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Carol is put under pressure when the gossip starts to gather pace. Nancy avoids Tamwar as they struggle to communicate their true feelings. Kush is surprised by Martin's news.

In the Butchers鈥�, a weary Buster, who has stayed the night, appears and is startled by Carol鈥檚 blas茅 attitude 鈥� she鈥檚 adamant that Shirley will have calmed down. Shirley鈥檚 hungover and refuses to listen to Denise and Kim鈥檚 claims that Buster could be innocent. The phone goes and Kim answers 鈥� it鈥檚 Child Services, wanting to speak to Shirley. Carol walks in on Sonia trying to pacify an irate Tina, who can鈥檛 believe that Carol is acting as though nothing has happened. Carol attempts to make conversation but it鈥檚 strained and Tina snaps 鈥� it鈥檚 not all just going to blow over.

Buster tries to convince Shirley that Carol is lying 鈥� nothing happened between them. Shirley is disbelieving and orders Buster out, claiming that she will not lose Jade over him. As the row heats up, the doorbell goes; it鈥檚 the Social Worker. In the caf茅, Carol informs Max that she鈥檚 been told she is cancer free. Max is taken aback when Denise and Kim seem less enthusiastic about the news. When Max questions their strange behaviour, Tina fills him in 鈥� Carol slept with Buster. Denise chips in and informs Carol that Shirley and Buster are currently with Jade鈥檚 Social Worker.

Having clocked this exchange, Dean suggests to Roxy that they come clean 鈥� it was her bra that was found. Roxy stands firm, she likes the pair of them being a secret and purports that Shirley and Buster getting custody of Jade would be highly unlikely anyway. Shirley nervously tries to persuade the Social Worker of hers and Buster鈥檚 suitability to take on Jade. Buster puts his cards on the table and admits his criminal record and Dean鈥檚 charges. When the Social Worker informs the pair that single people can adopt, Shirley is given food for thought. Alone again with Shirley, a positive Buster suggests he can get a job and find them a house, but Shirley retorts that she can do it on her own.

As Shirley throws out Buster, an anxious Carol runs over, confessing that she lied 鈥� Buster didn鈥檛 touch her. Shirley follows Carol into the Butchers鈥�. When Shirley questions why she should believe Carol 鈥� Carol throws her prosthetic breasts onto the table, claiming she would have nothing for Buster anyway. As Carol begs to know whether her actions have ruined Shirley鈥檚 chances with Jade, Shirley realises that Carol is telling the truth. Carol opens up to Shirley 鈥� she鈥檚 sick of being treated differently; she wanted to feel normal for once.

Shirley tells Carol that she had a scare once; she found a lump, it wasn鈥檛 cancer 鈥� but she understands the fear. Shirley asks Carol whether her scars hurt. Carol admits they can do and confesses that she鈥檚 never looked at them; she finds the thought of them repulsive. Shirley firmly tells Carol that she can鈥檛 just put her life on hold. Carol admits to Shirley that she鈥檚 right, but is scared. Shirley stands Carol in front of a full length mirror, before Carol bravely takes off her bra and looks at her mastectomy scars for the first time...

Nancy ignores a call from Tamwar. Tamwar arrives at the Vic - Nancy stops short when she sees him. Nancy fronts to Tamwar that thing have been hectic, hence her distance. When Tamwar suggests they do something together today, Nancy claims she鈥檚 babysitting and fobs off Tamwar鈥檚 suggestion of him helping her. Tamwar questions whether he鈥檚 done something wrong, but Nancy remains tight lipped.

Later, Tracey hands Nancy some flowers from Tamwar, with a card apologising for whatever it is he鈥檚 done wrong. A nervous Tamwar arrives at the Vic after receiving a text from Nancy. Nancy tries to open up 鈥� she has been avoiding Tamwar鈥檚 calls, things have been building up for a while. Before Nancy can reach the crux of the issue, Tamwar interjects 鈥� assuming that Nancy has met someone else. Nancy assures Tamwar that the fact that they don鈥檛 have sex doesn鈥檛 bother her 鈥� she鈥檚 with him because he鈥檚 wonderful and purports that it鈥檚 a shame that he doesn鈥檛 have such a high opinion of her. In the bathroom, Tamwar looks at his burn scars in the mirror, clearly unsure about showing Nancy. Nancy hears Tamwar abruptly leave. As she heads to follow him, she collapses and has a seizure.

Kush admits to Stacey that things are back on track with his mum. Kush is surprised when Martin publically kisses Stacey. Martin informs Stacey that he has a surprise planned for later. Martin leads Stacey into an empty Beales鈥� 鈥� he鈥檚 asked Ian to close up so they have the place to themselves for their first date.

5 months left to watch

30 minutes

Audio described

Music Played

  • Sigma & Labrinth

    Higher

  • Howard Jones

    What Is Love?

  • The Kooks

    Forgive And Forget

  • James Bay

    Hold Back The River

  • Meghan Trainor

    Dear Future Husband

  • Olly Murs

    Seasons

  • Rae Morris

    Under The Shadows

  • Foo Fighters

    Rope

  • Rebecca Ferguson

    Mr Bright Eyes

  • Pixie Lott

    Champion

Credits

Role Contributor
Carol Jackson Lindsey Coulson
Shirley Carter Linda Henry
Andrew 'Buster' Briggs Karl Howman
Dean Wicks Matt Di Angelo
Lee Carter Danny-Boy Hatchard
Nancy Carter Maddy Hill
Linda Carter Kellie Bright
Tina Carter Luisa Bradshaw-White
Sonia Fowler Natalie Cassidy
Liam Butcher James Forde
Cindy Williams Mimi Keene
Ian Beale Adam Woodyatt
Denise Fox Diane Parish
Kim Fox-Hubbard Tameka Empson
Patrick Trueman Rudolph Walker
Martin Fowler James Bye
Stacey Branning Lacey Turner
Kush Kazemi Davood Ghadami
Tamwar Masood Himesh Patel
Roxy Mitchell Rita Simons
Max Branning Jake Wood
Derek Evans Simon Lowe
Writer Lynne Dallow
Director Toby Frow
Executive Producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins

Broadcasts

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