Ruhma is embarrassed by her ‘oddly shaped vase’ in Doctors

This week in Letherbridge…

MONDAY

The atmosphere is still frosty at home between Daniel and Zara, but they both put on a show of normality in front of Joe. At The Mill, Luca and Scarlett are surprised a mysterious delivery. Luca opens the box and they find an oddly shaped vase, which they realise belongs to Ruhma from her pottery class. Ruhma is embarrassed to see her vase again, as she’s trying to forget that night at the pottery class. It doesn’t help that her colleagues are making fun of it.

Zara is rude to Scarlett, who complains to Emma about her. Emma is concerned. She goes to see Zara who breaks down and tells her everything that has been going on with her and Daniel. Emma says that this is normal for them, and to talk it out with Daniel. Back home, Zara is shocked to find Daniel has been drinking.

Logan Padmore is desperate to impress his grandfather Chris and join the family criminal business by stealing an expensive watch with Chris’ help. Chris dismisses his plan because he thinks Logan doesn’t have what it takes. Sid is finishing a rapid response call and meets street cleaner Mervyn Golightly.

Logan arrives at a nearby jeweller’s shop and starts to have what looks like an asthma attack. Mervyn rushes to help and then remembering Sid is still nearby goes to get him. In the confusion, Logan is suddenly fine and manages to steal the watch from the shop. Sid is surprised to see his patient speed past him, knocking into Mervyn. As the alarms ring from the shop, Sid reluctantly gives chase…

TUESDAY

Zara complains to Emma about Daniel’s recent behaviour over dinner, and though Emma tries to be sympathetic, mentioning how out of character this is for him, they also discuss the possibility of Zara’s life without Daniel. After work, Daniel meets Hugo Crowley outside his golf club and is invited for a drink. As Daniel complains to Hugo about Zara’s recent actions, Vanessa Ormonde approaches and introduces herself to Daniel. She begins to flirt with him, and their cosy manner annoys Hugo. When Vanessa comments about Zara’s recent incident, Hugo’s taken aback, but Daniel isn’t offended. This takes Vanessa’s flirting to another level, as she offers to buy Daniel a drink.

Suspecting Vanessa’s intentions towards Daniel, Hugo leaves them alone. When Daniel receives a call from Zara, he rejects it and later offers Vanessa a ride home. However, when she begins to advance on Daniel, he realises he doesn’t want things to go any farther and backs out. Zara questions Daniel’s whereabouts when he arrives home, leading to a confrontation where he tells her about Vanessa’s offer and the restraint he used. Zara feels berated and angrily storms out, leaving Daniel in regret.

Bear and Claudia are on a date in a fancy restaurant, where Bear’s ordered a special duck dinner as a surprise for her, but his enthusiasm plummets when Nina and Suni are seated at the table next to them. Bear introduces Claudia to his colleagues, and though Suni suggests they find another table to give the couple some privacy, Nina playfully refuses, thinking this will be fun. Nina inserts herself into the conversation, making Bear feel like there’s a third person on the date. However, when Nina takes a jab at Claudia’s career trajectory, the conversation turns awkward. Nina’s playfulness finally causes Claudia to shut her down and call her out on her behaviour. Claudia and Bear leave Nina remorseful, but when they get back to his, Bear reveals he ordered Chinese takeaway for them, including duck.

Claudia gets so excited that she tells Bear she loves him, leaving her embarrassed and him taken aback.

WEDNESDAY

At the station, Claudia is on the phone with her mum, tensely listening to advice. When Rob enters, asking if she’s ok, she hides her feelings. Later, Sid finds Bear listening to the music in the staff room, and Bear explains that he and Claudia are going to a gig that night. Sid and Bear muse over the things people do to impress dates, but a nerve is struck when Princess’ name is mentioned.

When Bear and Claudia meet later, the conversation is awkward. Bear gives Claudia a present, which brings up the memory of their last date, stunting the conversation further. Bear’s not sure what’s going on as Claudia covers what’s really weighing her down. Zara enters, ready for a night out, and reminds Daniel he’s supposed to have planned something with Joe Zara accuses Daniel of forgetting, but when she offers to stay home, he assumes she’ll resent him for it. Zara realises this is a losing battle and leaves. Daniel asks Joe what he’d like to do and Joe suggests seeing a film. Unprepared, Daniel admits he hasn’t booked anywhere. Daniel wants to get Joe interested, so suggests they make a special pizza together. Joe asks why Daniel and Zara are fighting again, admitting he heard them earlier. Daniel tries to cover, but Joe, knowing Daniel’s lying, calls him out on it and then leaves. Daniel, losing hope, pours himself a slug of vodka.

