EastEnders always pulls out all the stops for their big Christmas Day episode. Over the year’s we’ve had some absolute corkers, from Archie Mitchell’s death in the Queen Vic to evidence of Max Branning and Stacey Slater’s affair being played out for the whole family.

This year though, the BBC soap will be delivering the twist of all twists – and we honestly can’t wait.

Speaking exclusively to Metro.co.uk on the red carpet at last night’s Inside Soap Awards, Rukku Nahar teased what’s in store for the upcoming festive period.

‘Like always, EastEnders is going to have a big Christmas storyline and I don’t think anyone is going to see it coming,’ Rukku told us. ‘It’s going to be a lot of fun.’

Cue the all-important duff duffs!

Rukku also revealed that her character Habiba Ahmed has a big storyline of her own around the corner.

‘I can’t say too much about it but I will have some storylines coming up,’ she said.

‘I think they’re going to be very interesting because it’s not anything my character has been involved in before.

‘It will be nice to see something different for Habiba.’

MORE: Why is Martin Fowler on the run in EastEnders – what has he done?

MORE: EastEnders spoilers: Keanu Taylor to die in shocking Christmas stunt?

Things are moving fast for young Hollyoaks couple Brooke Hathaway (Talia Grant) and Ollie Morgan (Aedan Duckworth) and there’s trouble and heartbreak on the horizon as it becomes more and more clear that they have differing views about their future.

Brooke recently discovered that she is pregnant and she is anxious about how she will cope as a mother and whether she is ready for the challenge. Ollie on the other hand, seems more enthusiastic about the prospect of settling down and starting a family and tonight he made plans to seal the deal with Brooke.

Wanting to do the right thing by her, he enlisted the help of Imran Maalik (Ijaz Rana) and laid out a romantic proposal. But as he asked a stunned Brooke to become his wife, he was gutted when she became flustered and rejected his gesture.

As she rushed off, Ollie was confused and worried that he’d messed everything up – is Brooke having doubts about them staying together? Or is everything just moving too fast and becoming overwhelming?

As she looks into her options regarding the baby, will she confide in Ollie that she doesn’t think it’s the right time for them to have a child together? As he is presented with a hard choice – support Brooke and her decision to give up the baby or make his own conflicting desires clear – can the pair reach a solution in this difficult situation?

Hollyoaks fans will no doubt be hoping for some happiness, particularly after the year that Ollie has had. He is recovering following the trial which saw his abuser locked up.

The plotline has seen Hollyoaks sweep the boards at both the British Soap Awards and the Inside Soap Awards, where viewers crowned the much loved Channel 4 drama as their top soap.

Kerry Wyatt (Laura Norton) might be out of the woods in terms of her injury in Emmerdale, but her freedom could be at stake courtesy of Vanessa Woodfield (Michelle Hardwick), who threatened to reveal the truth about her involvement in the fire. 

Vanessa and Tracy were left devastated when Frank (Michael Praed) was killed in the factory fire. Tracy spent months searching for answers — refusing to believe that her beloved dad was the one responsible for the factory blaze — and the truth finally came to light last week, when she discovered that Kerry was the one who started the inferno — a fact which ultimately makes her responsible for Frank’s death.

After a confrontation between the pair, Kerry was left seriously injured and taken away to the hospital. With Tracy riddled with guilt over her actions, she has been unable to inform the police about what Kerry did to her dad, and — tonight — she made yet another attempt to do so, but was unable to turn Kerry in, as it would leave Amelia without a parent.

With Kerry finally having come round, Vanessa wasted little time in marching round to hospital to have it out with her dad’s killer. The pair argued — and Vanessa grew increasingly angry — and when a nurse tried to get her to calm down, she accidentally knocked the nurse into the wall, resulting in her getting arrested.

Later, at the police station, an irate Vanessa attempted to explain her actions, and — as she was put into a cell — she shouted at the top of her lungs about how she has a very good reason to be so angry. It’s pretty clear that she’s threatening to reveal the truth about Kerry.

Will she perhaps take advantange of her time in the police station and reveal what she knows about the fire?

Meanwhile, Kerry and Amy (Natalie Ann Jamieson) pondered over whether or not Vanessa would reveal everything — and the worry was extremely evident on their faces.

Emmerdale continues on Wednesday 9th October at 7pm on ITV.

Gray Atkins (Toby Alexander-Smith) has been physically abusing wife Chantelle (Jessica Plummer) in EastEnders, and tonight his aggression got the better of him once more, as he threatened to hit her again — thus putting their unborn baby at risk.

With Bailey (Kara-Leah Fernandes) having overheard Karen’s (Lorraine Stanley) conversation with Mitch (Roger Griffiths) — a conversation in which Karen revealed that she knew Dinah was going to take her own life — the young girl went missing during tonight’s episode. After the Taylors searched high and low, Tiffany (Maisie Smith) located Bailey, and brought her round to Chantelle and Gray’s house.

