Everybody seems to be hitting the bottle. Nigel is in deep trouble because of it.

Radio Times: Debbie is reminded of her past.

Characters: Debbie, Elizabeth, Hayley, Kenton, Kirsty, Nigel, Roy

• Kenton and Debbie have had a great afternoon at the Health Club; Kenton thinks it is a pity they are cousins. He now knows what an exercise bike looks like and obviously is therefore supremely qualifed to manage such a place. He has booked a table at 8pm at a restaurant she won’t know. She bets she will. Ok, winner pays for dinner.
• At Lower Loxley the guests are enjoying themselves but threatening to drink the cellar dry. Nigel is on mineral water, allegedly.
• Roy and Hayley are enjoying a night at the Bull. Roy manages twice to open his mouth and put his foot in it with Kirsty.
• The best Chinese restaurant in Felpersham! It is too, but not unknown to Debbie; it was her and Simon’s special place. Kenton heard of it from Brenda Tucker – no prizes for guessing how she found it. They settle for a (non-Chinese) take-away.
• Nigel has a problem, or rather, mummy has a problem: she cannot get a taxi home. Elizabeth thinks she is just too mean.
• Debbie and Kenton commiserate with one another, aided by plenty of alcohol.
• Roy and Hayley are amused by Chaba’s attentiveness to Kirsty; she recalls that life with Tom was exciting at first, until he started saving all his sweet nothings for the pigs. Roy makes no attempt to disguise the plans he has for Hayley later this evening.
• Nigel rings Elizabeth. He didn’t get as far as mummy. He is at the police station.
• Elizabeth rings Hayley. She knows it is a lot to ask but … Roy is quite clear what the answer should be. Hayley is able to decline gracefully; she has been at The Bull all evening and is well over the limit herself.
• Kenton is too far gone to send home; when Debbie retires, she makes him comfortable on the settee.
• Elizabeth has to take the children with her to collect Nigel. She is on a short fuse, so the least said the better. She neither knows nor cares where mummy is. He doesn’t know how it could have happened. He’s sorry. He will be!