Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) was left for dead in EastEnders a couple of weeks back when Stacey Fowler (Lacey Turner) bludgeoned him over the head with a spanner, but — with him due out of hospital in the coming episodes — will the Mitchell hard man uncover the truth about who it was that struck the devastating blow that nearly killed him?
Following his release from hospital, Phil is on a mission to find out who attacked him — and his first port of call is son, Ben (Max Bowden), who’s taken it upon himself to throw his dad a surprise party to welcome him home. Phil not fooled by Ben’s efforts and with him having overheard some of the argument the young man had with Jay (Jamie Borthwick) in a previous episode, he enquires what it was that the two lads were quarrelling about.
(Picture: BBC)
Ben is taken aback by Phil’s knowledge of his clash with Jay and, as a result, he denies that any such argument took place. However, the Mitchell hard-man isn’t convinced that Ben is telling the truth, so he heads round to Jay’s to quiz him on the matter. What will Jay have to say for himself?
Afterwards, Shirley (Linda Henry) pays Phil a visit at the Arches, and he reveals to her that he’s remembered something and —later — Kat (Jessie Wallace) is perturbed when she returns home to find Phil waiting for her in the kitchen. Will Kat divulge the truth? What will transpire?
Later in the week, Phil continues to search for answers about what happened on the night in question and, as he does so, he grows closer to the truth. As a result, those involved in the attack begin to fear the worst.
Before long, Ben and Kat find themselves being confronted by Phil — but will he get the answers he’s so desperately craving? Will he learn about Stacey’s involvement in the incident?
Will Ben and Kat spill the beans about what happened? Or will they be able to cover their tracks once more?
One to watch: Tuesday 20th August at 7:30pm on BBC One.
Coronation Street’s Emma Brooker (Alexandra Mardell) has had her life thrown into chaos after discovering the person she thought was her dad isn’t her real dad at all. We know that Steve MacDonald (Simon Gregson) is in fact Emma’s biological dad but as Emma meets with her brother, she discovers something else that makes the situation a whole lot worse and is also reunited with her mum Fiona Middleton.
Steve took Emma for lunch and said to her that she had something in her hair, he pulled the hair out and sent it away for DNA testing.
Emma meets with her brother Morgan to go to the funeral but is shocked to see a video from her mum which proves Morgan also knew her dad wasn’t her real dad. Upset she sends him away.
Steve arrives at the church with a wreath and seeing Emma upset he tells her he has done a DNA test and he is her real dad.
News of Steve’s paternity spreads with varying reactions. Emma Skypes her mum where we see Fiona Middleton for the first time in 20 years.
Fiona Middleton is played by Angela Griffin and will make her appearance via the video call. However, there are no current plans for a full time return to the show.
Dark secrets are coming back to haunt our soap favourites as Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) and Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) fear the worst in EastEnders as Phil’s (Steve McFadden) memories return while Maxine Minniver’s (Nikki Sanderson) web of shocking lies could be exposed at her own ‘funeral’ in Hollyoaks.
Over in Coronation Street, Steve McDonald’s (Simon Gregson) past explodes while in a barn in Emmerdale, Moira Dingle’s (Natalie J Robb) affair with farmhand Nate Robinson (Jurell Carter) looks set to be exposed.
In other developments, there’s a sinister stalker, an exit decision, a marriage on the rocks, a violent child, a prison escape, bad news between siblings, parents at war, a business travesty, a romantic reunion, a dangerous plan, a dead body found, news of a return and a declaration of love.
EastEnders
(Picture: BBC)
1. Phil finds memories returning to him and as he starts piecing everything together, he recalls an altercation with Kat and heads round to the Slaters; to get answers. After getting a lead, he confronts Jay about what happened and as he edges closer to the truth, he confronts Ben.
2. Mel is stressed when she finds out that Hunter is being transferred to a prison further away and she is frustrated when Gray advises her that there is little that she can do about it. However, before long, she gets a shock when she finds out from the police that Hunter has escaped.
3. Ruby heads to Max’s for a date night but things turn sour when she doesn’t realise that Abi will be there. Later, Max and Rainie clash when Rainie tries to prevent him from having Abi and it takes Bobby to intervene and tell them they need to sort out this tension once and for all.
(Picture: BBC)
4. Stuart is excited about the preparations for Callum’s stag night but Callum has to break it to him that he has chosen a different best man – how will he react?
5. Gray tells Chantelle that he has got a place on a course to become a Solicitor Advocate. After he goes away, Mitch appeals to Chantelle for help comforting Bailey on the day of Dinah’s inquest and Chantelle has a brainwave and coughs up the money to get the youngster a telescope.
