Episode 5654 (25th December 2003)

Plot
Roy reveals that he's bought a virtual baby off the internet. He and Hayley spend the day looking after it. Although it's not easy they both enjoy it. Norris is cooking Christmas Dinner for Emily and Rita. He times the turkey with his new gizmo but fails to switch the oven on. Betty arrives at the pub in tears. When she arrived at Gordon's she found that they'd gone away and left her a message. She returned home and then had a fire in the house. Shelley insists that she should stay at the Rovers. Craig is distraught having told Martin the truth. He barricades himself into his bedroom. Angela has to persuade him to come down to dinner. Brenda calls in to see Sarah, Todd and Bethany having bought them lavish presents. Sunita and Ciaran are relieved when they can't get a taxi and therefore can't get to Dev's for Christmas Dinner. Steve finds out that Liz called hoping to see them at Christmas but that Karen lied to her saying they were away. He rows with Karen over his mum and storms out. Blanche reveals that she's bought a house, No. 7 for Tracy for Christmas. She hopes this will encourage Tracy to keep the baby. Deirdre is absolutely furious with her for not even discussing the idea with her. Blanche and Deirdre row. Martin insists that he and Katy go round to the Harris's. Martin announces to Tommy, Angela, Craig and Katy that he's been to the police and has lied, saying that he was aware that he had dodgy brakes but hadn't had time to get them fixed. Tracy tells Steve that he's the father of her baby and that she never slept with Roy. Fiz rows with Cilla and then with Kirk for taking her mum's side. She ends up staying with Tyrone and they have a drunken kiss. Gail's Christmas Dinner is a disaster when she unintentionally upsets Sarah regarding her pregnancy and Sarah storms out. Steve threatens to kill Tracy if she ever tells Karen the truth about the baby.

Regular cast

 * Hayley Cropper - Julie Hesmondhalgh
 * Roy Cropper - David Neilson
 * Steve McDonald - Simon Gregson
 * Karen McDonald - Suranne Jones
 * Deirdre Rachid - Anne Kirkbride
 * Ken Barlow - William Roache
 * Blanche Hunt - Maggie Jones
 * Katy Harris - Lucy-Jo Hudson
 * Martin Platt - Sean Wilson
 * Shelley Unwin - Sally Lindsay
 * Emily Bishop - Eileen Derbyshire
 * Rita Sullivan - Barbara Knox
 * Betty Williams - Betty Driver
 * Bev Unwin - Susie Blake
 * Tommy Harris - Thomas Craig
 * Angela Harris - Kathryn Hunt
 * Craig Harris - Richard Fleeshman
 * Sarah Platt - Tina O'Brien
 * Todd Grimshaw - Bruno Langley
 * Brenda Fearns - Julia Deakin
 * Bethany Platt - Amy and Emily Walton
 * Norris Cole - Malcolm Hebden
 * Kirk Sutherland - Andrew Whyment
 * Fiz Brown - Jennie McAlpine
 * Tyrone Dobbs - Alan Halsall
 * Tracy Barlow - Kate Ford
 * Eileen Grimshaw - Sue Cleaver
 * Sunita Parekh - Shobna Gulati
 * Ciaran McCarthy - Keith Duffy
 * Gail Platt - Helen Worth
 * Audrey Roberts - Sue Nicholls
 * David Platt - Jack P. Shepherd
 * Nick Tilsley - Adam Rickitt

Guest cast
None