Maxine Peake

When Sheila asks Lip to water the plants for a neighbor who's away, he finds a haven of tranquility. But when the place is burgled, Lip gets blamed.

Things are not looking good for Frank. The housing office is on to him, his debts are piling up and the bailiffs are still on the doorstep.

Frank and Karen hit the road for their driving lesson, but Karen adds some extracurricular maneuvers to the timetable.

After a fight with Steve, Frank Gallagher disappears and fails to return to collect his Giro. The Gallaghers panic further when a body is discovered in a nearby river.

When a small child goes missing from a children's party on the Chatsworth estate, Frank turns the crowd into a lynch mob.

Debt predators vulture around the Gallaghers, but Frank has something else on his mind - a plan to get his hands on maintenance from his estranged wife and mother of their children.

Frank's father arrives at the Gallagher's, much to his displeasure, whilst Veronica feels threatened by Karen's presence when she begins working at the pub.

The council arrange a competition in encouraging people to maintain their properties better.

Sheila asks Lip to water plants for a neighbor who's on holiday, but the place ends up burgled and he's wrongly accused and arrested.

To her horror, Fiona encounters someone from her school days, who's not only a social worker, but engaged to a man she slept with.

Debbie is set to help Marty as his court date nears, whilst Kev's sister Kelly reappears, much to the displeasure of Veronica.

The Gallagher family celebrate Christmas 2004, bringing mayhem and death to the Chatsworth estate.