6. Tiffany braces herself and opens up her exam results – but will she get what she is hoping for?
7. Will there be romance on the cards as Jay buys Lola a drink?
Coronation Street
(Picture: ITV)
8. It’s a difficult day for Emma as she heads to the funeral to say goodbye to her dad. Meanwhile, armed with a clump of her hair, Steve gets a DNA test done and is shocked when it is confirmed that Emma is indeed his daughter. As word spreads of Steve’s paternity, Emma is in for a shock.
9. Ed admits to Michael that he is down a financial hole and Michael and James try to help their dad get the money together. However, Ed eventually has to confess to Aggie that he was the reason that they had to move and their marriage hangs by a thread as she reels at his duplicity.
10. Shona is rocked when Max plays up and after Nick finds him smashing pots in the urban garden, he brings him home. Shona is angry at his violent behaviour at Lily’s birthday party and as she struggles to get through to him, his behaviour gets even worse.
(Picture: ITV)
11. Bethany is horrified when she sees a man who was part of one of Nathan’s sex rings dining with his family in the bistro. As a confrontation explodes, the family storm out but when Craig is caught up in the fracas, Bethany is horrified when he is hit by the family’s car.
12. A distraught Emma tries to get her head around everything and contacts Fiona, who admits that Steve is indeed her dad. Later, despite Steve making an effort, Emma decides she needs to get away from Weatherfield and packs a bag. But can Tracy and Amy stop her?
13. Geoff sets up camera in the house for Yasmeen’s protection but when she doesn’t want them, he takes them down huffily and moves out, leaving her heartbroken. Later, after he tells Tim that Yasmeen is overwhelming, he secretly watches her from a secret camera he has left installed…
14. As Eileen mopes and swears off men forever, Tim insists that she comes back to the cab office where she is needed and she is grateful.
Emmerdale
(Picture: ITV)
15. Moira continues to try and avoid temptation with Nate but when she gives in to a kiss, the pair are nearly caught again by Cain. Unable to shake off the feelings she is having, she later meets Nate and the pair give in to their passion, falling into the hay where they commence their affair.
16. Charity is unimpressed when she is told that she is going to have to close the Woolpack due to some dry rot but she is soon making alternative arrangements.
17. As David and Leyla anxiously await news on Jacob’s results, they try to get things straight in their heads when they are disappointing. However, as Jacob secretly continues with his plans to reunite with Maya, he shocks Priya with an outburst when the go for lunch together.
(Picture: ITV)
18. Harriet is pleased when Will returns to the village and before long, they agree to give their relationship another go before sharing a kiss but will Dawn react the way they want her to?
19. An ashamed Bear asks Paddy to read the letters from his mother but Paddy fears that he will soon be able to do it himself.
20. Graham tries to track down his mysterious chess opponent.
Hollyoaks
(Picture: Lime Pictures)
21. As Maxine tells Damon that her tumour has spread, he helps her to arrange a living funeral for her. As the day gets underway, a furious Sienna tells Maxine that she needs to come clean about what she has been doing before it’s too late – and the day ends in tears.
22. A body is discovered in the water and Breda fears that she will be caught out by forensics. Meanwhile, an oblivious Jack rallies the village together to try and get to the bottom of who the serial killer is.
(Picture: Lime Pictures)
23. Bobby lashes out at Mercedes and tells her that she doesn’t care about her family and when Misbah later speaks to him, she discovers that he is afraid of his mum leaving him again. Meanwhile, Liam realises that he is in love with Mercedes and makes a big gesture.
24. Diane gets a phone call from Finn – he is being released and needs somewhere to go.
25. Breda turns her attentions to Darren after feeling that he is being neglectful of DJ – is he in danger of becoming her next victim?
Pub landlord Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) in Eastenders has recently been on our screens behaving differently from the usual fun loving character that he normally is. Since finding out his son Ollie is on the autistic spectrum, we’ve seen his personality change – so what’s wrong with Mick Carter?
His collapse is worse than expected
We had previously seen Mick struggling with his breathing and last week, we saw him collapse at a football game. His friend Mitch (Roger Griffiths) took him to the hospital but left Mick before he went in. When Mick received a worrying call from wife Linda (Kellie Bright) he rushed home, lying to Mitch saying that the doctor gave him the all clear. Last night saw Mick collapse again after an argument with Stuart Highway (Ricky Champ). Stuart will come to his aid and call an ambulance but Mick begs him to not tell Linda. By Mick not telling Linda about his two collapses, is he hiding the chances of finding out a potentially serious reason that caused them?
