Episode 5477 (7th April 2003)

Plot
Karen leaves for the business trip, despite Steve's entreaties to reconsider for the sake of their marriage. Janice gives Mick a set of keys to her flat. Steve watches Karen and Joe leave the Street in a flash hire car. Jack, Kirk and Tyrone ponder a competition to describe a dream house in twenty words or less. Peter suggests to a disbelieving Shelley that they try for a baby straight away. Emma tells Curly that Les' allegations have been officially logged but that she's not going to change her story. With Karen's mobile switched off, Steve phones the hotel in Wolverhampton to discover that there is only one room booked, in the name of Joe Carter. Les' feelings of persecution grow when he receives a new set of divorce papers from Janice. Concerned at his parents increasing interest, Craig enlists Rosie's help to swot up on the play. Katy manages to get out of the house to meet her friend Louise Crawley, from Sheffield. Steve goes to a bar to get drunk where a girl called Julie Roxburgh chats him up. After their dinner with clients, Joe comes on strong to Karen and, with thoughts of her argument with Steve on her mind, she takes a taxi home to Weatherfield. Steve takes Julie to his flat, and sleeps with her, thinking that Karen is doing the same with Joe in Wolverhampton.

Guest cast

 * Julie Roxburgh - Claire Harris