Inside Soap UK 10 - 2016

If you lived in soapland, you’d think you’d be a dab hand at pulling off the perfect big day. After all, you tend to get a lot of practice in that department! Take Emmerdale’s Laurel. This is her fourth wedding – with three to the same man – so you’d expect her to float up the aisle towards Ashley with her eyes shut. But no, she ends up with an incapacitated vicar, a family feud and a big secret revealed before she can say “I do” (see p36). And spare a thought for poor Leah in Home and Away on p16. This is also her fourth trip to the altar, so she reckons that she’s got it all sorted. Shame there’s just one thing she forgot to tick off her…

“MICK AND LINDA IMMEDIATELY START TO QUESTION THEIR OWN ACTIONS” This is the awful moment when panic-stricken Mick and Linda look in on their baby son, Ollie, and realise that he’s not breathing. The agonising minutes that follow see determined Linda take charge of the terrifying situation and attempt to revive her little boy – but can she summon all her strength to bring him back to life? “I think Linda feels just how I would feel if I was in this situation,” says star Kellie Bright, who is mum to four-year-old Freddy in real life. “I think you really need to detach yourself emotionally from what’s going on. There’s no room to panic and cry or shout and scream. “Linda just has to deal with it – she switches…

Squabbling Lee and Nancy are interrogated by the police this week, as officers descend on the Queen Vic to investigate the fight that led to poor Ollie’s tumble. Protective Linda is quick to assure her kids they’re not to blame – but Mick clearly has his doubts as he admits to Shirley and Buster that he holds Nancy responsible! “No matter how close families are, when something like this happens, there’s a lot of blame that can be thrown around,” reckons Kellie. “Everyone in the family is trying to cope in their own way in order to make sense of the situation. It will really test the Carters and cause a huge amount of stress for all involved…”…

“ IT’S VERY WRONG OF ROSS, BUT YOU ALMOST HAVE TO ADMIRE HIS NERVE” Desperate Ross dons a disguise (of sorts) to rob a jewellery shop this week, after wicked Charity demands £5,000 to keep his big secret under wraps. Wily Charity has both Ross and his mum Emma dancing to her tune. She knows that Emma helped young Noah when he ran away from Moira recently and – most explosively – has also learned that it was Ross who shot Robert. Realising that the Bartons can help her to make some quick cash, blackmailing Charity sets about tightening the screws, which in turn leads to Ross’ reckless jewel heist… BARTON BARNEY Charity has long seen unhinged Emma as a useful pawn in her quest to inveigle her way back…

JACK DUCKWORTH To lead the Weatherfield women’s bowling team to victory, Jack adopted the guise ‘Ida Fagg’. His wife Vera was so convinced by Ida she thought Jack was having an affair! CHARITY DINGLE Emmerdale’s Charity enjoyed slipping on a bobbed brunette wig and flirting with rich men at a posh hotel. She would then steal their car keys – and Cain would make off with their wheels. JENNY BRADLEY Disturbed Jenny wigged up in the hope of smuggling little Jack out of Weatherfield without being recognised. But rather than averting suspicion, the wig gave the game away… VAL POLLARD In another spot of Dales wig action, Val disguised herself as Brenda to help her pal Bob get an illegal bank loan. Sadly, it all blew up in their faces…

“EILEEN WILL BE MORTIFIED IF SHE FINDS OUT PHELAN HAS BEEN LYING” Eileen makes a terrible mistake this week, when she falls for nasty Phelan’s dubious charms – then climbs into bed with him! With her ex Michael out of the picture, Eileen is ripe for Phelan’s picking – but after Anna notices the flirty pair having lunch together, she tells Eileen the shocking truth about Phelan’s evil ways, in the hope that it will put her straight. But Phelan beats Anna to the punch by conning Eileen with yet more cruel lies – paving the way for his shameless seduction… “Eileen trusts Phelan – he’s given her no reason not to,” admits Sue Cleaver, who plays Eileen. “Everything he’s told her about his past seems legit, and he’s been…