He can’t cope with Ollie’s autism diagnosis
(Picture: BBC)
Understandably, being told your child is on the autistic spectrum can come as a shock to some parents. We have already seen Linda voice her concerns and is clearly worried about Ollie being different from her other children as well as his friends, but we haven’t really seen how Mick truly feels about it. He’s been supporting Linda but no one has really asked Mick how he feels, and with a diagnosis so multi-layered and somewhat tricky to understand, perhaps Mick can’t cope with Ollie’s diagnosis?
He knows Stuart has changed but doesn’t want to admit it
It’s clear to us audience members that Stuart is a changed man and is trying to get his life back on track after making the Carter’s lives a misery. We saw Stuart save little Ollie from getting hit by a car and saw Mick respond badly when he saw Stuart holding his son. Has Mick recognised that Stuart has changed but doesn’t want to admit it?
He is struggling with his mental health
After Mick found out Linda’s letter from the hospital was explaining that her smear test had come back abnormal, Mick continued to support her, almost like his problems weren’t important and his collapse didn’t even happen. He even said to Linda ‘no shame in asking for help’ – something Mick isn’t doing.
If he’s been stressed about Ollie’s autism diagnosis, getting paperwork for The Vic finished on time, and worrying about helping others before he helps himself, could this mean Mick is heading for a storyline that looks at men’s mental health; perhaps highlighting the amount of men that feel looking after their friends and family is more important than looking after themselves?
This is your exclusive first look at Ash, the girlfriend of Iqra Ahmed (Priya Davdra) in EastEnders. Viewers recently watched as Iqra came out as gay to her sister Habiba (Rukku Nahar), after she admitted that the person she had been seeing is a woman.
Habiba was taken aback but was almost immediately on board with her sister finding true happiness – and has been desperate to find out more about Ash. So far, Mariam and Arshad have behaved in a lukewarm way to the fact that Iqra has been hiding a partner so Iqra is understandably worried about their reaction when she comes out as a lesbian.
Played by relative TV newcomer Gurlaine Kaur Garcha, who has previously had small roles in Doctors and Holby City, Ash will be enthusiastic as she is introduced to the friends and family of her girlfriend.
And given the length of the relationship so far, it looks like this is serious – let’s just hope that Iqra and Ash can win the blessing of Mariam and Arshad.
Ash will make her first appearance on screen on 29th August on BBC One.
It’s been over two years since Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell were bumped off EastEnders in one of the most controversial deaths Albert Square has ever seen, but Samantha Womack admitted during today’s Lorraine she’s still not ready to watch the BBC soap.
Sam starred as Ronnie for almost 10 years, with both fans and her co-stars slamming then EastEnders showrunner Sean O’Connor for killing the sisters off on New Year’s Day, drowning them in a hotel swimming pool.
The drama is still a sore point for viewers. Not only did the Mitchell sisters die too soon, but their exit was also questionable at best and subsequently there have been endless theories speculating how they could return.
And speaking to Christine Lampard who was filling in for Lorraine today, it was still so raw for Sam, 46.
‘I can’t [watch EastEnders],’ she told Christine, shuffling in her seat clearly wanting to move on. ‘It’s too familiar, I know the sets and know everyone. It’s hard, it’s too hard.’
Samantha Womack starred as Ronnie Mitchell for almost 10 years (Picture: BBC)
Thankfully, it’s been non-stop for the actress since Ronnie perished in her wedding dress back on January 1, 2017, paving out a huge career on stage.
Last year, she shed Ronnie’s signature blonde ‘do for Morticia Addams’ iconic jet black locks and next she’s spending two hours on stage, downing bottle after bottle of vodka (it’s water) as Rachel Watson in the stage adaptation of The Girl On The Train.
EastEnders continues tonight at 8pm on BBC One while Lorraine airs weekdays at 8.30am on ITV.
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Hunter will make his dramatic escape from prison tonight (Picture: BBC)
EastEnders’ is attempting their own version of The Great Escape tonight as Hunter Owen breaks out of prison and does a runner.
Mel Owen (Tamzin Outhwaite) is going to be far from happy when she finds out that Hunter (Charlie Winter) is out on the lamb and the cops are after him.
As news comes through that he’s about to be moved to a new prison, Hunter seizes the opportunity when he can and dramatically escapes, leaving dear ol’ mum and a lot of other people wondering where he’s got to.
Mel is frantic to figure out what’s become of her boy, and demands answers as the police show up at her door to ask questions.
