Episode 5263 (8th May 2002)

Plot
[Deirdre Barlow|Deirdre]] tells Ken and Blanche she's been sacked but doesn't tell them why. Steve continues to make sure everyone boycotts Barlow's Bookies and Peter still refuses to pay Steve his winnings. Karen and Shelley agree that they are both being incredibly childish. Ashley and Maxine persuade Fred that he must talk to Eve. He agrees to see her. Jack sneaks into the Bookies to put a bet on hoping Steve won't see him. Dev has been for a night out with Vik and apparently pulled the best-looking woman in the room. Dev tells Sunita that he sacked Deirdre for lying to Geena about him. Sunita tells Deirdre who is furious. Deirdre calls to see Dev and implies that unless he gives her her job back she will tell everyone the truth. She gets her job back. Ken tells Sarah and Candice that he is now their mentor and they can come to him with their problems. He finds out that he's also looking after Aidan Critchley who again gives him a hard time and has had his eyebrow pierced. Fred and Eve meet. Fred tells her that their relationship is over as they were never married. She tells him that the pub is still legally hers and she wants it.

Regular cast

 * Deirdre Rachid - Anne Kirkbride
 * Blanche Hunt - Maggie Jones
 * Ken Barlow - William Roache
 * Peter Barlow - Chris Gascoyne
 * Shelley Unwin - Sally Lindsay
 * Steve McDonald - Simon Gregson
 * Eve Elliott - Melanie Kilburn
 * Maxine Peacock - Tracy Shaw
 * Geena Gregory - Jennifer James
 * Fred Elliott - John Savident
 * Jack Duckworth - William Tarmey
 * Vikram Desai - Chris Bisson
 * Dev Alahan - Jimmi Harkishin
 * Sunita Parekh - Shobna Gulati
 * Sam Kingston - Scott Wright
 * Sarah Platt - Tina O’Brien
 * Candice Stowe - Nikki Sanderson
 * Karen McDonald - Suranne Jones
 * Ashley Peacock - Steven Arnold

Guest cast

 * Miss Johnson - Barbara Dryhurst
 * Aidan Critchley - Dean Ashton