Keegan (Zack Morris) knew something was up due to the way Bailey was acting round Karen, so he demanded answers — but Karen felt unable to provide them. Spying an opportunity to cause some trouble, Gray decided to spill the beans, thus revealing that Karen knew of Dinah’s plans.

Chantelle was understandably upset with her husband, and told him that it wasn’t his place to reveal such information. Fuming, Gray made a beeline for his wife, but she pleaded with him to stop — reminding him about her pregnancy.

An angry Gray punched the nearby worktop, before revealing his devastation at the fact that Chantelle thought him capable of hurting their unborn child. He stormed out, leaving Chantelle to ponder over what had just happened.

Gray might be attempting to get his anger under control, but that doesn’t change the fact that he almost hurt Chantelle again. His actions in this episode also beg the question of what would’ve happened had Chantelle not reminded him about the child?

If his anger gets the better off him again, could he end up hurting their unborn baby?

EastEnders continues on Thursday 10th October at 7:30pm on BBC One.

First the good news on tonight’s Holby City – Ric Griffin (Hugh Quarshie)’s brain tumour is benign. Unfortunately the bad news is very bad indeed. The tumour is huge, which makes surgery to remove it ‘extremely difficult,’ according to Ric. The risks are very high that he could have a stroke or not survive the surgery at all. Leaving the tumour where it is could be an option, but it will probably keep on growing and compress his brain, leading to more mood swings, more forgetfulness and worse. His days as a surgeon would definitely be over very soon.

Because he had Darla (Naomi Katiyo) to worry about, he decided that he wouldn’t risk the surgery and would try to manage the symptoms of the tumour with drugs. He also decided not to worry Darla by telling her about his diagnosis.

Everything changed when Darla was visited by Peter (Jordan Adene), the father of her baby, who proved to be a very mature, supportive and sensible 15 year old. Donna (Jaye Jacobs) had already detected in Darla signs of doubt that she wanted to go through with having her baby adopted and Peter’s arrival cemented her decision – she wanted to keep her daughter. Peter said he’d get a job and they’d manage.

Ric was on board with this plan because he’s always wanted whatever makes Darla happy. Then Peter’s father (Daniel Adegboyega), an elder of the church, arrived and kicked off a bit. He accused Darla of trying to trap his son and said the baby might not even be Peter’s. There was a bit of a tussle as he tried to take Peter away and Ric ended up being thrown to the ground and knocked unconscious.

Ric wasn’t seriously hurt, but as everyone clustered around his bedside Cameron (Nic Jackman) said something about his ‘serious condition’ in front of Darla, so Ric had no option but to tell her the truth. Peter proved that he’s a keeper by smoothing things out with Darla’s dad, so Darla is going to move back in with Kofi and bring up the baby, after making Ric promise that he has to do what’s best for him and not delay the surgery just for her sake. And they’re naming the baby Erica, after her great-granddad – which made him fill up. ‘She wouldn’t be here now if it weren’t for you,’ Darla said. ‘And Cameron,’ he reminded her, ‘But Erica’s a better name.’

Ric apologised to Zav (Marcus Griffiths) and Donna for his recent behaviour and told them he’s going to go for the surgery, because he wants to carry on being a surgeon himself if there’s even a slim chance.

Meanwhile a small bunch of supporting artists had assembled to give Essie (Kaye Wragg) a party to welcome her new adopted baby. This was mainly a plot device so one of the cards would be found later on by Connor (Calum Lill) – Isla’s father. He’d come to the hospital to get Frankie’s phone number from Essie but he soon worked out that Essie is pretending that Isla is her legally adopted daughter. Sacha (Bob Barrett) tried to help Essie out by warning Connor off but only succeeded in making the situation worse. Essie finally resorted to good old fashioned bribery and gave Connor as much money as the Pulses’ cash machine would dish out to please go away and not bother her. I don’t expect that’s the last we’ll hear from him, though.

Darwin patient o’ the week Bea (Rosalind Halstead) turned out to be Kian (Ramin Karimloo)’s long-lost love. She also needed a heart valve replacement or repair and he gave her the choice of which to go for. She plumped for the repair – less invasive, less recovery time – but in theatre Nicky (Belinda Owusu) said she’d have strongly advised the replacement. Was Kian’s clinical judgement clouded by a haze of romantic memories?

Sue Haasler is the author of the official Holby City book, which you can read about here. Her other TV books and novels are listed here

Coronation Street is buiding up to some dramatic and heart wrenching storylines as our brand new spoilers reveal. As the devastating death of Sinead Tinker (Katie McGlynn) draws nearer, a confession from Bethany Platt (Lucy Fallon) could have huge ramifications for her dying days.

