Best friends Sharon and Michelle realise they have neglected their friendship of late. They decide it's high time they had a girls' night out. Is there a happy event anticipated in Albert Square?

June Brown

Gillian Taylforth

Nicola Stapleton

Mark Monero

Gretchen Franklin

Wendy Richard

Michael Cashman

Susan Tully

Letitia Dean

Emma Herry

Leonard Fenton

Garey Bridges

Michelle Gayle

Jon Peyton Price

Steven Woodcock

Samantha Leigh Martin

Danniella Westbrook

Mark is determined that Michelle shouldn't be let into the family secret - but Pauline has other ideas.

Sharon's dream of owning the pub looks like coming true.

The men of Albert Square go off together on a fishing trip, and there are some surprise arrivals at the canal bank. Sharon is forced to make a decision about the Queen Vic, but will she take advice from Grant, or Michelle?

Sharon has the unpleasant task of telling Pete about the buyer of the Mitchells' flat. Frank is behind with the book-keeping, whilst Arthur has been avoiding Mark as much as possible.

The strain in the Fowler household is beginning to show: it can't be long before something - or someone - cracks. Will Pete get to speak to Kathy before she hears the bad news from someone else? Michelle is beginning to wonder where she stands in her relationship with Clyde, while Pat tries to get Frank to soften towards Sam and Ricky.

I promise you, Kath, if he comes near you, I'll do ten years for him.

Willmott-Brown says he wants to put right a wrong, but will Kathy give him the chance?

Kathy and Rachel set off to meet Wilmott-Brown, the man who raped Kathy.

Pete is determined to mete out a little old-fashioned justice to Willmott-Brown.

Emotions run high when a removal van suddenly appears in Albert Square.

Kathy realises that Willmott-Brown has not taken in a word she has said, while Frank is concerned that Ian and Pete are heading for trouble. Will they heed his advice? Sharon demands some explanations from Grant, but then decides to play him at his own game. Mark is feeling neglected by Rachel.

Grant reckons he's hit on the solution to his and Sharon's problems. Mark is delighted when Gill pays him a visit, but what will Rachel's reaction be to his old girlfriend turning up?

A dramatic confrontation erupts which will change the lives of those involved.

Will Michelle finally discover the reason why Arthur has been avoiding Mark? Grant lets jealousy rear its ugly head.

Ricky has a surprise for Sam which further irritates Frank, while Clyde shocks his father. Arthur gets a gardening contract.

Etta and Celestine are planning a family party, but the younger Traverniers are reluctant to attend. Ian is pleased that Hattie is paying him more attention.

Arthur becomes the hero of the day. Hattie tries to avoid Ian, while Sharon isn't impressed with the company Grant is keeping. Ricky decides to sell his van to raise money.

Grant finds out who his real friends are. Arthur wants to patch things up with Mark - can Pauline persuade the stubborn pair to make amends? Pat has some wise words for Sam and Ricky about their responsibilities.

Phil finds romance on his night out with the boys.

All Arthur wants is to give his wife a special birthday treat - what could be simpler?

Phil plans the perfect date, but is his idea of a romantic evening the same as Anne's? Gill gives Mark some advice about Arthur.

Anne's got a surprise for Phil - but Pat gets the biggest shock.

Pat plays surrogate mother to Mandy. Will Frank play the father role?

Mark makes a decision about his future which proves unpopular with Pauline. Could Gill be the one to change his mind? Sam and Ricky are in for a shock at the squat.

On Mother's Day, Etta is concerned about Lloyd's friends, while Sharon worries about the decrease in takings at the pub.

Anne wants the chance to explain her situation to Phil, but after the hurt she has caused him, will he listen? Ignoring his family's advice, Lloyd goes looking for adventure.

When a builder's estimate makes Frank see red, he decides to attempt some DIY.

Pat is shocked when she finds out that Mandy has being lying to her.

Arthur spreads spring fever around the Square. But Pat has problems and memories to share.

It is a special day for Gill, but her plans unsettle Mark. Dot wants to share her news as Easter approaches. But will the holiday spirit affect Ian and Steve? Pete believes he has the answer to Arthur's problems.

The Miss Queen Vic's beauty contest takes a surprising turn.

The world of glitz and glamour is beckoning to Sam but will husband Ricky allow it? The Taverniers await an important decision on Lloyd's future. And Dot has a bee in her bonnet, but is she fighting a lost cause?

Frank and Pat move out of the B and B. Arthur practices his interviewing technique.

