IT WAS only a matter of time before someone became suspicious of Peter Barlow's movements in Coronation Street (ITV1).

So when he goes missing yet again, his soon-to-be mother-in-law Bev smells a rat and that rat is called Peter. She puts on her deerstalker and does a spot of sleuthing. As a result, she informs daughter Shelley, as her wedding day approaches, that her fiance is indulging in hanky-panky away from the Rovers Return.

As we know, but she doesn't, that's only half the story. Peter has been running two romances in tandem for some time, even marrying flower girl Lucy and becoming a father without telling fiancee Shelley.

Martin Platt is another Weatherfield resident attempting to keep a relationship quiet. After months of holding back, he and schoolgirl Katy give in to their feelings - which, in Soapland language, means they have sex.

Ex-wife Gail the hamster's little nose is twitching with suspicion about Martin's newly-revived love life. But can he stop her finding out the identity of the new young (very young) woman in his life?

Tracy Barlow, the little minx, is still trying to bed Roy the cafZ owner to win a bet with the aforementioned Bev (who's old enough to know better than to gamble on other people's private lives).

Janine Butcher, who could teach Tracy a thing or two about scheming and manipulating, is at it again in EastEnders (BBC1). Her plan to get her greedy little mitts on the fortune of Barry, the most boring man in Soapland, continues apace.

She makes a play for Barry's heart - or physical features lower down if we're going to be strictly accurate - by cooking him dinner. She has rightly noted that the way to the heart of a man of Barry's girth is through food. Soon he's giving her money for clothes. How long before he signs over all his worldly goods to her?

Romance too for Dan, the Asian Elvis impersonator. Misguidedly, he sets his sight on Sharon of the trembling lips. Patrick steps in to persuade him that Pauline or Pat would be a more suitable candidate.

Love trouble too for Kelly. As soon as Tariq discovers the truth about her past, he dumps her.

Dirty Dennis Mark 2 continues his dodgy dealings by blackmailing crime lord Dalton for £20k. All's going well until Phil Mitchell interferes and a trigger is pulled.

The condition of baby Jean in Emmerdale (ITV1) is still causing concern. So is the behaviour of her schizophrenic, alcoholic, arsonist, drug-taking, lesbian vet of a mother Zoe.

She begins to doubts her abilities as a mother and, frankly, who can blame her? Anyone who gets pregnant and then can't remember anything about the event hardly strikes you as a responsible person.

Debbie, the child who was given away, is still causing ructions at Home Farm. Chris, who is married to Charity (the mother of the child who was given away), doesn't take kindly to his wife and Cain (the father of the child who was given away), meeting up. And his attitude drives Debbie away. She's better off out of it.

Published: 10/07/2003