Synopsis
As Masood excitedly straps on knee pads for Kush’s stag party paintballing, Shabnam orders him not to make friends with Umar - they’re on Carmel’s side. Over at No 29B, Carmel pushes breakfast on Kush, insisting he line his stomach. Masood, Tamwar and Martin arrive with Shabnam in tow, who asks Carmel over for her dress fittings. Kush worries this is about his dad, reminding her he wants Umar at the wedding. Shabnam declares Carmel must forget about him and needs a project. Later, she objects when Denise arrives with wine but Carmel’s all for it. Carmel loves the idea of Stacey’s and Shabnam’s babies growing up together. Fatima arrives to alter Shabnam’s mehndi dress and is keen to conceal her baby bump.
When Carmel reminisces about her own wedding, Shabnam tries to distract her, recalling Denise and Stacey’s disastrous past relationships. Fatima’s appalled. Shabnam apologises to irate Stacey and Denise, explaining she wants Carmel to move on and she doesn’t deserve how Umar treated her - she’s not that bad. Shabnam blushes to realise Carmel’s overheard but Carmel thinks she’s right and agrees to download a dating app. Fatima disapproves of Carmel and Denise drinking in Masood’s house but Shabnam smiles to see Carmel happy. With the dress finished, Carmel doesn’t see why Fatima wants to hide Shabnam’s bump - a baby is something to celebrate. Shabnam agrees. In the Vic, the stags have returned, with a victorious Kush and an injured Masood, minus Umar who’s had to work. The stags are unimpressed Mick’s arranged aging comic Dickie Ticker as entertainment instead of strippers.
Carmel and Denise join the stags. Meanwhile, Shabnam’s looking at her laptop alone; she hurriedly closes it again when Stacey returns to drag her over to the Vic. Masood moans to Carmel that he felt old paintballing; Carmel confesses she downloaded a dating app and hopes she’s ready to date. They discuss Masood’s marriage break up. He’s chuffed when Carmel reveals Fatima called him respectable. Meanwhile, Kush suggests sneaking off for a quiet night in but Shabnam tells him to enjoy his stag and heads home. With Dickie Ticker’s set about to start, Carmel hurries from the Vic just as Masood’s leaving Fatima a voicemail. Later, Shabnam leaves Kush a voicemail from his flat, having reconsidered his offer of a night in. Hearing a noise from the bedroom, she investigates and is horrified to find Carmel in bed with Masood…
Encountering Martin on the Square as he heads to the stag party, Sonia urges him to reconsider if he’s capable of supporting Stacey. Martin refuses to leave her. When the stags return from paintballing, Stacey realises Martin’s tipsy and he slyly shows her a hip flask. When she teases he’s a loser, he overreacts and insists he’s up to supporting her. Stacey deduces Sonia’s said otherwise and confronts her, railing that Sonia’s jealous. When Sonia tries to explain she doesn’t want Martin to mess up and hurt Stacey, she relents. Meanwhile, Martin gets increasingly drunk. Kush warns him to slow down and Martin slurs Sonia told him to leave Stacey - she doesn’t think he’ll be there for her. When Kush questions if Martin loves Stacey, Martin’s adamant he does. Kush suggests he prove it. Later, Stacey comes to fetch drunken Martin from the Vic and finds Kush outside just as Martin stumbles out, retching. Kush tentatively enquires about her row with Sonia. Stacey declares she and Martin are good together. Kush stays silent and gets flustered when Stacey challenges if he thinks so too.
Mick and Tina are excited about the entertainment for Kush’s stag party – Stan’s favourite comic, Dickie Ticker. Sonia’s unimpressed after watching Dickie’s material online, to Tina’s surprise. Sonia’s unnerved by Lady Di growling at her. After Carol remarks to Sonia about scattering Jim’s ashes, Tina wonders if scattering Stan’s ashes might bring Mick and Shirley together. Mick has no objections but when Shirley arrives mid-way through Dickie Ticker’s set, she immediately assumes Mick kept it from her and rejects Tina’s suggestion of scattering Stan’s ashes at Billingsgate.
Whitney’s pleased to see Lee so keen for the stag party but her good mood evaporates when she gets a letter from Walford Primary School.
Credits
Main cast