Debbies roasts Alicia at Christmas dinner

*One-hour episode* Debbie's Christmas is a real ding-dong and Alicia's ears are ringing after the season of goodwill goes out the window! It was supposed to be an extra-special Christmas for Sarah, but in all the fuss Jacob has been forgotten by everyone, including Andy, and Alicia is not happy. The atmosphere is tense, not merry, and Debbie blames Alicia, so she gives her Christmas dinner to go - turkey, spuds, veg and lashings of gravy - on her head! The one gift that would lift Debbie's Christmas spirits would be a pregnancy. She takes a test - and is devastated when it's negative. Amy does have a baby - Debbie's half-brother and Sarah's uncle - but she's overwhelmed by the bairn. Amy, Val and Pollard have an emotional Christmas when Amy makes a final decision about Kyle's future. The Bartons have a tearful Christmas without Moira. She leaves their presents in the barn and John's heart breaks when he sees one for him. Hazel remembers Christmases past with Jackson and visits his grave. Ashley has an awkward Christmas when he tries to force the Christmas spirit on family and friends. Chas enjoys something of a Christmas miracle: she gets a gift from Aaron and her heart bursts with joy.

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Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix.

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.