Written by Damon Rochefort, directed by Kay Patrick
Peter asks Leanne if she can take care of the shop on her own today since he needs to run errands for Ken and Deirdre’s anniversary party. Leanne wonders if that’s really the reason. Peter takes Simon over to Ken and Deirdre’s to find that Ken has prepared a chef’s breakfast for his lovely wife. He holds up the fry pan and asks “scrambled eggs?” Simon hands an anniversary card over to Deirdre and asks if he can go to her party, but it’s grown-ups only. Deirdre says she’s looking forward to tonight and Peter smiles to himself saying he is too. Has he got something up his sleeve?
Leanne is worried at the bookies all day about Peter and his strange behaviour that she hardly notices Janice blubbering on about how she’s preparing for a night in with Trev and a fish supper. Leanne tells Janice she’s probably being paranoid but she can’t understand Peter’s unusual behaviour. She doesn’t think he’s been drinking again, but then she doesn’t know what to think.
Peter is in the Rovers telling Michelle a secret, they’re talking quite closely and Janice sees this when she walks in and looks suspicious. She texts Leanne to tell her what she just saw. Leanne immediately walks down the Rovers and asks Peter what’s going on. Leanne makes Peter swear to her that the only thing going on there was beef sandwiches and sausages on sticks. I’m not even going to go there. Peter leaves and Leanne tells Janice she’s suspicious that Peter’s fooling around on her. She reckons there’s only two things that Peter’s addicted to: booze and birds, and if he’s not drinking…
Mary divulges to Rita that Norris has told her nothing of the spat she had with Audrey the other day. They both remark that this is very unlike Norris. Mary tells Rita that Norris is on his monthly price-check where he goes to other shops to check their prices. She then reminds Rita that that was her old idea, and Rita suddenly remembers. Eileen comes in and when told by Mary that Norris is out on his price-checking errand she laughs with Rita about how she used to use that as an excuse when she wanted to get away from Norris! Poor Mary looks utterly embarrassed.
Audrey goes to visit Gail in jail and gets the icy reception that she probably expected. Gail is quickly forgiving however and Audrey mentions that she brought flowers for her but they wouldn’t let her bring them in. Gail starts laughing asking who brings flowers to a prison visit. Audrey Roberts, that’s who! Audrey catches Gail up on the goss about the spat between her and Rita over Lewis. I was going to say that Audrey is so self-obsessed complaining to Gail about her drama but what on earth does Gail have to talk about? How far along her cellmate is doing making that shiv? Or which types of footwear is best for public showers and how she’d like a soap-on-a-rope for her next birthday? Saying that, Gail wants to know all about Audrey’s ‘fancy man.’
Lewis shows up on the street and sees Rita. He tells her that he’s sorry if he caused any friction between her and Audrey the other night. Oh, I am sure that he is. Rita admits that Audrey and she both behaved badly. Rita tells him she can’t see him anymore since she doesn’t want her and Audrey to fall out any more than they already have. Lewis understand, but his wallet doesn’t I’m sure. Meanwhile, Audrey is in her salon busy pulling her skin taught when Lewis comes in to give her some flowers. Lewis then apologizes to Audrey about the other night as well. He then tells her that HE has decided not to see Rita again. The little liar! He spills a packet full of lies all over and Audrey just laps it up.
At the party, Leanne is kicking it off with a boozing. She quizzes Ciaran about what’s going on with Michelle and Peter. Leanne’s not much happier to see Peter and Michelle arrive at the Rovers together. Rita comes in and apologizes to Mary about the “price-checking” comment incident earlier. Mary has been telling Eileen how much she enjoys working in the Kabin much to Eileen’s obvious indifference. Audrey comes and finds Rita at the bar and snottily tells Rita that Lewis told her after her “performance” the other night he can’t see her again. Rita doesn’t seem shocked that Lewis has told her that. Audrey is just as much a mug as her Gail is when it comes to men, I tell ya. Ken and Deirdre have arrived and Deirdre reads a card that her mother has sent from Portugal basically saying if the party is like their other anniversaries she’s not sad she’s missing it – besides where she is they have a pool. Leanne
drunkinly pokes Peter in the back and accuses him of cheating on her with Michelle (aka That Slapper). Leanne splashes her drink all over Michelle to everyone’s shock. Guess Peter’s no the only bad drunk. Ken tells Leanne that HE was with Peter last night. Leanne wants to know why he’d lie and he tells her that he wanted to ask his dad and best mate if they thought that he and her we ready to get married. He then produces a ring in a box from his trouser pockets. Of course, Leanne starts to cry when she sees it and apologizes. Peter says if there’s no trust then obviously they’re not ready and leaves Leanne there asking Janice what she’s done.
Sophie can’t get a hold of Sian and tells Ryan that she hasn’t told Sian yet how he tried to kiss her. Ryan begs her not to tell Sian, but we know where Sophie’s allegiance lies. Sophie, for the second time this week, bumps into someone in the street and causes a spill. This time it’s Emily with flowers. Emily and the flowers are fine, but Sophie starts to sob anyhow and Emily takes her home. Emily has a cuppa with Sophie at her house and Sophie tells her she doesn’t want to lie to Sophie and not tell her about what Ryan did. She doesn’t know where she should draw the line when it comes to the truth. Emily tells her that lies can be a necessary evil, but only she can know what’s best. Meanwhile, Sian and Ryan are fighting in the street as they speak. Ryan manages to work his magic however, and Sophie sees the two of them kissing
cross the road when she sees Emily off.
Trev confirms with Carla their drink tonight. He makes a fuss about having to dress up for her, so she tells him not to but at least to ditch the jacket. He tells her the jacket has special powers since he’s not been run over at night in it. He says he knicked it from Harry Potter and Carla asks “the wizard?” to which Trev replies, “No, the controller in my depo. How old are you?” Janice gets home that evening and tells Trev she’s got their fish suppers and she hopes he’s warming plates. Only, he’s not there cause he’s meeting Carla at a posh somewhere NOT on the street. Oh, poor Jan. It seems that Trev and Carla are enjoying some kind of pub crawl even though Trev’s trying to lay off a bit.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Norris for keeping his mouth shut about Rita and Audrey’s feud. It’s nice to know he can keep his tongue and his word.
- Norris using Rita’s old “price checking errand” excuse to get away from the Kabin and the, er, person he’s working with.
- Ken in his apron cooking up scrambled eggs a la “The Ritz” in the dining room of No.1 for Deirdre. These Corrie men are quite domesticated. First we’ve got a slew of men who iron (shirtless at that), a man that bakes cakes, a man that TRIES to make a good meal for his ladies, and now Ken with a fry pan!
- Trev taking Carla down a notch, which is nice to see! Somebody needed a slice of humble pie.
- Rita for not seeing Lewis anymore and taking the high-road in this fight between her and Audrey.
LOWLIGHTS
- Is it just me or did Michelle look trampier than ever tonight? As Blanche would say, “mutton dressed as lamb.” Or as Leanne would call her, “that little made-up skank.”
- Sophie really needs to watch where she’s going. Twice this week she’s bumped into someone on the street and caused a spill! Let’s hope she doesn’t start driving.
- That scheming cad Lewis two timing Audrey and Rita. That man is no good.
- Mary ridiculously clapping “speech, speech, speech!” at Ken and Deirdre’s engagement party. Can anyone else see her? Or am I just going crazy? That’s how I feel about Mary – like seeing her is the first sign of dementia or something.
Overall Episode Rating: 6.5/10
Drama: 6/10, Humour: 6/10, Classic Corrie: 6/10, Wow Factor: 8/10