Asking for her co-operation, Mel seeks legal advice over what to do next, seeking solace and advice from Gray (Toby Alexander-Smith) which we’re sure his wife will have something to say about.
Meanwhile, Hunter is clearly in over his head with his latest dramatic move for freedom, and needs to figure out where to head to evade capture for as long as possible.
What will happen next will set off a dangerous chain of events that could turn deadly, as Hunter continues to run away from his crime of killing stepdad Ray Kelly.
Her self-esteem is at an all-time low (Picture: ITV)
Asha Alahan (Tanisha Gorey) is only just getting into her teenage years, but is already feeling the pressure of certain beauty standards.
Her father Dev (Jimmi Harkishin) has been confused about her off-kilter behaviour for some time, with her snapping at him and acting moody.
As any parent of teenagers will know, this is pretty standard, but in this case there is an underlying issue that’s going for Asha; she’s been bleaching her skin.
After Asha came back from visiting family in India, there have been a few hints that this was the case. In one scene, for example, she drops her bag and is hurrying to pick everything up, worried that Dev will see what’s inside.
While some fans initially speculated that the teen might have been pregnant, it’s now become clear that what she’s trying to hide is all to do with her lack of self esteem and need to fit in.
Asha has bought a tube of skin lightening cream, after going to India and seeing Bollywood actresses with lighter skin than her promoting similar products.
Not only that, she’s feeling vulnerable as her friends, such as Amy Barlow (Elle Mulvaney), start getting more attention at school, and poor Asha is desperate to do the same.
Speaking about the plot, actress Tanisha shared: ‘In India she’s seen all the Bollywood actresses she looks up to sponsoring these skin lightening creams, she wants to be successful and pretty like them so she thinks what’s wrong with it. But ultimately we’ll find out it’s a lot more about Asha’s low self esteem.
Asha was desperate to hide what was in her bag (Picture: ITV)
‘She’s seen what girls are doing out there, she wants to follow the crowd and it’s making her feel a bit better about herself. Her self esteem is low and this is a way she feels she can fit in. Asha’s been struggling getting attention from boys, for parts in school plays and she thinks maybe if I change myself then I’ll get more of that.’
Despite the backlash against these products and ongoing conversations around colourism the concept that light skin is more beautiful, professional, and successful remains commonplace, and in India over half of skincare products are sold to whiten skin.
Mel Owen (Tamzin Outwaite) has been sick with worry recently, after her son Hunter (Charlie Winter) was sent to prison.
That appears to be just the start of it, too, as tonight she’s going to get the shock of her life when she finds out Hunter has escaped from prison, and is being hunted by the police.
It all starts with Mel being informed that her boy is being moved jails, and heading off to see if there’s someone she can speak to to find out what’s going on. When she returns to her house, the police are there to tell her he’s absconded.
She’s insisting to the officers that he’s returned safely, but they tell her that she’ll need to work with them to make that happen.
As I’m sure you can see what happens next, he ends up turning up at her door, and things are only going to spiral from there.
But what happens next, and what took Hunter away from the square in the first place?
Hunter is supposed to be in prison on a life sentence, after the New Year’s Day murder of his stepdad Ray Kelly (Sean Mahon).
Bigamist Ray was caught out by Mel and Hunter and things quickly spiralled out of control. But the teenager went way too far with his revenge, and shot and killed Ray, before burying his body in the woods.
Fiona Middleton (Angela Griffin) first blew into town in 1992.
Soon after her arrival, the hairdresser struck up a romance with known lothario Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson), who has a messy romantic past, and the pair had a relationship that resulted in a secret pregnancy and birth of their daughter, Emma Brooker (Alexandra Mardell).
Next week, Fiona will be making a cameo appearance on Coronation Street (she left the show in 1998 after six years) to reveal the truth to her daughter about who her father is, and Weatherfield will be shook up from the news.
The romance between Fiona and Steve was tumultuous to say the least.
The gambling addict had just split from his first girlfriend, the wealthy Vicky Arden (Helen Warburton/Chloe Newsome) when he met Fiona. Years later, in 1995, she returned to the show and – always keen for a quick buck – Steve married her, despite having moved in with Fiona at the time.
Heartbroken and alone, Fiona needed a shoulder to cry on, so what happened next?
What happened between Fiona Middleton and Jim McDonald?
At first, she had a brief fling with Des Barnes (Philip Middlemiss) but that quickly ended and she got together with Tony Horrocks, the town’s mechanic.
