Round up of all the week's soap news

Fred and Penny come close to spliting; Den squares off with Dennis; Scott clashes with the Dingles; Mandy struggles with Tom

00:12 03 April 2004

Coronation Street

There's been lies, deceit, and arguments this week in the Street as Claire wrestled with her conscience over whether to tell poor Fred that his belle of the ball poison Penny has been shacking up with none other than slippery Mike Baldwin. Having stirred much controversy by daring to raise her voice to squeaky arduous Ashley, the pair kissed and made up. That's enough of that. By the end of the week, player Penny apologised to the sickly couple and vowed to reveal all to the unsuspecting meat man. Will the woo of a steak bap be too much for the old slapper or will she continue to succumb to the temptations of money-man Mike?

Meanwhile there's trouble brewing round at our Sarah's as Karl has moved on in having been booted out of his flat following an argy with jealous boyfriend Robbie. Needless to say bi-curious and soon-to-be dad Todd has been wrestling with his feelings for the naughty nurse, who has revealed his crush on him. Things came to a head as a raucous Robbie spotted his roving lover walking down the Street with fellow naughty nurse and Weatherfield perv Martin. Jumping to conclusions (a rarity in soaps, it must be said) the skinhead madman lunged at Martin suspecting the worse. Will trickster Todd tell his teen mom missus all about his feelings for despo Karl? Will Robbie come to his senses and realise Martin's a harmless old man who simply likes 16 year-old girls? More to the point, who's looking after the hospital whilst the nurses are brawling in the Street?



EastEnders

This week has seen the dramatic re-return of Dirty Den who bumped into po-faced Pauline on his way back to the flat. She gleefully filled him in on all the news, and the fact that his son and daughter have shacked up together in the same bed. Den stormed over and told poor piggy Sharon to stop seeing her brother. But she loves him, she protested. Well that's ok then, even if it is almost incest.

A tete a tete ensued in the discreet venues of choice in Walford - the Queen Vic - where the locals gathered to watch the event of the month - Den versus Dennis. Angry words and intimidating facial poses proceeded to fill the pub with fear as the tension escalated. Events finally boiled over as Den taunted Dennis about his time in care, at which point the latter's anger erupted and he lashed out, catching poor, unsuspecting Sharon right on the jaw. The punters were stunned into silence and Miss Piggy left, blooded and bruised, leaving a tearful boyfriend to face the fury.

Elsewhere, evil mobster Andy has been giving Shane Ritchie, I mean Alfie Moon, grief over the repayments of the 10,000 he borrowed to pay off Graham.



Emmerdale

It's been a terrible week in the village for resident grease monkey and lothario Scott Windsor who has embroiled himself in a love tryst with Dawn and commenced a one-man gang-warfare against the dastardly Dingles. The two highly volatile situations did not diffuse, as Scott was kidnapped by convict duo Cain and Zak whist waiting for his femme fatale to arrive.

Reeling from the apparent rejection, dozy Dawn returned home to marital strife as she admitted to ex-stroke victim and Tate lackey hubby Terry that she had been lusting for another man. Seething and spurned, the impotent imp chucked his cheating wife out on her ear and marched over to the Wooly to give that cheeky little toe-rag what-for.

Having just been rescued from the cricket pitch by vicious mom Viv, scurrilous Scott managed to deflect his calamitous image onto the unsuspecting Tez following a scuffle in the pub. Terry attempted to punch his love rival but missed and stumbled over, much to the chagrin of dad-in-law Bob.

Following the revelation that he was no longer loved by his teenage missus who was running off to Spain with her tot, Terry was heartbroken and attempted to use the arm of the law to prevent her from leaving. Will Dawn be drinking sangria in the sun or will she stay to face her demons? Will Terry get his mojo back? Will Scott ever escape the clutches of his mother?

Elsewhere, cheap-as-chips Charity had been bargaining her son away in favour of freedom. Zappy Zoe agreed to bring up tiny tot Noah in exchange for 10,000 and changing her testimony. Will she use her get out of jail card or will she stick by her son and do her time? If only lucky Noah were old enough to choose between his ex-prostitute adulterer mother and her ex-psycho village lesbian vet aunt. It's a tricky one.

The unlikely object of affection vivacious Val continued to sneak Danny back to her boudoir whilst keeping randy crooner Rodney in the dark. She was forced to choose between her two men this week - the millionaire ex-brother-in-law or the tiddly-winks-toting toy-boy?



Hollyoaks

The ructions from the impending trial continued to echo throughout the village as Ellie realised how isolated she was in attempting to incriminate Dan in Toby's murder. Sulky Sally remained unapologetic and bed-ridden as her family continued to crumble around her.

Mandy and Max traded insults over the state of the Cunningham empire. Towards the end of the week Mandy attempted to build some bridges by taking care of toddler Tom, although all did not go smoothly.