Elsewhere, a brand new crisis kicks off for David (Jack P Shepherd) as he is forced to come face to face with his rapist Josh Tucker (Ryan Clayton) in prison while Gemma Winter (Dolly-Rose Campbell) finds herself in a drastic situation ahead of the birth of her quads.

Here, we reveal what’s coming up in Weatherfield.

Monday 14th October

No episode.

Wednesday 16th October Part One

Gemma nets two VIP tickets to the Weatherfield County match and excitedly heads there with Chesney but disaster strikes when she tries to get through the turn stile and ends up trapped due to her pregnant stomach.

Max returns home in a foul mood and ends up in a row with Lily over the TV. When Harry is then hurt and has to be taken to hospital, Shona accuses Max who defiantly claims that it was Lily who pushed him.

Sinead is disheartened when she has to use a wheelchair to attend a family picnic and when she becomes too unwell, she has to be taken home. Geoff suggests to Yasmeen that they invest in Speed Daal while Bethany accidentally causes James to be injured.

Wednesday 16th October Part Two

Marion arrives and tells Shona that Max has been visiting her and when she spots that Shona has been drinking, she accuses her of being an unfit mother and seeks legal advice over custody. Later, Shona realises that it was Lily who pushed Harry and she feels terrible.

Gemma is mortified when the fire service have to cut her out of the turnstile while Daniel and Sinead are given a painful reminder that time is running out. Alya agrees to let Alya invest – but not Geoff while Bethany picks James’ brains over an article.

Friday 18th October Part One

Shona tries to contact Max and is horrified when Marion makes it clear that she plans to fight her and David for custody of Max. David is rocked by the news and his day gets worse when he spots Josh in the medical wing of the prison.

Sinead admits to Beth that she is no longer able to perform the simplest of tasks while Bethany gets creative with her writing. A PR suggests to Gemma that she cashes in on the news coverage of her incident but she later gets stomach pains.

Geoff reveals that Zeedan is selling his half of Speed Daal to him – much to Alya’s frustration.

Friday 18th October Part Two

Aware that Sinead won’t be alive for Christmas, Kirk, Adam, Beth, Craig and Tracy unite to make plans for her to have an early festive day. Meanwhile, James realises from Bethany’s writing that she is in love with Daniel – and she swears him to secrecy.

David discovers that Josh is inside for drugging and raping someone else – and he tells Abe that he did the same thing to him. Meanwhile, Sarah is stunned to learn that Adam gave Marion legal advice for the custody fight.

Gemma is told that she needs rest while Bernie insists on taking on her PR. Yasmeen assures Alya that she wants Geoff to be part of the business but Alya is annoyed when he suggests scrapping their no alcohol policy.

Robert Sugden hasn’t had an easy couple of months in Emmerdale — what with him having been charged for GBH with intent for brutally assaulting Victoria Barton’s (Isabel Hodgins) rapist Lee — but things are set to get much worse for the beloved character before his on-screen exit arrives, and actor Ryan Hawley has all the gossip on Robert’s exit.

Robert was livid when he first learned about what had happened to Victoria, and thus he set out to seek revenge on her behalf — in spite of her consistently asking him not to. After multiple failed attempts to get justice for what Lee did, Robert lost control and picked up a shovel, before hitting the rapist on the back of the head — and he was charged for the crime as a result.

He ended up pleading guilty so that he could save Victoria having to lie on his behalf in court, and since then he’s been enjoying the free time he’s got left with husband Aaron (Danny Miller). On Robert’s current state of mind, Ryan said: ‘He’s waiting for the inevitable.He is however, optimistic that it is going to only be a short amount of time that he’s going to be away for.’

‘I believe, worst case scenario – only a couple of years. He is quite confident in the fact that he has pled guilty so sentencing will be a bit more lenient.’

Robert’s circumstances are set to worsen in the coming episodes, as he learns that Lee has passed away in hospital. The ramifications that the rapist’s death will have on his prison sentence is the main cause of concern, as it’s now incredibly likely that he’ll be charged with murder for what he did to the young man.

Robert understandably struggles to process this information, but Liv (Isobel Steele) offers up a solution, when she suggests that he and Aaron go on the run together.

Ryan said: ‘The news has just been broken to them so they haven’t really got a plan, they are going to have to take it as it comes. It means some very emotional goodbyes to some people in the village, but they have to be quick and there are some people they don’t even get the chance to because there just isn’t time.’

‘The police are literally on their way so they have to be fast and quickly make it out of the village.  They really believe they are going to stay on the run and make it work.  There were very emotional goodbyes with a real sense of urgency.’

Robert and Aaron bid farewell to their nearest and dearest before heading off to begin their new adventure, but whether or not they manage to evade the law remains to be seen.

Either way, leaving Emmerdale will no doubt be a tough task for Ryan, considering he’s been a huge part of the soap since 2014. On his departure, he said: ‘I will miss the show massively, it has been a huge part of my life for the last few years. I love working here, I love the people that I work with and it’s going to be very emotional leaving.’

