S02E08: 'Fall From Grace'

Freddie tries to make Sal jealous by going on a date with his arch-enemy, Jason. When Sal offers him a challenge to settle their rivalry once and for all, Jason can’t refuse. It’s an arm wrestle – Italian style – over glasses of flaming Sambuca – and, as Jason quickly learns, you should never play with fire! The following day, Freddie is the talk of the changing rooms and a concerned Stefan calls Sal into his office. Sal is already reeling from finding Freddie with blood dripping from a very deep, self-inflicted cut on her hand, and when he finds out from Stefan that Freddie is telling all and sundry that they are to be married, he finally realises just how disturbed she really is. Darius meanwhile is livid when he hears Jason bragging about his night with Freddie and, rather unwisely, decides to confront him. Fed up with Darius questioning his morals like a particularly annoying Jiminy Cricket, Jason grabs him firmly by the family jewels and threatens to give him an injury on the pitch that will end his career.

Hazel has decided that what the Pascoe family need is a dose of good publicity and has a mock-up photo made of them and the Turners’ in their underwear – Chardonnay and Tanya as men, and Kyle and Jason as women. Although the others think it’s a great idea, as soon as Jason sees himself in a bra and knickers he blows his top. After sacking Hazel, he goes to see Jackie. It is quite clear that he wishes Paddy had never been born and Jackie is horrified when she finds him leaning over the baby’s cot with a pillow in his hands. After throwing Jason out of the house, Jackie vows that she will never allow him to harm her child.

Having dyed Nurse Dunkley’s hair grey and installed her as a ‘resident’ of the old folk’s home, Tanya arranges to meet with Frank. He’s smug because he’s finally got proof that she tried to kill him, but she denies everything – he can’t prove anything without Dunkley and there’s no way he’ll ever find her. Frank is nothing if not resourceful though and hires a private detective to track Dunkley down using the signal from her mobile phone. Dunkley is petrified when Frank turns up at the old folk’s home and informs her that he’s going to use her to make Tanya pay!

Tanya is happily planning the lavish ceremony in which she and Jason will renew their vows in front of friends, team-mates and assorted celebrities. But Jason has now managed to make mortal enemies of most of the principal guests and Chardonnay has informed Tanya of his latest attempt to play away with Freddie. The big day arrives and Tanya is radiant and serene – is she really going to stand by her man yet again? The answer of course is a big fat NO. The guests watch on in amusement (and a certain amount of pleasure) as she throws Jason’s ring across the room and finally tells him exactly when she thinks of him. Jason responds by punching her in the face and then has to be restrained when she tells everyone to stay and enjoy the reception.

Archie has persuaded Stefan to allow him to talk some sense into Freddie and decides to take her for lunch. Freddie is uptight and uncomfortable in Archie’s presence and we soon discover why – she had a crush on him when she was thirteen and, rather than dissuading her, he took advantage of it. How can he be to blame for taking what was on offer? When Freddie tries to leave the restaurant, he forcibly persuades her to allow him to drive her home. However, the destination he actually has in mind is his house, and more specifically, his bedroom. Archie feels that Freddie owes him something for all of the trouble she has caused, after all, she wouldn’t want Stefan to find out that he has a slut for a daughter, would she?

Jason is drowning his sorrows in a champagne bottle up on the roof. He hears footsteps approaching and turns to see who it is. He stands on the edge of the roof and taunts the unseen person, but loses his grip and slips. Now dangling precariously from the roof by one hand, Jason begs the person to help him, but he/she picks up the champagne bottle and whacks him with it. Jason plummets to the ground.