Episode 8280/8281 (9th October 2018)

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Plot
Ross watches Home Farm from the bushes. Before Joe heads home to get changed for the wedding, he promises Sarah he'll never let her down and will always be there for her. Noah returns to the pub to get ready for the masquerade ball although Charity refuses to attend. At Dale View, Moira hands Dawn a glass of orange juice and asks her who she is. A drugged up Dawn states she needs to speak to Ross as she did something stupid yesterday. Cain returns from France and heads straight to the hospital. Cain notices a fancy dress and a dress carrier hanging up so questions if Debbie is taking Sarah to the masquerade ball. He opens the dress carrier and realises it's actually a wedding dress. Charity decides to go to the hospital but Faith is adamant she can't as Sarah wants everyone to go to the masquerade ball. Charity reluctantly agrees to attend. Moira can't make much sense of Dawn. She again asks Dawn what happened. Dawn reveals she told Ross where Simon is. Moira tries to establish where Simon is, but instead of answering, Dawn is sick in the sink. Priya asks Graham to get some money to put in the collection hoping it'll make people more likely to donate. When Graham goes gets money from the safe, he discovers the combination has been changed. Graham guesses the new combination and discovers Joe and Debbie's wedding rings as well as a special wedding license inside. Graham approaches Priya and demands to know where Joe is. Meanwhile at the hospital, Cain tries to talk Debbie out of marrying Joe. Debbie is adamant she's marrying Joe today and asks Cain to give her away. Cain comments it seems like Joe has already taken her so Debbie orders him to leave. At the same time, Joe returns to Home Farm and surveys the grand house. Moira fears if Ross will kill Simon of he finds him. Dawn explains to Moira that Connor and Simon were going to do over Home Farm although Connor has gone AWOL so Simon's going to do it alone. Moira can't help but think of Holly when she sees Dawn and tells her she needs help. Dawn walks out. Graham informs Joe that he spoke to Kim and she's not happy with him, reminding him it would be foolish to upset Kim now. Debbie appears in the hospital chapel wearing her wedding gown. Sarah tells her she looks amazing. Moira is determined to stop Ross from doing something stupid but Ross won't see sense. Moira brings up Finn, James and Pete in an attempt to stop him but Ross orders her to get lost. When he walks away, Moira follows him. As Joe gets ready, he receives a text from Debbie telling him to hurry up. Outside the door, Graham puts on gloves.

Moira follows Ross and tries to make him see Simon isn't worth it. She recalls being on the viaduct with Emma and states she didn't want to kill her, but in split second, she made the biggest mistake of her life and it'll always be with her. Unknown to Joe, Graham stands behind him as he's on the phone to Debbie. Joe tells his bride-to-be that he's going to wear his late father's cuff links although comments he probably should've got some of Graham's instead as he's been more like a father to him. When Joe turns around, Graham is gone.

''Oh, God, where do you start? She was with him, then not with him, and then I think maybe back with him. Or the other way around. It was messy way back. But I thought it was done. Things calmed down. I should have known. When things get that messy, it never ends OK.'' - Nicola King (see notes)

The masquerade ball gets underway with many of the villagers in attendance. Bernice approaches Liam who suggests they should find somewhere quieter to go whilst Graham approaches Joe and asks for a word.

''Proper posh it was. And a bit weird. Masks and everything. It was like Phantom of the Opera meets a serial killer's shed. And all the booze that you could wish for, all these fancy little nibbles to soak it up and to stop you getting mortal. I gave them a swerve. Eey, who would have thought all that was going on as well.'' - Kerry Wyatt (see notes)