Casualty favourite Duffy will soon be leaving our screens as actress Cathy Shipton has announced her departure from the BBC One medical drama.

Cathy made her very first appearance first during Casualty’s very first episode in 1986, and has featured heavily ever since — appearing in over 350 instalments thus far. During that time, she’s been part of some of the show’s most memorable storylines.

The character has also featured rather heavily on our screens this past year, as, after struggling with memory problems, she was diagnosed with dementia — something which she later relayed to old pal Charlie (Derek Thompson). As a result of her diagnosis, Duffy chose to step down from her role as a nurse.

On her impending departure, Cathy said: ‘Walking in Duffy’s shoes through the years has taught me so much for which I’ll be forever grateful. I’m honoured and humbled to have played this inspiring woman.’

‘With sadness, but a sense of completion, l say goodbye.’

Cathy posted on Twitter this morning that today she is filming some of her ‘last scenes ever playing Duffy!’

@BBCCasualty So, today l'm filming some of my last scenes ever playing Duffy! What a wonderful life l've had interwoven with mine all these years. Duffy – it's been an honour and a privilege. ❤ pic.twitter.com/SRY4LqJ5Ku

— catherine shipton (@cathship27) October 9, 2019

Following the announcement of her departure, Executive Producer Simon Harper said: ‘Cathy’s enormous contribution has not just been to Casualty, but also to the national consciousness and the British Television Drama landscape.’

‘She has made Duffy into a comforting Saturday night icon, the caring, ideal NHS nurse millions grew up with – and whom you’d want to be looked after by in times of need.’

Although Cathy is leaving, Duffy will continue to appear on our screens until 2020.

It’s been quite some time since we last saw him, but Coronation Street legend Norris Cole (Malcolm Hebden) returns to the cobbles tonight for Ken Barlow’s (William Roache) 80th birthday party — and he’s not the only familiar face who’ll be making an appearance either, as Emily Bishop (Eileen Derbyshire) will also be seen via Skype.

With Ken’s 80th birthday party on the horizon, the residents of the cobbles gather in the Rovers to celebrate the Weatherfield icon during tonight’s episode. The birthday bash will be an event to remember, but the biggest surprise arrives when old pal Norris shows up to join in the celebrations — something which leaves Ken thrilled.

That’s not the only thing that puts a smile on Ken’s face during either, as Emily makes an appearance via a video call, when she Skypes him from Edinburgh — and he’s touched as a result.

Norris returned to the cobbles for a brief stint earlier this year, before departing once more. However, Emily hasn’t been seen on the Street since 2016.

Ken’s delighted at his old friends getting in touch to mark his birthday, but there’s set to more heartache in store for him, as Sinead (Katie McGlynn) and Daniel (Rob Mallard) later arrive at the party with upsetting news.

Coronation Street continues on Wednesday 8th October at 7:30pm on ITV.

Sinead Tinker (Katie McGlynn) has had to cope with a lot in Coronation Street over the last few months — what with her having recently learned that her cancer has not only returned, but that this time it’s terminal — but she’s set to receive more devastating news in tonight’s episode.

With Ken’s (William Roache) birthday party in the Rovers planned for later, Sinead and Daniel (Rob Mallard) head to see the oncologist for an appointment, but — upon their arrival — they get incredibly upsetting news.

Sinead’s cancer hasn’t been responding to the treatment and, as a result, she now only has a few weeks left to live.

She’s left reeling — unable to process what they’ve just heard —but Sinead’s adamant that they need to attend Ken’s (William Roache) birthday party.

As a result, Daniel reveals that he’s also planned a surprise party for Bertie out the back of the Rovers — something which leaves Sinead rather touched.

During Bertie’s birthday party, Sinead breaks down, and thus she decides to reveal to all her friends and family in attendance that she’s only got a few weeks left to live — a revelation which leaves everyone shocked.

Coronation Street continues on Wednesday 8th October at 7:30pm on ITV.

Sinead Osbourne (Katie McGlynn)’s heartbreaking story on Coronation Street is moving into its final phase now, as Sinead learns that her cancer is so advanced she has only weeks to live. As the story builds up to its tragic climax, it’s worth looking back at how Corrie has dealt with the subject of dying and death with sensitivity, insight and honesty.

Kathryn Mannix, palliative care consultant and author of ‘With the End In Mind: How to Live and Die Well’ says as a society we don’t like to talk about death. We talk of people ‘passing away’ or just ‘passing.’ This is supposed to make this most difficult of subjects easier to bear, but in reality it can make it hard to have the important conversations that need to be had when someone is dying. ‘Confronting the process allows us to plan for and relate to our dearest people over the last part of their lives,’ Mannix says.

