Episode 4928 (19 September 2014)

At the Masoods’, Linda, Mick and Nancy are helping out with the twins and Tommy. Alfie confides in Mick he couldn’t bring himself to tell Kat the truth – she’s too fragile. In hospital, Mo feels awful that her stash of hairspray caused the explosion but Kat insists no-one’s to blame. Alfie enters to overhear the women discussing possible causes of the fire. Kat learns they’ve lost all their belongings but is just grateful to have each other.

In the Vic, Mick struggles to remember how to make a bottle for the twins. Tosh is unimpressed that Alfie didn’t make sure the smoke alarms were working at No. 23 and decides to see if she can help with the investigation. Mick hides his worry. In hospital, Kat confesses how much she misses the kids and Alfie offers to bring Tommy for a visit. Back on the Square, Alfie encounters Tosh, who assures him they’ll soon find out what started the fire. Alarmed, Alfie recruits Stacey to bring Tommy to the hospital instead. Kat’s upset when Tommy’s scared by her burns and won’t go near her. As Alfie loiters outside No 23, Neil Wallace emerges, reporting the fire was caused by a cigarette in a waste paper bin.

Alfie claims cigarettes are his guilty secret and wonders if the insurers will still pay out. Neil assures Alfie his paperwork will confirm the fire was an accident. When Stacey returns with Tommy, Alfie lies the fire was caused by an electrical fault. Meanwhile, Tosh approaches Neil and learns the cause of the fire. Later, she tracks down Stacey on the Square. Tosh is surprised to discover Kat was supposed to be out at the hen party on the night of the fire. Later, Tosh admits her suspicions to Mick, recalling Alfie was asking questions about the house fire insurance job a while back; Mick warns it’s none of Tosh’s business but she won’t let it lie.

Alfie returns to hospital where Kat’s consultant discusses her recovery – she’s unable to say whether Kat will have long term scarring. Kat’s terrified. Fraught, Alfie wishes he could trade places with Kat and promises to get through it together. Mick arrives, worried, informing Alfie that Tosh found out the cause of the fire and knows something’s up – she’s gone to the police…

Sharon excitedly continues with wedding preparations. Billy calls round to discuss best man duties, remarking he couldn’t find Phil last night. Sharon thinks Phil should take Jay for a drink before he leaves for Bolton; Phil’s irked to realise he’s not been invited to Jay and Abi’s farewell meal at Max’s house. Meanwhile, Abi presses Jay to give Phil a wedding card and make amends, suggesting they could still stay for the wedding. Although reluctant, Jay arrives at the Arches with the card; a hurt Phil remarks he wasn’t invited to the meal and bins the card.

In the Vic, over more wedding prep, Sharon boasts about Phil’s bedroom stamina yesterday. Linda’s miffed and complains to Mick. Shirley overhears, fuming, and later confronts Phil in the Arches, fed up that he’s still messing her around. Shirley thinks Phil will find himself all alone one day, but allows herself to be sweet-talked when Phil promises he slept with Sharon out of duty – with Shirley it’s different.

Struck by Shirley’s words, Phil fishes Jay’s card out of the bin. Later, over dinner, Max is making a speech about Abi and Jay just as the doorbell rings – it’s Phil. After an awkward silence, Phil asks Jay to come to the wedding. Jay coldly remarks there’s no point in going to the wedding – Phil’s marriage is doomed as he’s been sleeping with Shirley.

Masood thinks Shabnam deserves to know why she didn’t get the pharmacist job. Although she demands Masood drop it, he approaches the pharmacy. Later, Masood confronts Shabnam – he knows she turned the job down. Shabnam refuses to talk about it.

Having learned the truth about Tamwar’s burns, Nancy invites him to the Vic but he makes an awkward excuse. Later, Tamwar apologises, explaining the fire at No 23 brought back bad memories, and the pair make up. Earwigging, Linda wonders if Nancy and Tamwar are just good friends…