SoapWeekly: Christmas is celebrated in Neighbours while Sonny makes a fool of himself in River City

Soap highlights for the coming week from River City and Neighbours…

This week in Shieldinch… Sensing Mikey is struggling, Gillian reassures him she’s always there for her friend. Unconvinced Mikey is happy, Gillian confides in Lydia about her fears Jonathon is cutting him off. Sympathetic to Gillian’s concerns, Lydia notes that this is often the sign of an abusive relationship. Unsure whether Mikey is being physically abused or not, Gillian goes on a mission to get invited to her friend’s house and hatches a plan to spend Christmas Day with the couple.

However, her persistence causes further conflict behind closed doors when Jonathon snaps that Mikey has ruined their Christmas. As the atmosphere grows increasingly hostile, Jonathon lashes out again. Elsewhere, Tyler makes a second attempt at escaping but is thwarted when his father’s henchman, Des, blocks him. Des tells Tyler there’s family business that needs to be discussed.

To Tyler’s surprise, his father Harry arrives having been released from prison. Feeling cornered, Tyler knows there’s no way he can go on the run now. With Harry convinced Alex is the grass, he tasks Tyler to remain close to the Murdochs. Knowing things are getting increasingly dangerous for him, Tyler fears he’s a dead man walking.

Conor’s stunned to see Dean and Madonna back together. Chloe tells him to leave well alone but Conor thinks an oblivious Dean deserves to know the truth about his duplicitous girlfriend, Madonna.

Scarlett is stunned to discover Bob has changed his mind about adding Bernie’s plaque to the memorial bench. Revealing he knows how badly Mulvaney treated his mum, Bob tells Scarlett he wants nothing to do with him anymore. When Mulvaney turns up, he’s stung by Bob’s rejection and reacts angrily warning him to change his mind or live to regret it. Bob remains resolute so Mulvaney takes matters into his own hands setting the memorial bench on fire. Stunned, the O’Hara’s turn their backs on Mulvaney – he’s no longer part of their family.

Elsewhere, Sonny makes a fool of himself when he turns up drunk dressed as Santa for Tommy’s community toy drive. Things go further awry when he directs his insensitive jokes at Carly, enraging Tommy. Later when Gillian finds Sonny in a drunken state of despair, she quietly assures him it’s time to get some help.

Having returned from her weekend away with Sam, Caitlin decides the time has come to confess all about her affair with Seb much to his delight. However, as they prepare to tell Sam the devastating truth together, Caitlin’s stunned and delighted when Sam reveals her son Drew is back from America. Forlorn, Seb looks on knowing their secret revelation will have to wait.

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This week in Erinsborough… Paul and Terese drive to the highlands in pursuit of Leo and SebasSan. En route, Paul is so wound up that he almost hits a kangaroo. Terese insists on taking the wheel. Trying to distract Paul, she recalls a funny anecdote, which has the desired effect of taking Paul’s mind off Leo. However, his happy mood is short-lived.

Arriving at the ramshackle property, there is no sign of Leo or Sebastian. Searching the property, Terese finds a remnant of Leo’s shirt caught on a barb wire fence. Paul fears the worst and traipses through the bush trying to find Leo. When he stumbles across a cliff face, his fears rise from zero to a hundred. Reminded of David’s death, Paul breaks down and cries “I can’t lose another son”. The pair rush back to the car just as a series of text messages come through from Leo. He’s totally fine and on his way home. Embarrassed by his emotional outburst, Paul is silent as Terese starts to drive home.

Encouraged by their successful picnic date, Nicolette asks Yaz to join her for the Christmas Open Mic. After a strong start, Nicolefe’s thrown when Yaz suddenly races out of the event in tears. When she finds emotional Yaz, Nicolette learns the truth – Yaz has recently lost her brother and is grieving. Without letting on that her dead sibling is Heath, Yaz confides in Nicolette and the bond between the women grows. When Yaz kisses Nicolette, she’s thrilled, but later, Nicolette finds herself alone in the hotel room. Where is Yaz? Unbeknownst to Nicolette, Yaz has broken into Rhonda’s office to steal Holly’s file.

Vera returns home to learn from Jane that Max is being kicked out of the shared house and is dismayed to learn why. Determined to change her housemates’ minds, Vera invites them all to a Christmas Day brunch with her own unique twist and won’t take no for an answer. Fed up with Vera lording over them, Byron, Sadie, Nicolette and Max all agree that Christmas should be about spending time with friends and family. But they’re unaware Vera has heard every word and is devastated.

Yaz’s late-night break into Rhonda’s office yields results that she quickly embarks on exploiting. Meanwhile, an oblivious Holly attends another session with Rhonda where Holly learns that despite her fears, Rhonda believes she’s on the right path to regaining control of her life. When Yaz sees Holly vulnerable after her session, she attempts to trick her into saying something to incriminate herself but wanting to keep her safe space at work, Holly remains silent on what happened in the Outback. And Yaz’s frustrations grow.

On Thursday it’s Christmas Day on Ramsay Street and the residents are preparing various celebrations. At the Harris house, Nicolette is loving being back under the same roof as Aaron, Isla and Jane. They are planning a big turkey lunch with Byron, Sadie and Holly but this is interrupted when Trevor absconds with the turkey. Paul comes to the rescue inviting them to Christmas at the Penthouse and the lunch is a wonderful celebration of love, family and friendship.

Remi, Cara, JJ and Dex prepare to leave for New York. Holly offers up a Christmas present by way of apology and Dex rejects it, triggering Cara. JJ urges his brother to think of his mother, not himself. Chastened, Dex apologises to Holly. The Vara-Murphys head to the airport on their trip. Cara thinks she sees Chelsea but brushes away the thought – it couldn’t be… But she was right. Chelsea is back in Melbourne. And she’s pregnant.

Nicolette is delighted that Yaz is joining her for Christmas. However when Yaz discovers that Holly will be there too she pulls out, hurting Nicolette, who tells Yaz how she feels. Yaz arranges for a delivery to Holly’s house – a present from Heath. Holly opens it and is terrified.

Vera cancels the brunch, feeling ashamed after what she overheard. Max realises what happened – determined to make it up to her, he goes and buys her some Christmas lunch. A mystery man turns up looking for Seb. Leo, using information from Dex, tells him where Seb is living. Byron and Sadie run in to Max picking up food for Vera at Grease Monkeys. A car drives at Seb, with Sadie and Max in the way. We hear a sickening thud and see Max, Sadie and Sebastian splayed on the road.

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