Coronation Street is using this story to confront these taboos. Soon after she finds a lump on her neck on her wedding day, Sinead talks to new husband Daniel (Rob Mallard) about their son Bertie being her legacy. He tells her not to talk like that, but Sinead insists, ‘You have to let me say things.’

Sinead is shown as always being one step ahead of Daniel in accepting what’s going to happen. ‘It’s bad news,’ she says in the consultant’s office. ‘Tissues on the table – it’s a dead giveaway.’ Instantly she starts thinking about little Bertie and the things she’ll miss – his first Christmas, his first day at school. She’s understandably angry about dying at such a young age. When Daniel tells her he wants to savour every second they have left, Sinead says, ‘Or resent every second I’m losing.’

Having the diagnosis allows her to start thinking about Bertie’s future after she’s gone. She wants him to have music lessons and wants Daniel to show Bertie the wedding video, so her little boy knows her voice. It’s almost too painful for her to contemplate, but important that she expresses what she wants. ‘In the end all I’ll be is a story, like the bear from the Bear Hunt,’ she says, in a raw and emotional scene.

Although Daniel says straight away that he wants to care for Sinead at home, reality hits very quickly after her first session of chemo. With Sinead being violently sick and Bertie crying for attention, Daniel doesn’t know which way to turn. ‘I’m dying, Daniel – what did you think it was going to be like?’ Sinead asks him. ‘Did you expect me just to lie here on the couch until I gently faded away? Is all this a bit too real for you?’ Katie McGlynn really conveys Sinead’s anger and grief.

The effect of the news on friends and family is also shown, as people don’t know what to say or how to react. Chesney (Sam Aston), who’s been so close to Sinead, is so lost for words she gets angry at him. ‘Alright, you can stop staring at the freak show now. That’s what I am – poor Sinead.’ Touchingly he later tells her she’ll always be ‘just Sinead’ to him.

Evelyn (Maureen Lipman), in her forthright style, manages to strike the right tone. When Sinead forgets her purse when she goes to Dev’s shop Evelyn says, ‘Don’t be expecting any freebies just because you’re on your last legs.’ Sinead thanks her for treating her like a normal human being, but Evelyn passes a freebie to Daniel anyway, and Dev (Jimmi Harkishin) also lets Daniel have some stuff on the house. The kindness and compassion of other people, doing their best even though their best can never be good enough, has been an important part of the story.

The relationship between Sinead and Beth (Lisa George) has provided some of the most touching moments, including a scene where Sinead tells her auntie what she wants to wear for her funeral – a green dress and no shoes. Beth manages to hold herself together until Sinead leaves the room and then sobs like her heart will break.

Despite Daniel’s insistence that he’ll care for his wife at home to the very end, Sinead gets him to visit a hospice with her. Daniel finds it ‘quite inspiring’ and Sinead is reassured by the warm, supportive environment and the kind and sympathetic staff member they speak to. She’s worried, she tells a nurse later, about Bertie growing up in the house where his mother died. There’s a feeling that she would be happier in the hospice but it’s not a conversation that Daniel is ready to have.

Sinead faces her fears head on. ‘It’s not the dying, it’s the leaving,’ she tells Daniel. To the nurse, when she doesn’t have to put a brave face on, she explores her fears: ‘I just hope it’s not like – whoosh, one minute I’m here and the next I’m not. It’s the thought of sudden nothingness.’

As Kathryn Mannix says, ‘Dying people embrace living not because they are unusual or brave, but because that’s what humans do.’ Coronation Street, Katie McGlynn, Rob Mallard and Lisa George have shown exactly that, and they’ve done it beautifully.

For practical and emotional support at the end of life and through bereavement visit macmillan.org.uk

Bernie Winter (Jane Hazelgrove) won’t have a bad word said against Kel (Joesph Alessi) in Coronation Street at the moment, but that’s seemingly all set to change when she discovers that he sexually abused her son, Paul Foreman (Peter Ash).

Bernie was elated when old flame Kel came back into her life. Gemma (Dolly-Rose Campbell) was equally pleased to see her mum’s ex on the cobbles, as she believes him to be a good influence on wayward Bernie. However, Paul didn’t share in his family’s delight, and it was later revealed that Kel had groomed and sexually abused him when he was only 14.

Billy (Daniel Brocklebank) worked out what had transpired pretty quickly, and has pleaded with Paul ever since to reveal his traumatic past to his family. The young man has refused to do so thus far, but that’s all set to change.

The Sun reports that Paul will open up to his mum about the abuse he suffered at the hands of Kel. However, upon learning this information, Bernie will refuse to believe her son — that is, until she discovers evidence that proves Kel has been lying to her all these years. Afterwards, she becomes hellbent on seeking revenge.

A source told The Sun Online: ‘All hell will break loose when Bernie finds out the truth that Kel did abuse Paul.’