Unfortunately, Fiona’s heart was still with Steve, who had been busy getting himself into trouble, which landed him in prison. Fiona went to visit him and poor Tony realised she wasn’t over Steve – and the pair broke up.
Still out to find love, Fiona hooked up with Alan McKenna (Tony Andrews), but unfortunately the copper had a bad temper, which leads us to what happened next.
It was quite the love triangle (Picture: Rex/ITV)
Upset and seeking support from someone she knows, Fiona turned to Steve’s dad: Jim McDonald.
Though neither of them would have imagined it, they fell into bed together.
Fiona realised her mistake and went back to her fiancé, but on their wedding day, Jim showed up and in a dramatic scene, told everyone about what had happened between the pair.
Upon hearing that Fiona had cheated on him, Alan bolted.
To make matters worse, the bride was pregnant and soon after gave birth to their son, Morgan. Somehow, Steve forgave her for sleeping with his dad and the pair made a go of it.
Eventually, however, he cheated on her with her best friend, Maxine Peacock, which ended up being the last straw.
Asha has been acting out since they returned from India (Picture: ITV)
Asha Alahan, played by Tanisha Gorey, is about to go through a whole lot on Corrie.
She’s experimenting with skin lightening creams after a trip to India introduced her to them, and trying to change herself due to extremely low self-esteem.
Worries that she’s not getting as much attention at school as her friends, and pushing away her family with stroppy behaviour, she begins applying the creams to try and fit in and feel better about herself.
It’s a sad turn of events, but one that fans have praised show bosses for, as it highlights a very real problem facing young people today.
The actress behind this all is Tanisha Gorey, who’s taking on a lot for someone so young. Here’s everything you need to know about her.
In an interview with Digital Spy, Asha said: ‘I knew nothing about these skin lightening creams really, I’d heard it happened but I had no idea it was as common as it actually is.
‘I’ve tried to find out a lot more about the issue and now I’m really excited to try and get the message across that this is something young girls are turning to as they struggle with their self esteem.
‘I want to make sure I do it justice because if you’re going to cover such a serious issue, which is not shown a lot, then you need to do it in the right way. I’m really looking forward to taking it on and hopefully help educate other young girls about it. It’s all about self esteem.’
There are tense scenes between Bobby Beale (Clay Milner Russell) and Max Branning (Jake Wood) tonight in EastEnders – as Bobby suddenly brings up the death of his sister Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater).
A long running story saw Bobby murder his sister in temper with a music box – and Jane Beale (Laurie Brett) helped him to cover it up by dumping the body at Walford Common. The Beales conspired to ensure that Max went down to the crime and it left Max understandably bitter.
Recently, now that time has passed and Max can see how traumatised Bobby still is, he has taken him under his wing and has been extremely understanding of him. That looks set tonight as, continually plagued by memories of the sister he killed, Bobby asks a stunned Max if he loved her.
(Picture: BBC)
Max is taken aback by the sudden mention and he lashes out at Bobby, telling him that he has no right to ask such a thing given that he was the one who killed her. However, he eventually finds himself opening up to Bobby about the affair and how it came about – but will it help Bobby come to terms with the harrowing memories that are upsetting him.
Bobby is avoiding going home, both to avoid the questioning from Ian (Adam Woodyatt) over his decision to convert to Islam and also to keep away from the room where his life changed forever – and Lucy lost hers.
But can Bobby cope with the truths he hears from Max – and can he and Ian finally start to build bridges? Or is Bobby only set to find himself feeling more alone and confused than ever?
And how will Max feel about having his own dark memories about Lucy resurfaced?
EastEnders continues on Friday 16th August at 8pm on BBC One.
Is this the end for Mick Carter? (Picture: Jack Barnes/BBC)
EastEnders’ Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) hasn’t been doing well lately.
The stress he’s been feeling as of late, including about Linda’s (Kellie Bright) cancer scare, has taken its toll and tonight may see events take a darker turn.
It’s not the first time he’s felt overwhelmed and panicky. Mick recently got into a fight with an angry football coach while working as a referee out on the pitch and things got so dire that Mitch Baker (Roger Griffiths) sent him off to the hospital.
Will things escalate to a deadly degree tonight? Here’s what we know.
What happens to Mick Carter in EastEnders?
Mick has been trying to improve his mental health by using exercise as a form of relaxation, but it could be too little, too late.
He called out to Stuart for help, who ran back into the room and swiftly got on the phone to get an ambulance, but will it be too late?
Viewers fear that this may be the end for the EastEnders character.