Sam takes the first steps towards an exciting career. Arthur introduces his new assistant to the gardening trade. Gill gives Pauline some tactful advice about Mark. And Michelle has an idea on how Rachel can raise some extra money, but will Rachel agree?

Tempers are running high at the Tavernier's, while Rachel awaits important news about her future.

Michelle, Clyde and Pat believe their jobs at the Queen Vic are under threat. Sharon, however, is preoccupied with more personal matters and keeps Grant guessing. Meanwhile, Rachel reluctantly prepares for another stint at the cafe, Frank's troubles are doubled, and Ethel tests Dot's patience.

Celestine tries to reassure Etta about Lloyd, and Sharon is upset about Grant making plans about the future without consulting her.

Ethel is forced to make a difficult decision, one that has serious consequences for a very close friend.

Ian entertains an important business client and his wife, but who will he find to be his dinner date? Frank finally gets the keys to the Butchers' new home, but first Pat sets him a daunting task.

Dot's in for a surprise when a stranger calls.

There are difficult decisions to be made for the Taverniers.

A life and death decision cause discord at the Fowlers.

Ricky is curious about Sam's secretive behaviour. Dot is worried about the future of the launderette.

Gill fears that Mark will not be able to cope with the difficult times ahead.

Kathy's back but Ian doesn't want to talk.

The secret's out and Sam gets some unwelcome exposure.

Sam fears her marriage may be on the rocks. Gill is forced to make a harrowing decision.

AIDS-sufferer Gill is dying, so she and Mark throw away their sadness and prepare to marry.

Mark faces up to a great test of his personal strength.

Mandy's back. She's looking for a job, a home and a man.

Pete's caught with his trousers down. Hattie feels that Steve's mind should be turned to more romantic matters.

Romance is in the air for Ricky but Sam is looking elsewhere.

Pat is determined not to let Frank stand in the way of her independence - but Ricky pays the price. Michelle is on tenterhooks as she awaits the results of her first year exams.

A day at the races, but Arthur's not invited.

Rachel and Kathy brave the local jumble sale in search of marketable goods. Mandy makes an effort to befriend Mark in the hope of staying at the squat for good. Meanwhile, Pat employs her first driver - but is Dennis exactly the man PatCabs needs?

Pat pays the price of Dennis's shortcomings. Kathy and Rachel have an unexpected run-in with the new Market Inspector which makes a poor start to Rachel's new career. Arthur has a problem when Norman the Gnome goes missing.

Michelle's life and loves are forging ahead. Surely nothing can spoil her day?

Two birthdays in the Fowler family. Pete is the life and soul of Martin's party, but will an unwelcome guest ruin Michelle's?

Mandy works on Pete to get a job, and Dot makes a discovery that shocks her. Frank thinks he has found the solution to his problems with PatCabs. Grant disappears, leaving Phil and Sharon alone in the Vic to face an uninvited midnight visitor.

Dot gets more than she bargained for when she tries to talk to Mark about Arthur's "friendship" with Mrs. Hewitt. Rachel puts a spanner in Frank's plan to relocate PatCabs. Meanwhile, Sharon and Phil are left alone in the Vic but where is Grant?

Pete discovers the real cost of employing Mandy. Rachel is shocked by the hostile reaction from her fellow stallholders.

There is a surprise when Ian fails to return to the Square, Mark takes Mandy in hand, Kathy sorts out Rachel's problems with Tricky Dicky, and Mrs Hewitt has a surprise for Arthur.

Ian's new image doesn't get the reaction he expects. Mandy takes Sam on a shopping trip with a difference. And a mugging in broad daylight shocks the Square.

Dot arranges to nurse Jules, Rachel learns there is money in junk, Steve finds his enterprise shot down by Ian and a letter for Arthur leads to a final goodbye. Sam is nervous about her interview.

Deciding that it's time to introduce his new girlfriend to his parents, Ian invites them all to a dinner party. Dot helps Jules recover from his mugging. And, just when she thought she was getting the hang of market life, Rachel's conscience is tested by an awkward encounter with a dissatisfied customer.

Ricky learns that he has passed his exams; but will the Mitchell brothers give him a rise? Ian and Ronnie can't see enough of each other and Kathy is worried that things are moving too fast. Michelle is concerned about Sharon and has a sudden suspicion as to what the problem might be.

Tricky Dicky helps Rachel acquire new stock but Kathy suspects his motives. And things go from bad to worse between Grant and Sharon.

The pressures in the Queen Vic on Grant, Sharon and Phil have finally come to a head. But where do they go from here?