‘With Paul’s words ringing in her ears she starts to search for anything that will put her mind at rest and discovers a box of pictures that Kel he took of Paul.’

‘Bernie realises immediately Paul was telling the truth and she flies into a fury.’

‘She goes into a violent rage and tries and kill Kel by beating him up with a stool for what he has done to her son and family.’

‘They’re going to be explosive scenes that show what Jane can do with such big stories.’

The question is: will Bernie end up murdering Kel once she realises the truth?

Coronation Street continues on Wednesday 8th October at 7:30pm and 8:30pm on ITV.

Mark Brennan (Scott McGregor) has been weighing up a huge decision ever since they discovered how much Fay (Zoe Bertrum) had deterioriated. But can he really turn his back on Elly Conway (Jodi Anasta) and leave Neighbours?

Mark and Aaron (Matt Wilson) return from Adelaide and Aaron tells David (Takaya Honda) he has something to confess. David’s heart stops when he thinks his husband is about to tell him they need to move away to help look after his mum, but it soon becomes clear Mark is the one who’s chosen to leave.

Mark is ready to leave Ramsay Street, but he’s planning on bowing out with minimal fuss. He can’t bear the idea of emotional farewells and things just slinking off will be best for everyone. Aaron and David try to encourage him to say his goodbyes, but they’re floored when he drops a bombshell on them.

While he’s of course keen to get to Fay and help her as her condition worsens, he’s in fact devastated to be leaving Erinsborough. He’s packing up and leaving with a very heavy heart and cannot bear telling his loved ones to their faces that he’s leaving his life behind.

As Mark tries to come to terms with his decision, a run-in with Roxy and advice from his brother start to make him see things differently – though he can’t bring himself to say goodbye, he decides instead to record heart-breaking messages for everyone who meant something to him.

Though Mark has kept it mostly to himself, Elly (Jodi Anasta) twigs something is going on and tries to get information out of Aaron. He cracks and tells her the truth, so she legs it to the lake where she finds Mark ready to beg him to stay. He’s there saying his goodbyes to Sonya and Kate.

Elly is crushed that he’s decided to leave, weighed down by the guilt of her own actions. He wouldn’t be leaving if it wasn’t for her, in fact he could have been enjoying a blissful life if she’d remained faithful.

But is she about to try and stop him from going? Is there something still there for these two after all, or will Mark really just walk away?

Scenes air from Monday 14^th October at 1.45pm and 5.30pm on Channel 5.

That’s right soap fans – we’re going to have to be away from The Cobbles for an entire week.

After today, Wednesday 9 October, until Wednesday 16 October, Corrie will not be airing.

Before you go starting any riots, here’s what you need to know about why…

Why is Coronation Street cancelled for a whole week?

Corrie will be off our screens to make way for the UEFA Championship qualifiers.

On Friday 11 October, England will be playing against Czech Republic, and on Monday 14 October, England will be playing Bulgaria.

When Corrie returns, poor Sinead Tinker’s (Katie McGlynn) death will continue to draw nearer, as the beloved character finds herself too sick to carry out everyday tasks.

Elsewhere in Weatherfield, pregnant Gemma (Dolly-Rose Campbell) will get herself stuck in the turnstile trying to get into a football match, and David (Jack P Shepherd) will come face to face with his vile rapist Josh (Ryan Clayton) while in prison.

Coronation Street is next on tonight, 9 October, at 7:30pm on ITV.

Norris Cole (Malcolm Hebden) delighted fans in Coronation Street last night when he turned up in the Rovers to surprise Ken Barlow (William Roache) on his 80^th birthday.

After a long absence from the soap after actor Malcom suffered a heart attack in December 2017, his character Norris made a brief return to Corrie earlier this year, before emotional scenes back in June saw Norris say goodbye again and leave his beloved community behind.

Now he has returned to Coronation Street once again, but where has Norris been and is he back for good this time?

Where has Norris Cole been?

The Corrie legend, who first appeared on the soap back in 1994, bid an emotional goodbye to the Cobbles back in June 2019, when his storyline saw him leave Weatherfield to move to Scotland.

Norris’ decision to move up to Edinburgh came after he returned to the soap dramatically back in May and told his wife Mary that he wanted a divorce because he is in love with Freda Burgess (Ali Brigg) and that they are engaged.

As Freda lives in Edinburgh, Norris left Weatherfield in order to get married and live with her there and has presumably been living up in Scotland ever since.

Is Norris Cole returning to Coronation Street for good?

It hasn’t been confirmed if Martin Hebden’s return to Corrie is just a one-off on this occasion.

However soap bosses have certainly left the door open for Norris to return on a permanent basis.

Show boss Iain MacLeod told Metro.co.uk back in June: ‘One hundred per cent Norris is not leaving the show. We just thought that given the circumstances given we find ourselves in it made sense to put a family in number three but it’s certainly not the end of Norris. On both our parts we hope to have him back for good.’

