After Ladies Night at The Jockey, Fiona wakes up in bed with soon-to-be married Joey Dawson, and she is forced to pay the price when Liam Gallagher (Johnny Bennett) is rushed to hospital after swallowing some pills. Social Services are alerted and a full assessment of the Gallagher family gets underway. Fiona is panicked to discover the woman in charge of the family's review is none other than her old school enemy, Katrina Webb, who also turns out to be the future Mrs Dawson, and just when it seems all is lost for the Gallaghers, an unlikely figure saves the day: Frank. Meanwhile, a visit to the hospital has devastating consequences for Ian when he discovers that Frank is not his biological father, sending him on a desperate search to find his real father. But what will he find?

Kev's sister, Kelly (Sally Carman), arrives in Chatsworth on the run from her ex-boyfriend, an aggressive junkie. She is desperate to retrieve her things from his flat, so Kev and Frank decide to step in and help her. However, Veronica soon discovers everything is not what it seems - and Kelly may be hiding a dark addiction herself. Meanwhile, Fiona is suffering from morning sickness, so Craig is planning a surprise trip to Wales to relax. Craig's wife, Sue (Gillian Kearney), is jealous of his new relationship and seeks solace in Marty. But when Sue breaks up with Marty, it leads him on a downward spiral which threatens to land him back in prison, forcing Debbie to take drastic actions. Elsewhere, tragedy strikes for Craig when he discovers his father has died.