Can you believe that it’s just a month to Christmas? Panic!

But the good news is, this week, we get to see last Christmas’s Gavin and Stacey special again. I wish I’d got it on DVD actually so I could watch it over and over… hope you’re reading Father Christmas?

Anyway, without further ado, here’s what we recommend you take a look at this week. We haven’t included Friday’s Children In Need because, well, you won’t need a reminder from us that it’s on! Read more & comment »

On Monday, Doug spots a lonely looking David eating in the café and tries to talk to him about Leyla. Doug insists girls like Leyla are one in a million and he’d be stupid not to fight for her.

David plucks up the courage to visit her at the shop and they agree to talk once she’s finished work. Later, at Leyla’s house, David reveals his date with Priya didn’t go very well and it made him realise how much he misses Leyla, although he’s not sure he’ll be able to trust her again. Thrilled, Leyla urges David to let her earn his trust back and assures him she’ll never let him down again. Are David and Leyla back on track?

Sally gives Ashley a “get well soon mummy card” that she made with the children to give to Laurel in hospital. Later, as Sally cooks dinner for Ashley, she insists she doesn’t mind and there’s no use in hurrying Laurel home before she’s back to her normal self. Is Sally preparing to move in on Ashley? Read more & comment »

On Monday, Archie wanders into the Vic and asks Roxy to call Peggy for him. Roxy, however, reminds him that he shouldn’t be there as Peggy’s barred him. While waiting for Peggy, Archie talks to Jack about Sam and claims that she won’t last long if she’s sent to prison.

Having seen the pair kiss the previous week, Archie suggests that Jack should help Sam because she trusts him. Jack’s left thinking it over while Roxy eventually tells Archie that Peggy’s not even in and that she’s at Aunt Sal’s.

Later, Archie’s having lunch with Sam at Fargo’s and he broaches the subject of prison. Sam claims that she’s prepared for whatever life behind bars has in store for her if she’s sent down, but Archie suggests that she get a second opinion on her legal position. Read more & comment »

On Monday at 7:30pm, Tony’s a desperate man and as he frantically tries to cling on to the new life he’s created, he packs Maria off to a health spa for the day, knowing the police are about to come calling.

Keeping up the façade, Tony goes to work but when the police arrive and arrest him on suspicion of Liam’s murder, he can feel his world falling apart. Down at the station Tony’s interviewed about the Croppers allegations, and as the police pile on the pressure, saying they’ll speak to Maria, will Tony crumble and confess to murder?

Meanwhile, Roy and Hayley return to the café and are relieved to hear that Tony’s been arrested and taken to the police station. But as gossip about Tony’s arrest spreads, Maria arrives back on the street. Is she about to discover the awful truth about Tony? Read more & comment »

On Monday at 7:30pm, as Hayley takes over the relief manager’s job at the factory, the gossip about Tony continues. The pressure’s starting to get to Hayley, and she wonders if she’s up to the job. Roy’s also feeling the heat and unable to stop thinking about Tony’s hospital confession, he decides it‘s time he got some answers.

Arriving home, Maria finds Roy waiting for her, she demands to know what’s going on.

When David overhears Gail and Joe discussing their engagement, he’s distinctly unimpressed. But it seems nothing can dampen their spirits; that is until Joe gets a knock on the door from a debt-collector… Read more & comment »

On Monday, David starts to get suspicious when he sees Leyla with Nathan and demands she start being honest with him. When David assumes she’s having an affair with Nathan, she’s forced to admit that the truth is far worse and Nathan has been blackmailing her. When she reveals that she slept with Nathan to keep him quiet, David’s disgusted. Will David be able to forgive Leyla?

Meanwhile, Laurel has the hangover from hell but is unsure how she managed to get so drunk last night, especially when it was Sally and Ashley that ended up drinking her anniversary champagne. Will Laurel catch on to Sally’s scheming?

Elsewhere, much to Carl’s interest, Debbie pops round to see Chas to tell her about how well Charity and Cain are getting on. Read more & comment »

On Monday, as Peggy pins up a ‘Happy Hour’ poster outside the Vic, she spots Archie watching her. Returning inside, Peggy asks Roxy if she can be around for the brewery delivery. Roxy agrees while Sam tries to pin up a banner. With that, a drenched Roxy runs down the stairs shouting for Ronnie, saying the kitchen pipes have burst. Peggy’s unhappy that her ‘happy hour’ can’t now go ahead, but Ronnie assures her that it can.

Owen walks by and claims that he’s a qualified plumber, but Ronnie’s dismissive of him. Peggy, however, invites him in to survey the mess, and as he does, Ronnie hands him the tools he needs and he questions her coldness towards him. Ronnie says that what he did to Libby is no secret, and after she jokes about throwing him out, he admits that he’s previously attempted to commit suicide.

Later, Roxy asks Owen to look at one of the beer pumps, and when Denise walks in to talk about her wedding reception plans – and sees him behind the bar – she angrily questions why he’s there. Frustrated by Denise’s attitude, Owen irritably returns to the job at hand, splitting a beer pipe in the process. Read more & comment »

As we leave October behind and go boldly forward into November, there are some great shows to herald the start of winter scheduling.

In the coming week, the new series of The Family gets underway and we’ll get to look at the lives of another family in this fascinating show.

We’ll also get to see another slice of life with Yvette and Karl and chew over the contents of what goes into our food… strong stomachs at the ready for both shows! I jest; I love watching the shows about Yvette and Karl… Read more & comment »

On Monday at 7:30pm, ss word of Tony’s heart attack spreads through the street, the factory girls gossip unaware of his fate. Roy meanwhile is in turmoil as he tells Hayley about Tony’s shock confession.