MORE: How long has Malcolm Hebden played Norris in Coronation Street and what else has he been in?

MORE: Norris Cole’s story so far on Coronation Street

Emily Bishop, played by actress Eileen Derbyshire, is the longest-standing female character in Coronation Street and so her return to our screens – albeit brief – is a welcome one.

Emily makes a cameo on the soap in Wednesday night’s episodes when she appears via video phone to surprise Ken Barlow (William Roache) on his 80th birthday.

Eileen hasn’t made an appearance on the show as her character Emily in almost three years, so her brief return is a nostalgic one.

The Weatherfield veteran was a regular on the soap until 2016, but where has she been since then and why is she not coming back to the Cobbles for good?

Where is Emily Bishop in Coronation Street and why is she not returning properly?

Emily bid goodbye to the soap in January 2016 after an incredible 50 years on the show.

Eileen’s character’s exit storyline saw her decide to travel to Peru to help her nephew Geoffrey ‘Spider’ Nugent with his charity work.

The pensioner was believed to be in South America until January 2018 when Ken Barlow revealed that he’d had word his friend has returned to the UK and was now living in Edinburgh with her niece Freda Burgess.

Emily Bishop as a character has always had the door left open for her after Eileen took a break a number of years ago, however, show boss Iain MacLeod revealed back in August that although discussions always remain ongoing in terms of Emily returning, as it stands, there are no plans on the table yet for a permanent return.

So we’ll have to be content with the Corrie legend appearing on Skype for now.

Coronation Street airs tonight on ITV1 at 7.30pm and 8.30pm.

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Hollyoaks is set for a big old dramatic Christmas this year, with a huge unexpected storyline on the horizon for diehard viewers.

Yep, it seems like soap bosses will be keeping us on tenterhooks over the festive period and we have zero complaints.

Haiesha Mistry, who plays Yasmine Maalik in the Channel 4 soap, caught up with Metro.co.uk on the red carpet at Monday’s Inside Soap Awards to give us the lowdown.

‘Christmas is going to go off with a bang,’ Haiesha began, before clearing up that the bang won’t be a literal explosion because literally none of us would be able to cope.

She continued to tease: ‘There’s going to be some excitement as the Hollyoaks fans love, but there’s going to be something that will shock them.

‘It shocked me – and I’m still adjusting to it.’

Before Christmas gets underway though, Haiesha explained that things are going to continue being tough for Yasmine after she was left deaf in last month’s terrorist attack.

‘It’s going to be really, really difficult,’ she revealed. ‘As we’ve seen on-screen, they’ve released an app and that’s her use of communication.

‘She’s going to feel really isolated in the beginning. She can’t instinctively connect with people.’

‘I’m proud that we’re raising the awareness that this is the reality for a lot of people,’ Haeisha added.

MORE: Hollyoaks spoilers: Brooke Hathaway rejects gutted Ollie Morgan’s proposal

Maya Stepney is currently behind bars doing time for her grooming and abuse of Jacob Gallagher (Joe-Warren Plant), but could she be back reigning terror in the not-so-distant future?

Actress Louisa Clein has weighed in on whether Emmerdale viewers are likely to see the paedophile teacher on-screen again and told Metro.co.uk on the red carpet at Monday’s Inside Soap Awards that anything could happen.

‘I’ve left Emmerdale. There’s certainly room for the story to develop, who knows what’s going to happen,’ Lousia said.

‘I think that we purposefully made this story go for a long, long time and I think there will be long, long repercussions with Jacob, David, with all the people in the village so who knows.’

Asked whether she would like to return to the Dales, Louisa said: ‘Emmerdale is the most amazing place to work.

‘I’ve loved my time on the show but I live in London, my life and my family are in London. It’s hard, who knows.’

She added: ‘If we could do a spin-off show based in the city where the country folk come to town.’

Um, let’s make this happen!

Emmerdale airs weekdays at 7pm on ITV.

MORE: Emmerdale spoilers: Ryan Hawley reveals all on Robert Sugden’s exit

MORE: Emmerdale spoilers: Vanessa Woodfield exposes the truth about Kerry Wyatt?

It’s the end of an era for many an Emmerdale fan as the book closes for now on the love story that is Robron. After rapist Lee Posner dies in hospital, Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley) realises that he is facing a much longer sentence than he expected – and he and Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller) make the reckless decision to go on the run. But will they evade justice as they face the final curtain?

Elsewhere, another favoured ship heading for the rocks is Coira as Faith Dingle (Sally Dexter) clicks that Moira (Natalie J Robb) is cheating on Cain (Jeff Hordley) – but she has the wrong cuprit as she prepares to reveal that she has been sleeping with Pete Barton (Anthony Quinlan).

Monday 14th October

No episode.

Tuesday 15th October

Hour long episode.