Mick had a severe panic attack on the football pitch recently (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes)
Speaking about his upcoming storyline, Danny Dyer told The Sun: ‘Mick is going to go through some really [big] mental health issues, that’s all I can say.
‘It feels like Kate Oates has brought the show back, she is the Queen and we are all hopelessly in love with her.’
As yet, it’s not been confirmed whether his character will survive tonight’s ordeal or if his health problems will escalate to a detrimental degree.
It’s unlikely that Danny will be written out of the show so soon after his return, but anything is possible.
EastEnders aired unsettling scenes tonight as Bobby Beale (Clay Milner Russell) was haunted by the death of Lucy Beale – to the point where he is seeing visions of her. Having been avoiding the house as much as possible, Bobby has thrown himself into work.
Max Branning (Jake Wood) has taken him under his wing somewhat and the pair ended up talking about Lucy tonight when Bobby quizzed him about whether or not he loved her when they had their affair ahead of her death.
As Bobby tries to get his life back on track – even embarking on a journey to convert to Islam – he can’t shake off the awful memories of what happened. Having told Max that he keeps expecting to see her, Bobby asked him how he stops himself from thinking about her.
As he later returned home to an empty house after being sent home by Max, a tearful Bobby said that he never wanted to return to this place. He was evidently sorry and traumatised by the memories that have plagued him.
And viewers were stunned when, in the shadows, a blurry figure of Lucy could be seen. It’s clear that Bobby is having visions of his late sister but will he open up to anyone about what he is going through?
And will he ever find peace with the crime he committed.
Gareth recently split from Coronation street actress Faye Brookes (Picture: Getty Images/Instagram)
In the wake of his split to Faye Brookes, it has emerged that Gareth Gates has been on a bit of an Instagram spree, following and liking various Instagram snaps by Love Island bombshells.
Eagle-eyed fans noticed that the 35-year-old singer has liked an Instagram photo posted by the Love Island series five star Belle Hassan, while he’s also started following Belle’s pal Maura Higgens and series three star Olivia Attwood.
Belle’s picture, which was posted just days before Gareth and Faye’s split was reported, showcases Belle at the Menagerie Restaurant and Bar in Manchester, as she poses for the camera in a bathtub while donning a leopard print dress.
Gareth liked this photo that Belle shared to Instagram (Picture: Instagram)
The two first met as they both worked on the UK production of Legally Blonde in 2012, and got together 10 months later.
Gareth and Faye were known for their on and off relationship (Picture: Getty Images)
However, the pair briefly split in September 2018, but by that November, they were back together again.
Gareth then proposed to the Coronation Street star in January, before the two decided to split.
It was previously reported that Gareth had been ‘controlling’, and had urged Faye not to discuss their relationship with friends as he feared ‘people would make money out of them’.
A friend told The Sun: ‘Gareth convinced her people just wanted to make money out of her and not to trust them.
‘Even those with the best of intentions are scared to offer advice in case it backfires.
‘If anyone bad mouths Gareth now, there’s a fear the messenger will be the one that gets it in the neck.’
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Bella quickly becomes uncomfortable with Tommy (Picture: Channel 5)
Bella has been through a rough time lately, with her situation reaching breaking point after online friend Tommy came to visit her, getting violent and sexually assaulting her. Although Irene managed to get Tommy away, she flew into a rage and started battering Tommy until he fell unconscious.
Courtney Miller, who plays Bella, spoke exclusively to metro.co.uk about the damaging relationship, saying that Bella didn’t want to face up to the reality of Tommy’s true intentions. ‘Bella noticed a few red flags throughout the early conversations with Tommy but chose to ignore them as she felt Tommy was a friend she couldn’t lose. It wasn’t until Bella was face-to face with Tommy at the house that she realised he wasn’t who he said he was.’
During his time at Irene’s house with Bella, Tommy showed signs of jealousy after seeing a photo of Ryder and became more volatile after Bella hid from him in the bathroom. This was a far cry from his encouraging and supportive behaviour online, where he encouraged her to try hard with her school assignments and sent her a camera. Courtney said: ‘Bella really liked Tommy’s online company. Tommy came across as sweet and nurturing which was a major contrast to her controlling and forceful dad, Ross.’
Tommy starts being volatile with Bella (Picture: Channel 5)
While Tommy was clearly full of bad intentions, if he had continued to be as caring and respectful as he’d come across online, would the pair have ended up pursuing a real relationship? ‘On some level, although unaware of it, Bella felt protected by Tommy and would possibly have formed a relationship with him if things were different.’