Hayley puts it down to the drugs Tony was on, but Roy’s sure there was more to it. Determined to get the truth, Roy returns to the hospital. But when he’s met by Maria, who’s arrived back from Cyprus in a terrible state, she has some shocking news of her own. Has Tony taken the truth to his grave?

Ryan’s appalled to discover Michelle’s spent the night with Jake. Embarrassed, Michelle ushers Jake out of the flat. Dev meanwhile refuses to pay Jake’s bill for the roof repairs, claiming it’s too steep. In retaliation, Jake removes a section of roof tiles from the cornershop. As a stand off ensues which man will back down? Read more & comment »

On Monday, frustrated by the noise from the wasps that have nested in his roof, Archie’s climbing the ladders as Janine walks past. As they talk on the Square, they glance across to the Vic and notice Peggy watching them.

A while later, Archie sees Sam walking past but she insists that she wants nothing more to do with him because of what he did to Peggy. He reminds her though that he raised the money for her bail, but she adds that the rest of the family declined his offer. With a little more persuasion though, Archie manages to convince her to have lunch with him.

She later turns up at the house with Ricky in tow and over lunch, Ricky doesn’t hide his mistrust of Archie. In order to speak to Sam alone, Archie asks Ricky to clear the wasps’ nest. Read more & comment »

On Monday, David blames Nathan for the car accident after calling on Leyla and worried for her welfare, insists that she go to the hospital to be checked over. At the shop, Doug mocks the accident when Nathan arrives and Leyla is clearly uneasy. Doug, on sensing an atmosphere, makes himself scarce and Nathan doesn’t hesitate in rubbing salt into the wound to Leyla about her imminent visit to the police station.

Moments later, Gennie comes across an inconsolable Leyla in the village and listens intently as she confesses all. Returning from the police station, Leyla confronts Nathan and hands her notice in. Nathan thrusts the notice back in Leyla’s face, frustrating her so much she slaps him. Menacingly, Nathan warns that unless she does as he says, he could make her world come crashing down. How far will Nathan’s blackmailing go?

Meanwhile, Sally’s settling back into life at the Thomas household much to the delight of Laurel and Ashley who are relieved to see Sally so content. Later, Laurel returns home and is put out when Sally’s adamant she’s happy to look after the children, frustrated with Ashley for allowing her to do so. Is Sally settling in too well? Read more & comment »

Now that the nights are drawing in and it’s just too dang cold to go anywhere, why not cosy up with your telly and a duvet, because there are some great shows on this week.

And as it’s soon Halloween, we’ve got lots of scary recommendations that should make sure you need to sleep with the light on for a week or so! Read more & comment »

On Monday, Shirley, Heather and baby George pull onto the Square in a taxi and as Darren nervously watches from afar, Zainab and Ian congratulate Heather on her new arrival. While Denise is at the Car Lot, Darren turns up and she starts moaning at him about asking for Owen’s permission to marry Libby. Annoyed by all the hassle, Darren slouches into his chair and finds a load of missed calls from Libby.

Over at the Vic, Chelsea and Amira walk in and after cross words with Chelsea, Darren leaves. As he walks out of the pub, he spots Heather with baby George and immediately walks in the opposite direction. Having ignored Libby for most of the day, Darren finally answers his phone and he suggests that she speak to her mum as Denise is going out of her mind. Darren heads over to see Denise and stands up to her, much to the surprise of Lucas, Chelsea and Patrick. At that moment, he receives a text message. Read more & comment »

On Monday at 7:30pm, Kevin and Molly arrange another secret date. But when Pam overhears Molly lying to Dev, asking for time off because her dad’s ill, she smells a rat.

After checking Molly’s story with Tyrone, and forcing Molly to lie again, she becomes suspicious. Molly meanwhile is oblivious as she and Kevin play at husband and wife by visiting a show home and calling themselves Mr and Mrs Webster. But as they arrive back in the pick-up truck and share a steamy kiss, they‘re watched by a stunned Pam.

Tony breathes a sigh of relief as Helen and Barry leave for Ireland. But his relief is shortlived when Maria tells him she thinks they should get in touch with Carla and tell her about their engagement. Knowing he can’t let Maria talk to Carla, Tony starts to panic as he tries to figure out his next move. Read more & comment »

On Monday, oblivious to the atmosphere between her parents, Debbie’s touched when Charity hands her a small gift for her birthday. Cain, looking on disdainfully at Charity’s display of affection, smugly hands Debbie the keys to a new car and she’s clearly thrilled with his generosity. Later, Charity spots her chance to do a runner and insists that Debbie head off to the restaurant. As the whole family await Charity’s arrival, Debbie puts in a call but is left fleeing the restaurant when Noah answers and informs her that they’re leaving. Will Debbie catch Charity in time?

Meanwhile, Laurel’s on edge at the factory as she waits to hear from Sally. Desperately worried for her safety, Laurel heads off to Sally’s and is greeted by Vincent announcing that she isn’t in. Explaining that Sally’s gone shopping, a phone call interrupts and Laurel is left confused as she witnesses a measured and professional Vincent. Is Laurel starting to doubt Sally’s stories?

Elsewhere, a dapper yet sombre Marlon returns to the pub after a meeting with his solicitor about his divorce. Moira advises a downbeat Marlon to reason with Donna directly over the settlement and save himself some money by bypassing the use of a solicitor. Read more & comment »