Janine’s regretting confessing to David but he swears on Pat’s grave that he won’t tell anyone, and suggests she focus on the Vic. Kat later finds Janine upstairs in the Vic, acting as if she already owns the place, accompanied by Billy who’s carrying a box of Janine’s stuff. Kat rips a light fitting from the wall and hands it to her. Phil signs the paperwork Janine brings him – her 40% of the club is now his. He then reveals he’s had another offer on the Vic, if Janine wants it she’ll need another £400,000 by Christmas and proof she can raise the money by the end of the day. David helps a panicking Janine find ways to release the cash, even selling her car for her. Janine gives Phil a written proposal with the assurance she can give him £250,000 cash on Christmas Day. Phil agrees the Vic is hers but won’t confirm if there really was another offer. Back at No.27, David tells Janine he knew she’d get the money – for him. Janine’s confused and David plays her the recording of her confession; he wants £250,000 cash or it’s all over. David raises a glass to the future but Janine’s devastated.
The Christmas lights outside the Butchers’ have fused. A worried Morgan asks Carol why she’s so sad. Carol’s late for work at the café. She opens an NHS letter; it’s an appointment for a mammogram on Christmas Eve. TJ and Rosie open their Christmas presents from Nikki; Rosie’s thrilled with her monkey onesie. Bianca does impressions of Nikki but tells Terry to let Nikki have her moment. TJ and Terry work on the lights. Bianca accuses Nikki of wanting Terry back but Nikki retorts that Terry begged her not to leave him. With no chimney to use, the Butcher-Spraggan brood burn their Christmas letters in a bucket. TJ leaves his on the table. It reads ‘I just want everyone to be happy’. Morgan visits David and confides his worries about Carol. David nips out to deal with the buyer of Janine’s car and is angry when he returns to find Morgan listening to the beginning of Janine’s confession. Carol refuses to tell David what’s wrong with her. Acknowledging that Nikki will only have gay housemates Steve and Steve for company on Christmas Day, Terry suggests TJ spend it with her. Terry’s disappointed when Rosie pipes up that she wants to go too. When they’re alone, Morgan hugs Carol - if she ever needs any more hugs she knows where he is. Alone, Carol burns her own letter in the bucket. It simply says ‘I don’t want to die’.
Phil builds a train set, allegedly for Lexi. Lola and Peter want their families to spend Christmas Day together but Ian and Phil both think the idea’s preposterous – the Mitchells and the Beales?! Turning to plan B, Peter claims to Ian that it was Phil’s idea. Trying to be the ‘bigger man’ Ian visits Phil but quickly realises that Peter lied. Lola then gives Phil an ultimatum – Christmas all together or he doesn’t get to see Lexi. Phil grudgingly invites the Beales for Christmas dinner and Ian accepts.
After Ian asks permission to make a romantic gesture to Denise, Patrick warns Denise Ian’s going to propose. When Patrick asks Denise what she’d say, she’s noncommittal. On the hunt for an engagement ring, Denise finds her wrapped pile of presents from Ian. Patrick opens a present and Denise is unimpressed to discover a pair of vaguely racist oven gloves inside. Ian returns home and realises what Denise and Patrick are up to. He assures Denise that he has absolutely no intention of proposing but when he’s later alone, he looks wistfully at an engagement ring.
Mo agrees that Kat, Alfie and Tommy can move into No.23 when they leave the Vic. Show less