On Monday at 7:30pm, Ashley’s spent a sleepless night in the hospital’s relatives’ room worrying about Claire. Lloyd visits to keep Ashley company and Ashley reveals that Claire’s had a pulmonary embolism. The doctors eventually allow Ashley in to see Claire but he’s sent into a panic when the monitors start beeping and he’s asked to leave the room. Ashley’s relieved when the doctor confirms that Claire’s alive, and as Claire opens her eyes, Ashley tells her that she’s in hospital and that she was pregnant but has lost the baby. He kisses her hand and fights back tears.

Deirdre’s hopeful of a promotion within the council but when she goes into work, she doesn’t get the news she was hoping for; far from getting promotion, she has to apply for her own job!. She doesn’t get much sympathy from Ken however as he’s noticed Peter’s reluctance to attend his alcoholism meeting and offers to go with him. Peter eventually agrees but he hadn’t bargained on Deirdre and Blanche inviting themselves along.

Tensions are running high at number 7 as Maria feeds baby Liam. Helen disapproves of Ozzy sitting nearby and tells Maria so. Maria’s had enough of Helen’s interfering and summons Tony to rescue her from her in-laws, and he’s only too happy to oblige.

Julie encourages Sean to pursue Leon so he heads for the gym Jacuzzi. Deciding to go for the sympathy vote, he pretends to cry and says that Jason has dumped him. Will this tactic work?

Elsewhere Norris is suffering with his bunions and isn’t willing to accept help from Ramsay.

At 8:30pm, Ashley apologises to Claire for upsetting her and they agree never to argue again, but as Ashley muses about Claire’s unplanned pregnancy, pondering the idea of a third child, Claire looks uncomfortable. Later, when Ashley takes Joshua to visit Claire, she asks to see Ashley alone and tells him that she doesn’t want any more children and he must have a vasectomy, leaving Ashley gobsmacked.

Sean continues his sob story and tells Leon that Jason’s in the closet because of his bigoted mother. Thinking he’s making progress with Leon, Sean’s disappointed when he ignores his advances and only reassures Sean that some blokes like camp men. Sean tells Julie, Jesse and Eileen about Leon’s lack of interest and asks if he’s camp. Julie confirms that he is.

Natasha informs Helen and Barry that she saw Maria and the baby getting into Tony’s car and they’re a little put out when Natasha hints that Tony’s more than just a friend to Maria. When Maria finally returns, the Connors are angry to learn that Tony took her and Liam to register the baby’s birth without inviting them. Furious, Helen confronts a stunned Maria about her relationship with Tony calling her a slut because Liam’s not even cold in his grave.

Blanche and the Barlows attend Peter’s alcoholics’ meeting where Ross, a member of the group, gives a long speech about his struggle with booze. Blanche is unimpressed and Peter’s mortified when Blanche berates Ross for his boring speech. Ken addresses the meeting but is interrupted when Deirdre starts an argument and the whole thing descends into farce with Blanche announcing that he recently had an affair and that Tracy’s in prison for murder.

Elsewhere Norris accuses Ramsay of faking an interest in religion to impress Emily.

On Thursday at 8:30pm, Ashley visits Claire and she assures him that she knew what she was saying when she mentioned the vasectomy, and she hasn’t changed her mind, but Ashley fudges the issue leaving Claire tearful. Back at home, Ashley gets a call from the hospital saying Claire’s gone missing. Fearing the worst, he races to the hospital but as he arrives, he spots Claire on the roof. Convinced she’s about to do something silly, he heads to the roof and tries to talk her down, but is she really planning to jump?

Things are frosty between Helen and Maria, and when Tony calls round, Helen’s put out when Maria lets him hold the baby. Later, desperate for some space, Maria seeks sanctuary at Underworld and complains to Tony about her problems with Helen and Barry. Ever willing to help, Tony waits till Helen and Barry go out for lunch and visits Maria with a takeaway and reveals that he arranged for Audrey to invite them over so as to give Maria some peace. Feeling braver, Maria tells Helen the baby will be christened but not as a Catholic. Helen protests but Maria says that Liam would’ve agreed.

Joe learns that he has to replace some worktops he fitted, so, desperate and unable to cope, he asks Graeme for one more bottle of painkillers – will Graeme oblige?

Emily’s niece Freda arrives and meets Ramsay who tries out his sign language. Freda also introduces Emily and Ramsay to her fiancé via webcam and reveals that he has an interesting past.

Elsewhere, Luke indulges Rosie’s design idea for a thong and agrees to produce a sample.

On Friday at 7:30pm, still annoyed about Maria’s attitude over the christening, Helen remarks that she was out late the night before and Maria admits that she went for a drink with Tony. Increasingly frustrated with her in-laws, Maria’s deflated when Helen and Barry say they’ll be staying a while longer. Things go from bad to worse when Tony suggests to Barry that Helen’s concern for the baby is suffocating Maria. Barry’s affronted and challenges Tony about his feelings for Maria. Tony tells him if they don’t leave, Maria will push them away and they’ll lose their grandson.

Jason invites Sean to go to the gym and, keen to stop Leon rumbling him over his lies about Jason, Sean agrees. Once they’re there however, Sean’s horrified to find Jason chatting to Leon in the gym. However, he’s relieved to learn that they were only talking about football and that Jason still doesn’t realise that Leon’s gay, but how long can Sean keep up his charade?

Claire tells Ashley that she’s leaving hospital later and he reassures her that he’ll be going ahead with the vasectomy. Back at home, Claire confides in Eileen about the vasectomy but asks her not to tell anyone, but, ignoring her wishes, Lloyd and Eileen tell Peter about Ashley’s operation and Peter accompanies Ashley to the clinic for moral support.

Norris is taken aback but pleased to discover that Freda also dislikes Ramsay; she finds him irritating and too eager to please.

Joe’s alarmed to learn from Graeme that another supply of painkillers will cost £50. He searches number 8 for cash, eventually taking some from Gail’s handbag but hating himself for doing so.

At 8:30pm, Maria complains to Audrey about Helen’s interfering. Audrey tells her to be understanding and to try and keep the peace, but when Barry tells Helen about Tony’s warning, she storms round to see him at the factory. She lays into Tony, accusing him of preying on her son’s widow. Tony snaps and tells her that everyone has moved on and forgotten Liam. The resulting fall-out sees Helen and Maria have a blazing row about Tony and Helen says that Maria can’t wait to have Tony in her bed. It’s all too much for Maria who loses her cool and tells Helen and Barry about Liam and Carla’s affair before throwing them out of the house. Audrey offers to let Barry and Helen stay with her until Maria calms down but back at number 7, it seems as though Helen may have inadvertently pushed Tony and Maria closer. He comforts Maria after the row and the pair share a tender moment.

Over at number 8, Joe initially manages to stop Gail opening her purse and finding out about the missing money, but fortunately for him, when she does notice that her purse is empty, she puts it down to her own absent-mindedness. Graeme hands over the pills to Joe but David sees them together and forces Graeme to tell him what’s going on.

Elsewhere, Norris and Freda make fun of Ramsay while he’s out.

Ashley waits nervously at the clinic for his operation but flees in a panic, unable to go through with the operation. Ashley confides in Peter that the finality of the operation scared him. Peter’s sure Claire will understand but Ashley can’t pluck up the courage to tell her the truth about his aborted vasectomy.

Sean’s alarmed when Leon turns up at the Rovers to have a drink with Jason. Sean desperately tries to avoid Leon uncovering his lies about Jason and Eileen so when Tina arrives, he has to say that she’s Jason’s pretend girlfriend who he uses as a cover.