However, ultimately the situation ended in violence and trauma, with the overall message being a strong one: be careful who you talk to online. Courtney reflected on the impact the plotline has had, saying: ‘So many people have reached out to me and told me that this story gave them an opportunity to reach out to their loved ones about online safety. I feel honoured to be a part of that.’
So what would Courtney advise for those who are talking to people on the internet? ‘For me, the message to take home is to continually communicate with your little ones about their activity online. We may not be able to stop these online strangers, but we can educate our kids and loved ones to know the signs.’
The Casualty department is in Major Incident mode in tonight’s series 34 opener, when the team have to deal with a terrorist attack at a market. Dylan (William Beck) is in charge of the ED as numerous seriously-injured people are headed for the hospital, while Ethan (George Rainsford) joins the paramedics at the scene and is faced with a terrible life-or-death choice.
Meanwhile, Rash (Neet Mohan) is back for his mother’s funeral but doesn’t hesitate to get back to work when he hears about the attack. And David (Jason Durr) gets a surprise visit from his son – on the worst possible day he could have chosen. Here are all the spoilers to look out for.
Ready for action (Picture: BBC)
1. His mother’s death has brought Rash back to Holby without Gem. After the funeral, he hears news of a terrorist attack in which someone has purposely driven a lorry into a busy market. Knowing that there’ll be multiple casualties, Rash immediately makes his way to the ED to see if he can help.
2. Ethan is away from the department practising driving the super-fast Adavanced Trauma Team car. When the call goes out about the incident at the market Ethan and his colleague rush to the market and find a scene of terrible destruction.
Dylan rallies the troops (Picture: BBC)
3. David’s son Ollie (Harry Collett) appears unexpectedly in the department looking for his dad. With a major incident in progress David doesn’t have time to get to the bottom of why Ollie has come looking for him – so Rosa (Jacey Salles) steps in.
4. Dylan is in charge of the department and quickly discovers that while he may command the respect and loyalty of his team, he’s not the best at giving team talks.
5. Rash takes an injured young boy who doesn’t speak English under his wing, but then Ollie makes a shocking discovery about the boy.
6. Archie (Genesis Lynea) is recovering on one of the wards and is keen to hear news of Connie.
7. A father and daughter are both trapped as a result of the market attack and Ethan is faced with the agonising decision of which of them to save first. As sniffer dogs move in, the fear mounts that there could be a secondary incident as Ethan and the team desperately try to save their patients. Then a bomb goes off. Has Ethan put his own life at risk?
Sue Haasler is the author of the official Holby City book, which you can read about here. Her latest novel, Half A World Away, is out now
Between discovering that fiancé Ray Kelly (Sean Mahon) was a bigamist, to having to help Hunter (Charlie Winter) cover up her husband-to-be’s murder, Mel Owen (Tamzin Outhwaite) has had an incredibly tough year in EastEnders. However, there’s plenty more tragedy in store for the E20 manager, and — with Tamzin set to depart from the soap later this year — the events which led to her exit — and Hunter’s — are set in motion during the coming episodes.
Following his arrest, Hunter was sentenced to life in prison for murdering Ray — an incident which took place on New Year’s Day following the Irish cop’s wedding. As a result, Mel has found it extremely difficult to focus on anything else but her son.
However, the last few weeks have seen the club manager put an end to her revenge mission to ruin Jack (Scott Maslen), and she’s made every effort to move on. Unfortunately for her, this will prove difficult as — in upcoming episodes — she is informed via a phone call that Hunter is being moved to another prison — but just what is it that has resulted in him having to be transferred?
Worried about what this means, Mel seeks Gray’s (Toby-Alexander Smith) guidance once more. The solicitor struggles to offer much in the way of help, but later he aids her in speaking to someone at the prison about her son’s predicament.
Later, Mel returns home to find the police waiting on her, and she’s left stunned when they inform her that Hunter has escaped.
Has Hunter gone on the run?
Or will he return to Albert Square in search of sanctuary from the law? If it’s the latter, will Mel help him out?
With Hunter’s upcoming demise on the horizon, not to mention the fact that Tamzin will be leaving EastEnders — which means that Mel will be departing from Walford soon — it’s likely that Hunter’s escape will the catalyst for both of these events.
One to watch: Thursday 22nd August at 7:30pm on BBC One.
Craig Tinker (Colson Smith) in Coronation Street has supported his best friend Bethany Platt (Lucy Fallon) through a lot of her troubled past. He tricked his mentor Neil Clifton (Ben Cartwright) into revealing details about his involvement with Bethany’s grooming storyline and also saved Bethany from Neil’s daughter Kayla (Mollie Winnard) after she kidnapped her. But when a familiar face from Bethany’s past returns, Craig is caught up in her troubles once again with potentially devastating consequences.
