Zara is blamed for Daniel leaving in Doctors

This week in Letherbridge…

MONDAY

Luca voices his worries to Emma that Suni won’t treat Scarlett well and she tells him to mind his own business. At work, Luca’s annoyed when Suni and Scarlett are too busy flirting to notice him. Later, Emma tries to talk to Luca about how Zara is coping in the wake of Daniel leaving, but the conversation doesn’t get far.

Al’s nervous about visiting The Mill today for the first time since the attack. He calls Kirsty and asks her to come with him. Bear, Zara, Sid and Emma are excited to welcome Al back. Emma tells Jimmi about Al’s visit, but he’s still feeling sore over their argument and declines to come. Zara, almost giddy with excitement to see Al, tries to usher Emma away from her work and into reception to welcome him.

Nina is embarrassed with a woman, Angela Hayes, calls her out for idling her engine and causing unnecessary pollution. Angela meets up with partner Eddie Brewer, to discuss an event they’re throwing tonight about birth striking. Nina moans to Suni and Scarlett about the incident with little sympathy. Angela feels sick when practising her speech and runs to the loo. Angela arrives at The Mill, looking for an appointment, and is embarrassed to discover Nina is running the drop-in clinic. Angela apologises to Nina but keeps talking about climate change – she says it’s all she can think about. Nina assumes she’s here due to climate anxiety, she tells Nina she’s a birth striker – someone who chooses not to have children because of the ecological crisis.

TUESDAY

Sid’s irked when Tye asks him to do his washing – he feels Tye is overstaying his welcome. Sid calls Bear to moan and Bear convinces him to stand up to his dad. Sid eventually (almost) summons the courage and hints that Tye could clean up after himself better. Sid also wonders if Tye has any plans to get his own place. But Tye has no idea what he wants to do next. Sid encourages him to do whatever he wants. Sid reports back to Bear – it went well – but Bear isn’t so sure.

Zara’s convinced Emma has planned a spa day for them and can’t wait. She’s dismayed when Emma announces they’re doing a boxing exercise class. But quickly changes her mind once she sees the gorgeous, hunky instructor and throws herself into the class, lapping up the instructor’s attention. Emma’s glad to see Zara having fun, but Zara admits it’s all an act – this was a nice distraction, but tomorrow it’s back to the reality of being a single working mum. Emma picks up some boxing pads – clearly Zara still needs to get out some frustrations. She tries to get a rise out of Zara which works, and Zara takes her anger out on the pads.

Carol Murdock hears a thump in her empty house and thinks someone has broken in. Outside, Kirsty’s annoyed to find a car blocking the pavement. Carol tells Kirsty she’s been struggling since her guide dog died and about the noise she heard earlier, but when Kirsty offers to call the police, Carol refuses. Carol’s friend, Hattie Flynn arrives and Kirsty questions her on Carol’s reluctance to call the police. Hattie fills her in on Carol’s troubles with neighbour, Jed Pilton. Carol reported Jed to the council for his parking. Then someone scratched Jed’s car and he blamed Carol, shouting at her to pay for the repairs. She called the police, they charged him with assault, and now he hates her.

Ellie Simms is tired of being ‘fat shamed’ in Doctors

WEDNESDAY

Zara’s day is off to a bad start when an angry Joe blames her for Daniel leaving and after a distracted morning at The Mill, she loses her temper with Tash, reducing Tash to tears, and Emma’s attempts to talk to Zara are met with a cold shoulder. Later at home, Zara tries to talk to Joe about his recent behaviour.

The tension between Suni & Scarlett heightens, with neither willing to make the worst move. Trying to ignore the awkwardness she banters with Suni about their date that night, looking forward to the surprise. However, he cancels the booking after overhearing Scarlett on a video call to Kirsty where she complains about the posers in flash restaurants.

Bear is on a VPAS visit to diabetic Colin Shaw who lives with their grandchild Ethan Shaw, the latter having recently come out as a non-binary furry. Bear is greeted at the door by Ethan’s fursona Valent but is ordered to leave by a stressed Colin. When Colin sees Ethan and their friend Jordan getting ready to attend their first furmeet, he throws Ethan out of the house, unable to accept them. Ethan seeks out Bear at the Campus and asks him to check on Colin and complete the VPAS appointment.

THURSDAY

After further fallouts with Joe, Zara manages to upset Tash again. Emma steps in and gets Zara to open up about her frustrations with Daniel while Ruhma and Jenny are at St Phil’s to see Sian for their hearing & are disgusted to hear the verdict. Afterwards, Ruhma tells Jenny she’s going to fight, as she won’t be blamed for the system’s failure.

Ellie Simms hears her step-father Malcolm Dupres let himself into her house. She struggles to hide the evidence of her recent binge but as she stands a searing pain through her foot stops her. Malcolm expresses disgust at Ellie, who fights back tears. He continues to humiliate her and make inappropriately lewd comments. At The Mill to get her foot checked, Ellie is further humiliated by the judgemental locum GP Carrie MacRae. Jimmi, finding Ellie upset outside The Mill, talks to her about her situation.

Ellie reveals to Jimmi that her stepdad has humiliated her all her life and wants to send her to fat camp, Jimmi suggests she needs counselling and to take control of her life a prospect she thinks about.

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