Mark finds himself unable to deal with Gill's death. And Mandy makes a discovery while looking through Gill's things.

Dot and Ethel have an afternoon out at a tea-dance to mark Ethel's wedding anniversary, and enjoy a brief encounter with the mysterious Major Grace. Mark seeks advice from his father on how to cope with his grief, but Mandy offers a more instant solution. Kathy learns not to rely on Nigel.

Unwelcome visitors at the Meal Machine cause problems for Ian. Grant suspects Phil is in love. And Sharon struggles to make a decision.

Sharon seeks medical help. Nigel moves house. Ian tries to save his business, and Rachel has an unexpected visitor.

Cockroaches at the Meal Machine threaten Ian's success. Rachel's patience is tested by her mother's surprise visit. And Pauline comes home to find her family gone.

Arthur and Pauline are finaly united in Leigh-on-Sea, but has their marriage survived the long separation. Rachel's mother continues to meddle in her life.

Ian seeks a desperate solution to his cashflow problems. A man from the council has bad news for the squatters, and Rachel has to face up to her mother and her past.

Tricky Dicky has a surprise for Rachel, and Sharon plans a controversial evening of entertainment. Early morning visitors at the squat cause a commotion in Albert Square.

Good news for Ian means the cold shoulder for Ronnie. Ricky faces a domestic crisis. Dot is horrified when her lodger Nigel has a brush with the law.

Mandy decides that Nigel is the answer to her housing problems. Ronnie's night out with Ian has a disappointing conclusion. The women in the Vic are entertained by 'Muscle in Motion'. Grant is not the only one who objects to women-only entertainment.

Arthur is hurt when he asks Mark for help, Grant's criminal friends turn up at the Vic with bad news, and Ian sees a face from the past.

Phil finds out about Grant's financial problems.

A surprise is planned for Sharon's birthday, Pat and Frank try a job swap and a visitor for Grant spells trouble.

Pauline hears some home truths from Arthur, Ian meets an old flame and Sharon's party goes with a bang.

Tricky Dicky's friendship with Rachel takes an unexpected turn and Kathy gets an unwanted guest. Meanwhile, a disaster at the pub shocks Albert Square.

Phil learns that Grant's desperate measures may not have solved their problem. Can the Queen Vic remain in business? Rachel confides in Michelle her true feelings for Richard.

Mandy finds the videotape that could destroy a marriage. Phil's got some bad news and sparks fly between Kathy and Pauline.

Ian has a surprise for Cindy, Pauline gets advice from an unexpected source and Phil tracks down a missing person.

Michelle suggests a girls' night out with Sharon at her college, but the evening ends in disaster when Grant and Clyde turn up.

Clyde hears some unpleasant home truths from Michelle and a confession rocks Sharon and Grant's marriage.

Arthur gets a mysterious package. Ian visits Cindy but fails to uncover her secret and Mandy sees a new side to Tricky Dicky.

Mark faces up to his grief. Ian has a confession to make. And Pauline makes an awful discovery.

Nigel tries to step into Steve's shoes, Dot finds a new recruit for her carol singers, and the new-look Queen Vic opens its doors for the first time since the fire.

Pauline confronts her nemesis - Mrs Hewitt. Mark finds out the truth between Michelle and Clyde, Dot has a disappointment and Steve makes a peace offering to Hattie.

Frank has a surprise bargain for Nigel, Grant has some bad news for Sharon, and Ian discovers the truth about Cindy.

Phil is put on the spot over the future of the Vic - where do his loyalties lie? Nigel has his revenge on Frank, but it is Dot who cleans up. Cindy has to make a decision and Arthur turns to an old friend.

As Arthur renews an old friendship, Ian gets an early dose of Christmas generosity and Nigel helps Dot secure a pianist for her carol rehearsals.

Dot sees a new side to Donald, her piano-player, when the carol practice is held at the pub, and Ian lays on a special "picnic" for Cindy. Kathy gets the distinct impression that everyone has been giving her the cold shoulder, but what will her reaction be when she finds out what Mandy has been saying about her?

Albert Square is making plans for Christmas. Hattie invites Steve to spend the holiday with her family and Mark starts looking for somewhere new to live. Ian makes Cindy an offer she can't refuse and Pat has a run-in with Father Christmas.

The everyday lives of working-class residents of Albert Square, a traditional Victorian square of terrace houses surrounding a park in the East End of London's Walford borough.

734

Seasons42

Season 8 Episodes106

Cast18

Discussion

Episode Summary