Graham leads Joe to the kitchen and produces the ring boxes, revealing he knows he and Debbie are going to get married today. Joe is confused as the ring boxes were in his safe. Graham states it's Kim's safe, as are the house and contents although he knows Joe is plotting to take the house. Leyla apologises to Priya for giving her a hard time about sleeping with Pete only for her to do the same to Tracy. Priya asks Leyla about her new man so Leyla proudly shows off her engagement ring then the pair toast to new beginnings. As Moira continues to follow Ross through the Home Farm grounds, he spots Simon standing outside the house. Ross reminds Moira that she acted in the heat of the moment and regretted it, but he's thought this through and he can't wait to get his revenge. To make Moira go away, Ross tells her it won't be carrying out his revenge today as Simon isn't here. A relieved Moira walks off. Joe asks Graham how he knows about the wedding and his property plans. Graham states Kim pays him to know. Joe hates that Kim controls them from her prison cell whilst they take all the risk of looking after her dirty money. He insists they're owed the house. Graham informs Joe that Kim isn't happy with him and makes it clear to Joe that Kim wants him disposed of. Graham states Kim only cares about them doing what she instructed and questions if Kim permitted him to marry Debbie or to try to take her house away from her. Joe reiterates to Graham that this house is for them. He reveals there is only three people in the world he loves, Debbie, Noah and him. Graham states there's only two people he loves and he's about to lose one of them. Joe suggests they forget about Kim and the house and move abroad. Graham place a bag on the table. He explains it contains around £100,000 and tells Joe it's his running away money as Kim will order a bullet next. When Joe states Kim isn't God, Graham quips she's more like the one on the lower floor then reveals she was released from prison today. Joe is shocked to learn Graham loves Kim. The Chaplain arrives in the the hospital chapel but there's still no sign of Joe. Back at Home Farm, Graham tells Joe about his relationship with Kim. He explains how he met her at a function when she previously lived at Home Farm although it didn't go anywhere for a while. Joe comments this is insane, reminding Graham he just compared Kim to the devil. Rebecca is struggling being back at Home Farm. As the charity auction begins, Simon tries to pilfer some nick-knacks but Priya catches him. When Simon heads outside, Ross spots him. Simon makes a run for it and Ross chases after him. Liam wins the luxury break for two. The next thing to be auctioned is the luxury car. Nicola is determined to get her hands on it although Jimmy refuses to enter a bidding war with some of the wealthy guests. Graham tells Joe that it was Kim who got him the job at his boarding school so he could watch out for him. He tells Joe that he wasn't supposed to fall in love with Debbie and he wasn't supposed to love him like a son. Joe can't leave Debbie but Graham tells him if he stays, he'll almost certainly die. Graham explains getting him away is the closest he's come to going against Kim. Joe wants Debbie with him but Graham reminds him it's not practical with Sarah's health problems. He informs Joe that a car will pull up outside and he will get in it. Moira overhears Priya confronting the catering boss about an employee trying to steal an ornament. Moira knows Priya is talking about Simon so asks where he went. Meanwhile, Ross chases Simon through the woods. He catches up with him and pushes him to the ground. Nearby, Bernice and Liam get frisky in the bushes. They hear something but Liam dismiss it as a fox. Simon manages to get from Ross but Ross continues to chase after him. As Joe stands outside Home Farm, Charity, Vanessa and Noah arrive. Unknown to Noah, Joe says his goodbyes to his little brother. Once Charity, Vanessa and Noah head inside, Joe orders Graham to look after Noah as well as himself. The pair shake hands then Joe gets in the car...

Regular cast

 * Ross Barton - Michael Parr
 * Priya Kotecha - Fiona Wade
 * Frank Clayton - Michael Praed
 * Tracy Metcalfe - Amy Walsh
 * Debbie Dingle - Charley Webb
 * Sarah Sugden - Katie Hill
 * Joe Tate - Ned Porteous
 * Nicola King - Nicola Wheeler
 * Sam Dingle - James Hooton
 * Zak Dingle - Steve Halliwell
 * Jimmy King - Nick Miles
 * Noah Dingle - Jack Downham
 * Charity Dingle - Emma Atkins
 * Moira Dingle - Natalie J Robb
 * Cain Dingle - Jeff Hordley
 * Faith Dingle - Sally Dexter
 * Graham Foster - Andrew Scarborough
 * Daz Spencer - Mark Jordon
 * Bernice Blackstock - Samantha Giles
 * Brenda Walker - Lesley Dunlop
 * Eric Pollard - Christopher Chittell
 * Kerry Wyatt - Laura Norton
 * Dan Spencer - Liam Fox
 * Doug Potts - Duncan Preston
 * Dr Cavanagh - Jonny McPherson
 * Leyla Harding - Roxy Shahidi
 * Rebecca White - Emily Head
 * Vanessa Woodfield - Michelle Hardwick

Guest cast

 * Dawn - Olivia Bromley
 * Simon McManus - Liam Ainsworth
 * Chaplain - Eric Potts
 * Nurse Hill - Cathy Breeze
 * Auctioneer - Robin Bowerman

Locations

 * Home Farm - Grounds, driveway, office, kitchen, courtyard, Joe's bedroom, upstairs hallway, entrance hallway and living room
 * Hotten General Hospital - Sarah's room, corridor and chapel
 * The Woolpack - Bar
 * Dale View - Downstairs rooms
 * Hotten Police Station - Interview room