Craig hasn’t had it easy either, he had his mum Beth (Lisa George) arrested for bigamy, and in early 2018, he began to struggle with OCD and started to believe that if he didn’t do his rituals an even number of times, he wouldn’t be able to save everyone.
When a family arrive for dinner at the Bistro, Bethany recognises the dad as a man from the parties that her abuser Nathan (Chris Harper) use to have.
The family leave the Bistro in an argument and as the angry wife puts her car into reverse, Craig is knocked down. Bethany is devastated that once more Craig has been caught up in her past.
As Bethany is reminded of her horrific past her best friend has now been injured but what is the extent of Craig’s injuries? If Craig dies, how will Bethany cope?
There’s shock all round in Neighbours this week with an unexpected arrival, a con artist at work and fears for someone’s life.
Chloe Brennan (April Rose Pengilly) is left putting a brave face on it when she’s confronted with what her future looks like. Could this spell trouble for Chelly?
Yashvi’s (olivia Junkeer) left embarrassed when she’s caught out in a sex shame by her own dad. How will she get through this one?
Leo Tanaka (Tim Kano) becomes the victim of a terrible con that means he could stand to lose everything.
And Sheila Canning (Colette Mann) is in a bad place, but will her family realise in time to save her?
Here’s what’s coming up in Neighbours next week.
1. Leo gets conned
Leo decides it’s time to start dating again after encouragement from Pierce and comes across a woman named Carmen. The two end up flirting and Leo sees it as a sign he’s back in the game. Unbeknown to him, Pierce meets Carmen too and puts on the charm offensive. When Leo discovers this, he decides he’s no competition to the wealthy businessman, but Carmen decides Leo is the one for her. Once the Back Lane Bar is closed, she and Leo get down to it. But later Carmen is seen texting someone that Leo has fallen for her ploy.
As the two get close, Leo realises she has some business acumen and asks her to look over the books. Ned feels guilty for not being a better friend so goes to see Leo and bumps into Carmen, and realises she’s familiar. Carmen is rattled that her cover might be blown so steps up her plan, disappearing off into the night. Leo looks at his laptop and a horror realisation hits – she’s stolen all of his money!
2. Yashvi’s sex shame
Shane is feeling uneasy realising he’s not the main man in Yashvi’s life anymore. He suggests Yashvi spend more time with the family but she gets caught up with Ned and never arrives. Shane goes to Ned’s to find out where Yashvi is and makes a shock discovery – Yashvi and Ned in their underwear as he interrupts their sexy times!
3. Shock arrival threatens the wedding
(Picture: Channel 5)
Terese is keen to make Roxy and Harlow to spend time together but she has a big job on her hands. She asks the girls to go and collect her wedding dress for her, but Roxy horrifies Harlow by trying it on. Roxy then trips while in the frock and rips it, but Harlow is shocked when Terese just takes it on the chin. Harlow snaps when Roxy later has a go at her for dobbing and the two end up in a vicious fight. But the ruckus is interrupted by a shock arrival – Paul’s ex wife and Harlow’s grandmother, Gail Lewis, and she’s here to tell Terese not to marry Paul!
4. Sheila hits rock bottom
Sheila is desperate to make amends with Gary but he’s still too furious. Amy and Kyle notice her mood is very low as she throws herself into pulling in donations for Toadie’s foundation, and when Paul calls her out on her bad attitude she finally snaps. She’s shattered by the mess she’s made and truly hits rock bottom.
5. Chloe and Elly hit the rocks
(Picture: Channel 5)
Mark is left reeling when Elly takes Chloe off to her ultrasound, unable to escape the feeling he’s been replaced. Chloe is later confronted when Kyle asks her if she’s really ready to deal with Elly’s pregnancy in their relationship. It’s a huge test for them so soon on. During the ultrasound, Chloe realises she’s out of her depth and tries to fight the feeling, but it’s left simmering under the surface. Are things moving too fast for these two?
6. Sheila in grave danger
(Picture: Channel 5)
Shane comes looking for Sheila who hasn’t turned up for work. He later finds out she has also left Toadie in the lurch, which is totally unlike her. Amy and Kyle start to worry, especially when they realise she’s been out all night. Fearful for her safety, they call the police. Mark tells the pair that in the last sighting of Sheila she was seen in a very distressed state. What has happened to her?
Scenes air from Monday 19th August at 1.45pm and 5.30pm on Channel 5.
