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On the day of Lucy's birthday, Ian and Kathy find themselves returning to their roots. Ronnie is forced to do the unthinkable, but can she go through with it?

Ian phones Peter to wish him Happy Birthday and buys some flowers to take to the cemetery. At the Beales’ Jane tells Kathy that they are going to carry on as normal. Kathy offers to walk Bobby to the bus stop. She talks to him about what happened and he pleads with her not to tell Ian. Dennis rides past on his new bike and Bobby calls him spoilt. Martin has ordered Christmas trees to sell on his stall but more turn up than he expected. Kathy offers to help sell them for a bit. She returns home to find Ian alone and asks after Peter. He admits that he doesn’t know how to get things back to normal and she comes up with an idea to; they’re going to help sell Christmas trees.

Stacey has been unwell and calls Martin with a to-do list and so he leaves the two of them to hold the fort. Ian asks Kathy if she thinks they are doing a good job with Bobby. She assures him that they are going to give him the best future he could wish for. Jane spots them on the stall and Ian asks if they should put the tree up tonight and make it a new tradition for Lucy’s birthday. Kathy and Jane take the tree but Jane struggles with her ribs. Kathy tells her she knows that it wasn’t an accident. She expresses her concern about the way that Jane is covering for Bobby constantly. In the café Bobby asks Jane if he can get a new bike like Dennis’s. When she says no he throws his plate across the room and it smashes. They return home to see the Christmas tree and Ian hands Bobby Lucy’s angel for the top. Kathy notices Jane’s reaction as she leaves the room and follows. Jane tells her what happened and that she’s scared that there might be something wrong with Bobby...

Vincent comes home with Ronnie to find Kim on the phone organising Vincent’s Birthday present. She heads out with Pearl leaving them alone. Vincent tells Ronnie that Phil is going down today. He hands her a bag and tells her to wear gloves at all times so that Phil’s are the only prints left on it. She takes it. Ronnie finds Sharon busying herself with Abi’s work Christmas party and asks where Phil is. She says that she was talking to Peggy and that she now wants to sort things with Phil. Sharon suggests she comes help set up in the Albert and she can see Phil there. Phil tells her he’s not interested. Vincent comes in looking for his wallet and sees Ronnie drop the bag on the floor leading Phil to pick it up for her before she leaves. Later at Vincent’s he explains the plan to put the drugs in Phil’s safe with his fingerprints.

Elaine has found Dot’s flyers and is fuming at the situation, busying herself with getting costumes for the Victorian market. Mick visits Dot and finds her living room filled with Nativity costumes. He explains to Dot the situation with Elaine and the wedding and asks her to allow Elaine to help with the show. She agrees as long as he helps with the auditions. In the Vic he lets Elaine know the good news and she is ecstatic. As they head outside they spot Billy with Janet who is wearing angel wings. She’s excited about the Nativity but Elaine tells Billy that she is too old to be in the show, she won’t fit the costumes. Lily and Kamil attend the auditions in Dot’s living room. Billy brings Jane and Elaine reiterates her point. Dot says that they are all entitled to take part.

Kamil is helping Tamwar while he works on the Market and in the Minute Mart he asks if he can be in the Nativity. Shabnam laughs at this but Tamwar says that it is about community rather than religion and there should be no reason why not. Kim show Denise the Christmas outfits she has bought for herself and Pearl. Denise suggests they decorate the house for Christmas but Kim tells her they can’t risk putting potential buyers off. Denise reminisces about past Christmases with Patrick and gets upset. Patrick reminds her that they have Pearl and Kim. Kim comes over to let them know there has been an offer for the house.

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30 minutes

Audio described

Music Played

  • Ella Fitzgerald

    God Rest Ye Merry

  • Brenda Lee

    Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree

  • The Pogues

    Fairytale Of New York (feat. Kirsty MacColl)

  • Ariana Grande

    Santa Tell Me

  • Frank Sinatra

    Hark The Herald Angel Sing

  • Cliff Richard

    Mistletoe And Wine

  • The Beach Boys

    Wouldn't It Be Nice

  • Jamiroquai

    Blue Skies

  • Billie Holiday

    Stormy Weather

  • Wizzard

    I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday

  • Sam Smith

    Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

  • CeeLo Green

    Silent Night

  • Bach

    Christmas Oritario

Credits

Role Contributor
Kathy Sullivan Gillian Taylforth
Jane Beale Laurie Brett
Ian Beale Adam Woodyatt
Ben Mitchell Harry Reid
Abi Branning Lorna Fitzgerald
Sharon Mitchell Letitia Dean
Phil Mitchell Steve McFadden
Ronnie Mitchell Samantha Womack
Vincent Hubbard Richard Blackwood
Kim Fox-Hubbard Tameka Empson
Denise Fox Diane Parish
Patrick Trueman Rudolph Walker
Billy Mitchell Perry Fenwick
Honey Mitchell Emma Barton
Shabnam Kazemi Rakhee Thakrar
Tamwar Masood Himesh Patel
Mick Carter Danny Dyer
Elaine Peacock Maria Friedman
Dot Branning June Brown
Martin Fowler James Bye
Bobby Beale Eliot Carrington
Dennis Rickman Bleu Landau
Janet Mitchell Grace
Will Mitchell Freddie Phillips
Kamil Masood Arian Chikhlia
Lily Branning Aine Garvey
Writer Katie Douglas
Director John Howlett
Executive Producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins

Broadcasts