Episode 4923 (11 September 2014)

A hungover Sharon awakes on the sofa to the sight of a conflicted looking Phil. As Sharon chats away as normal, Phil is confused about her intentions and how he feels about her. As Sharon explains to Phil that she rowed with Linda last night, her memory is jolted and she remembers telling Nancy about Linda and Dean.

Phil wanders through the Square Gardens, Shirley spots him and tries to speak to him, but Phil point blank ignores her; Babe clocks this. Phil finds Jay at the Arches and tells him that Shirley has told him about Ben. Phil is fuming that Jay wasn’t honest with him from the start. Jay swears that he doesn’t know where Ben is – he hasn’t seen him since Easter and has only met up with him twice.

Phil is so angry at Jay that he tells him he doesn’t want to see his face again. Shirley arrives at the Arches to see Phil and makes it clear that she’s not happy with his hot and cold behaviour. Phil explains to Shirley that it’s complicated; he still loves Sharon despite what she’s doing to him. A scorned Shirley storms off. Sharon finds Jay packing his stuff to move out. Phil tells Jay that he doesn’t have to leave and apologises for the way he acted in the Arches. Phil begs Jay; he thinks he can help Ben if Jay can give him his contact details.

Jay forwards Phil a number for Ben and Phil leaves Ben a voicemail. Sharon arrives back home and hands Phil a gift – she’s bought Phil some cufflinks for the wedding and tells him how much she loves him. Phil exclaims to Sharon that he can’t wait to marry her – but his expression tells a very different story...

Linda is incredibly hungover from the previous night much to Mick’s amusement. Tina arrives with a load of balloons – it’s Stan’s birthday and she wants to sort something for him. Nancy is moody after Sharon’s revelation the previous night that Linda kissed Dean. Mick informs her that she’s going to have to start sharing a room with Shirley so that Stan can move out of the living room.

Mick appeases Tina by saying that they’ll throw a small party for Stan; Shirley makes it clear that she won’t be attending. Tina, Mick, Nancy, Lee and Johnny burst in on Stan wishing him a happy birthday and presenting him with a Billingsgate clock. When Mick directly asks Linda what her and Sharon were arguing about the previous night – Nancy overhears Linda lie and tell Mick that it was about wedding stuff. Nancy is snappy at Linda – who is confused at Nancy’s attitude. Cora arrives, looking for Stan - to apologise for getting it wrong about Mick and Rainie. Babe is instantly snide towards Cora.

Stan unwraps a Sea Bass from Cora; he’s delighted and the pair declare that they’re friends again. Stan asks Cora to stay for his party. Nancy sees Dean arrive and blanks him – Linda clocks her odd behaviour. Mick finds a brooding Nancy on the stairs and assumes she’s upset about having to share a room with Shirley – Nancy admits that it’s not that she’s worried about. Nancy explains to Mick that she misses it being just the five of them together.

When Babe points out that if it wasn’t for Tina, his family wouldn’t care about his birthday – Stan deliberately drops Babe’s heirloom trifle bowl. As the Carters present Stan with a cake and sing to him, Stan questions where Shirley is. Shirley listens from outside the pub, feeling alone. As the party’s in full swing, Tosh tells Tina that she’s pregnant. Tina can’t help herself and announces it to the room. As the Carters get together for a family photo, Shirley arrives and gets involved too.

Tina tells Shirley hers and Tosh’s baby news, Shirley struggles to be happy for her. Shirley surprises Stan when she gives him a kiss on the cheek. Babe clocks this and tells Shirley that Stan is evil and nasty. Babe tells Shirley that she knows that Phil is on her mind. Shirley admits that she gave Phil what he wanted and now he’s shutting him out. Babe suggests that she should hurt Phil back ten times harder.

As Mick delivers a speech, Stan confesses that he only pretended it was his 80th to get better presents – he’s really 78. As the rest of the family laugh together, Babe and Shirley look on, feeling out of it. When Nancy finds Linda and Dean alone together in the kitchen, she admits that she knows about Linda and Dean’s kiss. Linda begs Nancy not to tell Mick; it meant nothing.