dog flat, she demands he turn out his bag to make sure he has not stolen Warren's money. She is stunned when she rips the bag open and sees the three grand. When Warren walks in right in the middle of their tussle, it's a tense moment for Darren as he anxiously wonders if Frankie is going to dob him in…
Carmel is gutted to discover that her boobs are slowing her down and preventing her from completing a running course in the time required for the police community support officer training. She is left close to tears as Calvin tactlessly muses that Carmel's boobs may come in handy for her in perilous situations. When she confesses her predicament to Frankie, Carmel is puzzled when she is advised to bandage her boobs, like a mummy.
Darren and Jess win £20,000 at the casino 
Friday Dec 28, 17:45
When a disconsolate Elliot arrives back from Christmas break, it is clear something is troubling him and he is keen to talk about it. Jess is momentarily piqued by conscience as she realises Elliot needs a shoulder to cry on but Darren's brisk insistence that they must hurry spurs her to push down her compassion and rush out to the casino leaving Elliot alone and in a state.
All glammed up, Jess is in her prime as she laps up the attention at the casino as Darren throws money on the table. However, her joy soon crashes as Darren loses a hefty chunk. It's with bitter tension that Darren bets all they have left, but they are overjoyed when they win twenty grand. As raucous Darren and Jess stumble back into halls in celebratory mood, Jess is crestfallen and guilty as she finds a very critical Zoe comforting Elliot…
As Tony nurses the black eye Dom gave him, Jacqui hopes that Dom's return will not ruin their surrogacy plans. Admitting that this baby means the world to her and unable to bear another disappointment, Jacqui insists they go ahead with their plans. But a guilty Tony feels Dom has a right to be angry and he worries that their plans will really hurt his brother. Tony is surprised to find Dom waiting for him, begging him not to go ahead with his surrogacy plans as this will mean the end of his marriage to Tina. Desperate, Dom insists he wants nothing to do with Tony if he decides to continue with this and invites Tony round for a lads' night in – but only if Tony calls off the surrogacy. Completely torn, will Tony choose the happiness of his brother or that of the woman he loves?
Newt returns to the Osbornes' to a warm welcome and an apology from Jack. There is a hug from Frankie and a belated Christmas present, a bracelet. Nancy shows off her engagement ring, but an astute Newt notices that Jake hangs back. Newt takes up his old room at the Osbornes' when Jack, admitting he is full of shame and regret for not believing him, insists he is more than welcomes to live with them again. When Lauren arrives, Newt takes her out to the riverside and gives her the bracelet – Lauren's first present from a boy…