When the pizza is ready, Daniel calls for Joe, who slumps into the room but won’t eat the pizza and asks to be excused. Daniel, ashamed and disappointed, takes the bottle of vodka and settles down on the sofa to self-medicate. Emma finds Zara at the theatre bar, and they discuss Zara’s resignation from the university. Zara knows it makes her look guilty, but is too embarrassed to go back, and Emma can see this is taking its toll on Zara. At the interval, Zara asks Emma’s opinion over whether she should have tried to stay on at the university, but Emma alludes that Zara is partially to blame for that situation. She asks if Zara wants to take a miss on the second half, but Zara admits that even the play is better than being at home right now.

Frankie calls the Mill to find out which doctor is working this evening and when Rosie confirms it will be Al, she hangs up and tells Vic. Kirsty discovers Al in the staff room, giddily texting someone, but when she queries him, he pretends otherwise. When Al re-emerges later looking smart and tidy, Kirsty deduces he’s going on a date and decides to wind him up. He gets caught out and rushes off. He nervously meets Trudy Larson (30s) for lunch, and they hit it off, geeking out over comic books. However, when Al continues to interject over what Trudy’s saying, she calls him out on it. Al feels awkward for a moment until Trudy rescues him and mentions their next date, leaving Al beaming.

Al’s still in a great mood when he returns to the Mill, even telling Kirsty she can bunk off early. Kirsty walks out to her car, and as Al locks up, Frankie and Vic are watching from the shadows. Al’s on the patio about to have a smoke and messaging Trudy when Frankie and Vic emerge to confront him.

THURSDAY

Kirsty sits in her car on the phone to Ollie, ready to leave, but is persuaded to go back into the Mill to retrieve his charger. When she can’t find it, Kirsty calls out to Al, finding it strange he doesn’t respond. From the hospital, Kirsty frustratedly calls everyone, until finally she gets an answer from Daniel and urges him to c come quickly. Daniel, who’s been drinking, calls Zara with no answer and struggles with whether or not to drive to the hospital.

Daniel and Joe are in the car when suddenly, blue lights begin to flash behind them. Daniel is pulled over for a broken tail light and tries to explain they’re on their way to the hospital. PC Mandy Cox asks him to get out of the car and bluntly questions him about whether he’s had a drink recently. She’s brusque when she assumes he’s giving her attitude and refusing a breathalyser test, but he refutes this and submits, covering his concern. Daniel snaps at her about not being drunk, however, when PC Cox gets another more urgent call come through, lets Daniel off with a warning.

Daniel and Joe rush into the hospital and see Kirsty. Leaving Joe with Kirsty, Daniel speaks to the doctor. Kirsty tries to keep her tone light, but Joe becomes very serious as they discuss how hospitals can’t cure everyone and reveals his knowledge comes from a video he watched about emergency services in action. Zara, finding the house empty, panics and calls Daniel. She’s annoyed with him for taking Joe to the hospital, and Daniel, irritated, covers when Zara asks if he was drinking tonight.

Bear and Claudia, are at the bar at the gig venue. The awkward feeling between them continues despite Bear’s efforts to be playful. Claudia is eager to leave, and when Bear suggests they go somewhere else, Claudia refuses, wanting to go home. Bear tries to be smooth, but on Claudia’s annoyance, Bear calls her out for making him feel like she doesn’t want to be there. Bear declares that he only came to the gig for her. The argument escalates, and Claudia blames him for not taking responsibility. Bear’s confused, and thinks she’s upset because she said she loved him. Bear gets Claudia a taxi, and when he re-enters, hopes he’ll speak to her tomorrow, but Claudia’s cool with him. He proclaims his bafflement at what’s changed between them and storms back into the bar, leaving Claudia feeling guilty.

Doctors, Monday to Thursday at 1.45 pm on BBC One and the iPlayer.