Puberty catches up with the Gallaghers: Carl discovers sex and ASBOs, Debbie struggles with her grown-up responsibilities and little Liam denounces religion at his RC Primary School. Lip becomes a dad while Ian’s heart gets badly broken. And Sheila’s valium-fuelled white wedding dream turns into the wedding of the century, so even Frank can’t ignore it! Tourettes’ sufferer Marty is loved up with Sue although he has yet to find out about her biggest secret. Next door, Veronica and Kev hit dangerous ground when his real wife turns up. And mum, Carol, finds that shoplifting is not so easy. New councillor Kash proves he’s bent in every way and Karen gets more than she bargained for at The Jockey.

• David Threlfall
• Rebecca Atkinson
• Alice Barry
• Nicky Evans
• Tina Malone
• Aaron McCusker
• Stephen Lord
• Qasim Akhtar