PEOPLE can be so cruel can’t they?

Handy Andy has had a terrible accident in Emmerdale (ITV1) – arm trapped in a baler (makes me go cold just thinking about it) – but people, okay soap writers, can’t resist making jokes at his expense.

“Andy up in arms” runs one headline, based on the fact that the farm hand is now Not-So-Handy Andy because the damage to his trapped arm means he won’t be able to work for months and could be damaged permanently.

Armed with this knowledge, Not-So-Handy Andy threatens to sue his employers, the crisis-torn Barton family, for compensation.

McMoira offers him sick pay but her son Adam refuses to accept responsibility for the accident. He was clearly to blame because he drunkenly started up the tractor despite Andy having his arm in it.

You’ve got to hand it to Not-So-Handy Andy, he’s persistent in his claim for compensation.

So much so that McMoira’s disgruntled husband (for the time being) Cain offers the injured party a lump sum to go away.

Adam’s trail of destruction continues.

He’s still hitting the bottle, but fortunately not driving heavy machinery, following the revelation that his mother, McMoira, slept with her husband’s brother James, who is his (Adam’s) real father. When girlfriend Katie dumps him, he jumps swiftly into bed with her housemate Leyla. It’s not love, just that he needs a bed for the night.

Also spreading it about is Gary in Coronation Street (ITV1), but his fling with Alya doesn’t emerge until after the couple have agreed to go their separate ways. Another Weatherfield couple whose relationship has become acrimonious is Leanne and Nick-Nick’s. He turns nasty (but don’t call him Nasty Nick because it’s been done before) after learning that Leanne is getting up close with personal trainer Kal.

The path of true love is full of potholes for Marcus and scheming Todd, who lets another man stay over (which is probably a euphemism for something that can’t be mentioned in a family newspaper) for the night.

ENOUGH is enough, says Marcus.The search for Lucy Beale’s murderer continues in EastEnders (BBC1) as Lee Carter returns home for mum Linda’s birthday celebrations, which include – horror of horrors – a karaoke tribute to the Spice Girls. Lee puts the mockers on a happy occasion by confessing to withholding information about Lucy’s murder.

Another Carter boy, Johnny-Come-Lately, is having his own private party with the new man in his life Gianluca, whom he met at Gay Pride. Passion in another part of the Square as Detective Emma Summerhayes takes down murder suspect Mad Max’s particulars.

He’s very keen to help police with their inquiries by jumping into bed with the cop.

But they really shouldn’t start romping at the car lot because his daughter, Lauren, turns up looking for her father.