Victoria breaks the news to a stunned Robert that Lee has died and he realises the consequences are much worse now. He makes plans to get out of the village and he and Aaron are forced to say some painful goodbyes to the people they love.

Elsewhere, Moira tries to evade Pete and Jimmy upsets Nicola with his behaviour in front of council officials after taking weed cakes.

Wednesday 16th October

Liv is struck by a realisation in the wake of Aaron and Robert’s departure – but what will she do? Meanwhile, Faith is suspicious when she clocks Pete and Moira talking closely and she leaps to conclusions.

Elsewhere, Mandy offers her support.

Thursday 17th October Part One

Jealous of the time that Graham is spending with Rhona, Kim decides to try and assert her dominance and leaves him torn when she makes a passionate pass at him. But will he reject her in favour of Rhona?

Faith tries to piece things together while Robert records a goodbye message. Chas and Paddy are questioned.

Thursday 17th October Part Two

As Chas breaks down in tears over the thought of losing Aaron, Paddy comforts her. Meanwhile, faced with a crossroads, Aaron and Robert reminisce about everything – and they are left with a decision to make.

Moira is shaken when Faith confronts her over having an affair while Graham makes an admission to Rhona.

Friday 18th October

In the wake of Lee’s death, Wendy shows up to confront Victoria – but what does she want this time? Elsewhere, Paddy and Chas try to stay strong after recent developments.

Kim has cause for concern while Graham arranges to take Rhona on a dinner date. Faith remains convinced that Moira is cheating on Cain.

Affairs of the heart take centre stage in our latest EastEnders spoilers, as Stuart Highway (Ricky Champ) fights for Rainie Branning (Tanya Franks), Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) reflects on her past with Callum ‘Halfway’ Highway (Tony Clay) while looking forward with Leo King (Tom Wells), and Tiffany Butcher (Maisie Smith) and Keegan Baker (Zack Morris) discuss the future of their relationship.

Elsewhere, Martin Fowler (James Bye) continues to aid Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) with his dodgy dealings, but is it only a matter of time before he faces serious consequences for doing so? And Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) deliberates over what to do for the best.

Monday 14th October

After clashing with Rainie and Stuart, Kathy attempts to come up with a compromise and offers to supervise Rainie during her sessions with Abi, but Max isn’t keen and thus makes her promise that she’ll keep Abi away from Rainie. However, Stuart’s none too pleased, and blackmails Kathy into letting him spend time with the child.

Martin asks Louise if she would go and visit Bex. She initially makes an excuse, but — after some intervention from Mel — she drops by to see her best mate.

Sonia’s suspicious of Martin’s odd behaviour as of late, so she confronts him. Gray organises an overnight stay in a lavish hotel for Chantelle, while Tiffany and Keegan discuss their future together.

Tuesday 15th October

Despite Max’s request, Kathy allows Rainie to spend some time with Abi. Meanwhile, Stuart opens up to Bex about his concerns for Rainie— admitting that something’s not quite right with her. Bex advises him to put some trust in Rainie, and thus he sets off to track her down. However, he is ultimately left devastated by what he finds.

Mitch covers Mick’s shift so that the Queen Vic landlord can sneak off to an appointment regarding his panic attacks. Upon returning home, Linda’s inquisitive as to why Mitch is serving behind her bar, but she grows concerned when she realises that Mick is at the doctors.

Sonia’s interest is piqued — as are those of the Taylors’ — when she learns that Keegan and Tiffany have a big announcement. Martin informs Ben that he doesn’t require back-up for the upcoming collection job, and Whitney bites the bullet and agrees to meet Leo in the Queen Vic for a drink — but will ‘romance’ ensue?

Thursday 17th October

Tiffany’s suspicions are raised when Whitney introduces her to Leo. With Tiff already having met the young man at her stepsister’s wedding, she’s curious as to what his motives are. Leo believes his plans for Whitney have been ruined as a result of Tiffany having recognised him.

A pick-up spirals out of control and Martin is left injured as a result, causing him to miss Bex’s mental health appointment. Stuart puts the blame for Rainie’s situation on Kathy and Kush comes to realise just how much the Slaters are struggling.

Friday 18th October

Sonia is distraught when she sees the extent of Martin’s injuries, and thus she orders him to go and get seen to at A&E, but he refuses to do so. As a result, Sonia berates him over his lack of thought for Bex, but Martin simply pleads for her forgiveness. Will she help him?

Stuart’s on the warpath, so he issues Kathy with a devastating threat, promising to hurt Ian and Ben if she doesn’t back off. However, as the pair converse, he opens up about the judgment that both himself and Rainie have to face as a result of their pasts.

After surprising Whitney at E20, Leo attempts to convince her to come back to his place — but she’s determined to stay put. Callum and Ben enter and, as Whitney gets drunk, Callum feels compelled to check on her — and has an emotional chat with her as a result.