Episode 8247 (31st August 2018)

''Joe proposes to Debbie. Debbie can't believe Joe's timing and rejects him. Elsewhere, Ryan is introduced to the rest of the Dingles whilst Manpreet and Rishi decide to give their relationship a go. Also, a murder investigation is launched.''

Plot
Debbie has told Sarah all about Ryan. Noah has spent the night at Home Farm. Joe knows Charity wouldn't win any parenting awards but knows she loves Noah and reminds his little brother that at least he's got a mum. Priya appears with a copy of the Hotten Courier - the front page headline reads "Murder Instigation Launched". She's convinced Lachlan will be tangled up in this somehow. Belle and Lachlan return from Scotland with the news that Lisa is campervanning around Europe with a friend. Zak shows the pair the Hotten Courier headline which panics Lachlan. Bernice summons Daz to the salon intending to break up with him but bottles it. Instead, Daz tells her he has something special lined up for her. Rishi leaves Manpreet a crank call telling her she's won money. Jai tells Rishi that Manpreet will think he's a lunatic and orders him to get a grip. Jai admits he tried speaking to Manpreet yesterday and advises Rishi to give her some space. Daz takes an underwhelmed Bernice to Amelia's birthday party at Dale Head. Joe again tries to ask for Sarah's blessing to propose to Debbie but he's interrupted by Noah. Zak finds Doug and Laurel sitting at the bar and question what the police wanted. Doug explains the blood on the rock matched fake Uncle Terry whose real name is Paul Tozer. Sarah quizzes Noah about Ryan. Noah explains he's drunk and obnoxious. Sarah quips he'll fit in well then although Noah can't understand why Charity even wants Ryan around. After Noah leaves, Joe asks for Sarah's blessing to propose to Debbie. Sarah questions if Joe is sure he wants to tie himself into their dysfunctional family. Joe admits he's madly in love with Debbie and can't live without her. He knows Debbie, Sarah and Jack come as a package so tells Sarah he needs to know she's okay with this. Bernice tries to break up with Daz again but this time she's interrupted when Daz's phone rings. After hanging up, Daz explains to Bernice her big surprise was that he got a job but he's just been told he didn't get it. Zak wonders if Lisa will be home for Christmas. Charity appears with Ryan and introduces her long-lost son to the rest of the family. Daz vows to get back on his feet and tells Bernice that one day he'll get her the world but he just needs someone to believe in him first. Bernice suggests he lends a hand at the B&B. Manpreet calls by Holdgate Farm and tells Rishi that his phone and flowers campaign wore her down although warns him she wants to take things slow. Joe shows Sarah the rings he's bought Debbie. She's impressed. When Debbie appears at the hospital, Sarah encourages Joe to propose now. Lachlan overhears Priya mentioning there are police crawling all over the woods looking for a body so he spins Belle a tale about meeting a school mate in Manchester then leaves the pub. Nicola can't believe Bernice still hasn't dumped Daz. Noah watches on as the Dingles tell Ryan about the tradition of drinking from a welly. They wind him up about drink for Sam's dirty welly and are impressed when Ryan agrees. After some encouragement from Sarah, Joe gets down on one knee in the middle of Sarah's hospital room and proposes to Debbie. A stunned Debbie pulls Joe out of the room and questions what he was thinking by proposing right now with everything that's going on. She tells Joe she doesn't want to marry him, she doesn't even want to look at him. In the dead of night, Lachlan heads into the woods and begins digging...

Regular cast

 * Sarah Sugden - Katie Hill
 * Debbie Dingle - Charley Webb
 * Joe Tate - Ned Porteous
 * Noah Dingle - Jack Downham
 * Priya Kotecha - Fiona Wade
 * Belle Dingle - Eden Taylor-Draper
 * Lachlan White - Thomas Atkinson
 * Zak Dingle - Steve Halliwell
 * Daz Spencer - Mark Jordon
 * Bernice Blackstock - Samantha Giles
 * Nicola King - Nicola Wheeler
 * Diane Sugden - Elizabeth Estensen
 * Rishi Sharma - Bhasker Patel
 * Jai Sharma - Christopher Bisson
 * Amelia Spencer - Daisy Campbell
 * Dan Spencer - Liam Fox
 * Kerry Wyatt - Laura Norton
 * Doug Potts - Duncan Preston
 * Laurel Thomas - Charlotte Bellamy
 * Moira Dingle - Natalie J Robb
 * Charity Dingle - Emma Atkins


 * Lydia Hart - Karen Blick
 * Sam Dingle - James Hooton

Guest cast

 * Nurse Hill - Cathy Breeze
 * Ryan Stocks - James Moore
 * Manpreet - Rebecca Sarker

Locations

 * Hotten General Hospital - Sarah's room, corridor and waiting area
 * Home Farm - Kitchen
 * Wishing Well Cottage - Downstairs rooms
 * Pear Tree Cottage - Beauty & Bernice salon
 * Cricket Pitch
 * Footbridge
 * Dale Head - Downstairs rooms
 * The Woolpack - Bar
 * Holdgate Farm - Living room
 * Sparrow Wood