Emmerdale’s Alicia lashes out – but what has Val done to make her mad?

Next week in Soapland, there are two violent attacks, a surprise sacking, a blooming awful act of sabotage and a hero is born…

Emmerdale

Val spits venom at ex-stepson David

Alicia has always had a short fuse, and her quick temper is about to get her into very deep doo-doo. The drama begins when Val discovers Pollard is heading off to Cornwall for a romantic mini-break with Brenda. Devastated at the news, she barges her way into the Woolpack’s back room with a bottle of wine – just as Alicia has decided to tell David how she feels about him.

As Alicia gathers the courage to come clean, Val decides to toss a few home truths in David’s direction and accuses her former stepson of being “a brainless, spineless, pathetic waste of space”. Charming!

Alicia is taken into police custody

Before she can stop herself, Alicia has punched Val in the face, leaving her with a bloody nose. The blubbering businesswoman wastes no time in calling the police, gloating as a shamefaced Alicia is led from the Woolpack in handcuffs.

Alicia’s solicitor delivers the bad news

There’s worse to come when Alicia is forced to admit she has a previous conviction for assaulting one of her mum’s carers. As she anxiously prepares herself for the magistrates’ court, her solicitor tells her she should expect a custodial sentence. Eeek!

Blue never was Ashley’s colour…

Elsewhere, Ashley starts his new job at the burger bar. After donning a deeply unflattering polo shirt and baseball cap (ah well, at least it makes a change from a dog collar and a yawn-grey sweater), the disgraced vicar is shown the ropes by co-worker Gareth. He tries to put on a brave face, but barely manages to hold it together when his request for an advance on his wages is laughed off.

The vicar’s new career turns out to be a short one

Further humiliation follows when Alex and Victoria spot Ashley on the job and take great delight in telling Laurel that her ex is flipping burgers for a living. Horrified to discover Ashley hasn’t bagged a high-flying managerial job after all, Laurel decides to visit him at work. She arrives just in time to see Gareth sacking Ashley for pinching some stale burger buns to give to the homeless. But if Ashley is hoping for some sympathy from his estranged wife, he’d better think again…

Coronation Street

Lesley’s sister gives Paul a piece of her mind

Poor Eileen’s really been through t’mill lately – and next week there’s another rollercoaster ride in store when she goes AWOL from the factory in order to attend Lesley’s funeral. At the service, Paul delivers a loving eulogy for his wife – but outside, her sister lets rip at Paul, accusing him of abandoning Lesley for Eileen.

Eileen springs to Paul’s defence, demanding to know what Lesley’s sister ever did for the Alzheimer’s sufferer. Immediately regretting her outburst, she scurries back to Coronation Street and the sanctuary of the Rovers, convinced that Paul will never forgive her. But, when Paul walks into the pub, he tells Eileen to remove the For Sale from outside her house and take him back because he loves her. Aaaah…

Carla puts Eileen in the firing line

Still reeling from Paul’s declaration, the mum-of-two heads to work – but there’s a nasty shock waiting when Carla sacks her on the spot, after revealing that Eileen’s absence meant the factory missed a vital deadline. Can Eileen convince the hard-nosed Gussetworld boss to change her mind? Let’s just say the knicker-stitcher has really got her work cut out this time…

Tommy makes a shocking admission

In other news, Tina discovers Tommy has been meeting Rick in secret (and given that Tommy has slightly less intelligence than the average barmcake, it was only a matter of time before he got found out). When Tommy admits he’s being held to ransom by Rick, forced to hide drugs in cars in order to pay back dad Terry’s debts, Tina is understandably appalled.

Rick shows what a rotten meanie he is

Faced with the thought of losing his girlfriend, Tommy calls Rick and tells him the deal’s off. But Rick isn’t the sort of man you say no to, and promptly turns up at the garage. When Tina tells Rick to take his car and leave, the thug laughs in her face, then sets his heavies on Tommy and forces her to watch. What a gent, eh?

Norris points the finger at Gail

Elsewhere, Norris is furious when he discovers his plants for the Weatherfield in Bloom competition have been butchered. His face turns a worrying shade of fuchsia as he accuses arch rival Gail of sabotage – but it isn’t long before the nasturtium-loving newsagent is forced to eat his words…

EastEnders

Andrew squares up to Tyler

Andrew Cotton went to hell and back when he was wrongly accused of murdering fiancée Heather – and now he’s set to find himself at the centre of a new emergency. In dramatic scenes, the short-tempered doorman is hailed a hero after saving pal Patrick from choking. But what Andrew doesn’t know is that Patrick is actually faking it.

The action unfolds when Patrick and Andrew step in to resolve a dispute between Tyler and Zainab at the antiques emporium. As the situation gets heated, Andrew starts to lose his cool with Tyler. Worried his friend might do something silly, Patrick decides to distract him by pretending to choke.

Who knew Patrick was such a good actor?

A quick-thinking Andrew springs into action and performs the Heimlich manoeuvre, much to the admiration of onlookers. As word of Andrew’s heroics spread, a reporter from the Walford Gazette decides to do an article about him – but it soon emerges that the newspaper has a hidden agenda…

Phil puts his money where his mouth is

In other news, Lucy’s fears for a missing Ian grow when she stumbles across his passport. Realising he can’t have gone on a solo honeymoon after all, she hands her dad’s address book to Ben and tells him to start ringing round all Ian’s friends (what – you mean he’s actually got some?). Lucy’s woes are only compounded when a fabulously insensitive Janine hounds her for the cash Ian owes. Seeing Lucy’s discomfort, Phil steps forward and gives Janine a wad of cash to settle Ian’s debt. But are his actions inspired by generosity or a guilty conscience? Only time will tell…

One minute Derek and Alice are having a swinging time…

Elsewhere, Alice tells Derek she’ll give their relationship another chance – but only if he keeps on the straight and narrow. A delighted Del Boy jumps at the chance to spend some quality time with his daughter, but his dreams of happy families are shattered when Billy approaches him in the Square to talk about their latest scam, involving counterfeit cash.

The next, Alice finds her dad very tyre-some…

Derek desperately tries to conceal his dodgy dealings, but an angry and upset Alice sees through his lies and tells her father he couldn’t be honest if he tried. Oh dear…

What do you think of this week’s soap storylines? Let us know below.