Episode 3598/3599 (2nd December 2003)

Episode 3598/3599
Production code	D729/66A and D729/67A
ITV broadcast date	2nd December 2003 (Tuesday)
Writer	Margaret Simpson
Director	Tracey Rooney Philip Wood
Series producer	Steve Frost
Executive producer	Keith Richardson
Producer	Kathleen Beedles Tim Key
Navigation
Previous episode	1st December 2003
Next episode	3rd December 2003

Plot

Convinced he has unfinished business with Siobhan, Ronnie just can’t help himself and goes to see her. But his apologies fall on deaf ears and he is forced to leave after Siobhan gives him a frosty reception. Later on Ronnie continues to persist and Siobhan loses her temper when he tries to kiss her again. She reaches for a bottle of wine and wallops him with it shouting at him to get out. As Ronnie leaves the house, covered in red wine, he bumps straight into Paul who is confused by the state of his dad's appearance. Worried Paul heads straight to see Siobhan and finds her upset and startled. Siobhan knows it is time to come clean, but Paul refuses to believe that his dad has made a move on his wife. When Paul confronts his mum she finally reveals that Ronnie has been unfaithful before with Louise and Siobhan as a teenager. Pushed to the limit by her husband's persistent infidelity, Frances can no longer hide her fury. In a blind rage she takes an axe and proceeds to smash all the their personal belongings into smithereens. When Ronnie returns home Frances and the twins throw him out once and for all. Life is pretty cramped at Pear Tree Cottage with Marlon, Tricia and Charity all living under the same roof. But despite all the disruption Tricia is happy to be home and makes her way down to The Woolpack to fill Diane in on all the Bollywood glamour. Meanwhile, Paddy is troubled by his friend's revelation about his affair with Charity and the prospect that the child could be his. He advises Marlon to come clean to Tricia before it is too late. Needing some space Marlon tries to convince Charity that she has got to move out, but his request goes down like a lead balloon when she reminds him that she could be carrying his child. Charity argues she will only move out if Marlon pays her rent elsewhere.

Cast

Regular cast

• Ashley Thomas - John Middleton
• Louise Appleton - Emily Symons
• Laurel Potts - Charlotte Bellamy
• Marlon Dingle - Mark Charnock
• Tricia Dingle - Sheree Murphy
• Charity Tate - Emma Atkins
• Siobhan Marsden - Abigail Fisher
• Frances Marsden - Sandy Walsh
• Ronnie Marsden - Ray Ashcroft
• Bob Hope - Tony Audenshaw (3598 only)
• Viv Hope - Deena Payne (3598 only)
• Diane Blackstock - Elizabeth Estensen
• Paddy Kirk - Dominic Brunt
• Emily Kirk - Kate McGregor (3598 only)
• Eric Pollard - Christopher Chittell
• Lisa Dingle - Jane Cox (3598 only)
• Steph Stokes - Lorraine Chase
• Shelly Williams - Carolyn Pickles
• Chas Dingle - Lucy Pargeter
• Edna Birch - Shirley Stelfox
• Alan Turner - Richard Thorp
• Sydney Woolfe - Nathan Gladwell
• Paul Marsden - Matthew Booth
• Elaine Marsden - Samantha McCarthy (3599 only)
• Alistair Marsden - Danny Tennant (3599 only)
• Donna Windsor - Verity Rushworth (3599 only)

Guest cast

• Gordon Livesy - Gerard Fletcher (3599 only)

Locations

• Pear Tree Cottage - Marlon and Tricia's room and living room/kitchen
• Victoria Cottage - Living room, front garden, kitchen and back garden
• Holdgate Farm - Kitchen and living room
• Village Store, Post Office & Off-Licence - Shop floor
• The Woolpack - Public bar, kitchen, staff corridor and lobby
• Café Hope - Café and outdoor seating area
• Pollard's Factory - Factory floor and office
• Connelton View - Front garden
• The Grange - Guest lounge
• Church Lane car park
• Mill Brook Cottage - Living room
• St. Mary's Church - Nave/altar
• Main Street

Notes

• This double-length episode, consisting of two episodes combined into one but made up of two production codes, was broadcast in a one-hour slot at the usual time of 7.00pm.
• A customer at the Woolpack is uncredited despite two lines of dialogue.
• TV Times synopsis: Ronnie's cheating past comes back to haunt him; Chas puts her job on the line when her son's visit falls through; and Marlon is hampered by his own guilt.
• Viewing Figures: UK broadcast - 8,500,000 viewers (21st place).