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Episode 1888 (31 December 1999 - Part 2)

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Summary[]

Melanie and Ian and Barry and Natalie get married. Ian confronts Steve. Ian lies about Lucy's health then confesses. Melanie tells Ian she doesn't love him.

Janine appears back at the Vic and tells Dan she felt ill then rubs her body against him as he goes past. Then she tells him to come upstairs with her - she thought he liked young girls, Bianca was good enough. Dan cites Frank, and Janine says "try me."

The party is huge back in the Square, and Steve goes to hand in his present, but needs a pen to write the card, so looks in the sideboard and finds one in the wedding file, meanwhile dropping the test results letter on the floor. A security guard comes and asks Steve where he got that present and Steve says he was just writing the card, not nicking it.

The weddings go ahead and despite hesitations, Melanie says "I do." Back at the Vic, Janine is still flirting with Dan and Peggy says she was supposed to be ill. She says "Doctor Dan had a look at me and I feel much better." Jamie tries to talk to her and she blanks him.

Teresa gets a phone call and she's thrilled, and she looks smugly at Steve. Steve kisses Melanie on the cheek and Ian grabs her away to circulate. The women chat and Natalie says she has Barry and what more could a girl want. Sam suggests Brad Pitt, Teresa sarcastically says Ian!

Melanie looks unhappy and takes Ian to "discuss" things, and asks how he can trust her now. He says she was single then, and now she's married with 3 kids. Melanie goes to the toilet and Kathy comes in. Melanie is sniffing and tells Kathy she'll be a good mother to Lucy - no matter how bad it gets. Kathy asks what she means. Melanie tells her. Ian goes to see Steve and says Melanie told him about his "big night of passion". Steve tells Ian, "we were both drunk, as soon as it happened I backed off." Ian says sarcastically, "Oh did you - how generous of you." Steve says smugly, "Yes, it was actually." Ian replies in annoyance, "She chose me over you - you had her for one night, I'm going to have her every night for the next 30 years, who's the loser now?" Kathy finds Ian and asks him why he didn't tell her about Lucy's 'cancer'. She says she will have to stay here now and can't possibly go back to South Africa - she wants to be here for Lucy. Ian dissembles and says there's nothing she can do, and he doesn't want any fuss. Kathy says she's really proud of Ian.

Janine says she bets Dan is good in bed. Sonia says he's filth. Janine says, "Ah there speaks the little virgin, you and Jamie should get together." Nicky and Sonia get the gossip and asks if Jamie is a virgin! Janine says not any more - but he needs some stabilisers. She cackles evilly and Jamie glances over at the commotion from the other side of the Vic.

Ian and Melanie finally get that quiet chat and Ian says that the hospital may be wrong and they should get a second opinion. Melanie puts her glass down right next to the test letter on the sideboard. Ian hugs her and sees it, and looks pale and tries to distract her by roughly kissing her. She complains that he's hurting her and he puts the letter in his pocket.

Steve is in the Square and turns around to see Matthew. He says he's a free man and new evidence shows up and changes everything. Steve asks what he means. Matthew tells him he will find out soon enough. He adds, "It'll be more fun if you have to guess what I want and what I'll do to you. See you around." He sees Teresa and says he's back and not going away again. Steve sees Melanie and can't believe she told Ian, he says he doesn't need any more enemies. Melanie tells Steve to grow up.

Meanwhile, it's speech time and Ian's best man, Mark, is unconscious. Robbie drops Barry's special home-made cake on the way over and doesn't tell Barry. Melanie asks Ian what he said to Steve - she's annoyed.

Jamie has a go at Janine's nasty comments about him and Sonia. Frank tells Phil to keep Jamie away from Janine and says the Mitchells specialise in messing up women's lives! Phil replies, "Who messed up Tiffany's life? Better put the car keys down the drain before you ramraid Melanie too." Barry's speech is okay and Ian has lost his. Melanie asks what the letter is sticking out of his pocket. Ian is called to speak and he shoves it away. He says he was married before but this time he will get it right and be a good husband. Barry's cake is hidden and he says "prepare to be amazed." He unveils it and it's a huge mess! Natalie's family are rude but Natalie says its lovely.

Lisa sees Phil chatting cosily with Kathy and later pesters him and says she saw them together. Phil tells her to back off as she's getting on his nerves. Melanie and Natalie chat quietly and Natalie says she's pleased about Lucy. Mel asks what she means and Natalie tells her she saw the letter yesterday - she knows it's none of her business, it was just a glimpse but it must be a load off her mind knowing Lucy has the all clear. Meanwhile, Ian burns the letter. Natalie sees him a few minutes later and says Melanie just went home. Ian follows and she's searching the house for the letter. Ian says Natalie made a mistake. Melanie finds the envelope and asks where the letter is. Ian says he didn't want it to upset her and Melanie says Natalie says the letter said Lucy the all clear. Melanie says she can phone the hospital and find out - she's now Mrs Beale. Ian says he's sorry. Melanie can't believe he could let her think Lucy had cancer. Ian says he was afraid he'd lose her. Melanie says, "You can't cheat someone into loving you." She storms off. Ian begs her and says he loves her. She says, "Guess what, Ian, I don't love you, and never have done," just on the stroke of midnight.


Credits[]

Main cast[]

Recurring cast[]

Guest cast[]

Notes[]

  • This second episode of a two-part special for New Year's Eve was broadcast on a Friday at 8.00pm.
  • This was the last episode to be broadcast in the 1990s.
  • For its 2025 upload to BBC iPlayer as "Classic EastEnders", this episode was entitled Millennium Double Wedding.
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