On a night out, Fiona encounters thief-chaser and handsome stranger Steve. Using Karen, Lip proceeds to perform a test on his brother's sexuality.

Frank disappears after having a fight with Ian, but his family grow very concerned when he doesn't return home.

An uninterested Kev lies to an attracted customer that he's marrying his girlfriend, but a drunken Frank overhears and broadcasts it to the pub.

Debbie brings a wondering infant back to her house, but her family must conduct a plan to return him to his parents who believe he's been kidnapped.

Frank takes Karen out for some driving lessons, whilst Ian and Kash take steps to ensure their relationship stays secret.

Debt predators vulture around the Gallaghers, but Frank has something else on his mind - a plan to get his hands on maintenance from his estranged wife and mother of their children.

As the housing officer and bailiffs continue to plague the Gallaghers, Frank feels the pressure and must deal with it.

The Gallagher family celebrate Christmas 2004, bringing mayhem and death to the Chatsworth estate.

Frank's father arrives at the Gallagher's, much to his displeasure, whilst Veronica feels threatened by Karen's presence when she begins working at the pub.

After Frank remembers to tell Kev and Veronica about a phone call, it emerges the couple are receiving a trial adoption.

The council arrange a competition in encouraging people to maintain their properties better.

As Fiona and Steve organize their wedding, his car is stolen and he's desperate to retrieve it.

Sheila asks Lip to water plants for a neighbor who's on holiday, but the place ends up burgled and he's wrongly accused and arrested.

Mandy becomes pregnant. However, as she is continually pretending to be Ian's girlfriend to hide the fact that he's gay, the Maguires threaten him with castration if he doesn't marry their girl.

To her horror, Fiona encounters someone from her school days, who's not only a social worker, but engaged to a man she slept with.

After hitting his mouth on Kash's shop door, Frank takes the advice of a nearby accident-salesman and files a claim, much to the anger of the estate residents. Meanwhile, Fiona tells Veronica that she's pregnant with Craig's child.

Debbie is set to help Marty as his court date nears, whilst Kev's sister Kelly reappears, much to the displeasure of Veronica.

Steve unexpectedly returns, but Fiona doesn't want to know. Elsewhere, Kash is running for Chatsworth's Councillor against dirty-dealing Bernie Creme, whilst Lillian's husband is killed in an accident.

After Liam denounces religion in school, Debbie has to act quick when the teachers want a home-visit.

Lip and Ian make new friends. Elsewhere, Kev's sister starts lodging at Sheila and Frank's, whilst Marty starts work as a handyman.

A heavily pregnant Mandy is knocked aside during a purse robbery at Kash's shop and gives birth to Lip's baby, but her family forbid contact. Elsewhere, Kev is given a racing tip not to be shared with anyone else.

When Carol discovers that Lillian slept with her husband years ago, she takes revenge by reporting her as a benefit cheat. Meanwhile, a lustful Carl attempts to take advantage of a complicated love triangle involving Lip.

As Kev grieves for his mother on his birthday, his wife returns after being released from prison.

The Gallagher clan are pleased when Carl starts bringing money into the household, but his mini-enterprise is at the wrath of the Maguires, just as Lip tries to maintain his relationship with Mandy.

Debbie becomes friends with a popular girl her own age, but realizes what she's been missing out on and goes on strike. Meanwhile, Frank becomes a medical guinea pig.

The day of Frank's wedding to Sheila draws near, but he begins to get cold feet when he learns the fate of her first husband, Sheldon.

As Lip turns 18, the Maguires expect more of him. Meanwhile, as the Gallaghers witness Kev and Veronica being arrested abroad for illegal baby adoption, their estranged mother Monica, returns.

Sheila fears that Monica will destroy her marriage with Frank. Meanwhile, a Maguire son is released from prison.

Monica manages to claw onto Frank and Frank has to choose between her and Sheila. Elsewhere, Lip, Ian and Carl organize a garden sale.

Ian literally runs into a girl called Anna,who asks his help as she has stolen a case containing thousands of pounds worth of scratch cards from the Maguires and he hides her at his house. Hearing that not only is her son Fergal dead but that her brother has been electrocuted Mimi feels her family is cursed and hopes Mandy might marry Lip but,after Ian has helped Anna escape,relations between the Maguires and Gallaghers are strained. For the Karibs business is so bad that Kash fakes his own death for the insurance.

Learning that Sheila is selling her house Frank returns home. Debbie starts dating neighbour Luke Newman at Monica's suggestion, but when he hears that Luke's parents are religious Pentecostalists, Frank sets out to end the relationship. Micky tries to get closer to Ian but his advances are rejected when Ian learns about Micky's unusual relationship with his dog. Karen and Jamie get engaged. Mimi is not overly impressed but asks Karen out, leading to her becoming an accomplice on a raid.

Frank agrees to work on Shane's ice cream van. The Maguires use it as a cover for dealing, and Frank's got ecstasy on tap! However, there's trouble brewing with an angry mob.

Frank and Monica continue to clash, and Monica vents her anger by sleeping with Norma. Frank tries to steal Norma's money, but when she catches him in the act, an allegation is made that could land Frank in deep trouble.

Paddy is shaken up when he learns about the suspicious deaths of his three ex-cell mates. Jamie is about to marry Karen and Mimi is not keen on the idea. Karen is shocked to discover the truth behind her weekends away with Jamie.

Frank ends up in hospital after mistaking an electrical generator for a toilet and is told his life style is catching up with him. Lip returns from university but Alex,his girlfriend there,has followed him home,ending his relationship with Mandy. Karen takes over the Jockey and Lillian opens a brothel.

Frank is dismayed to discover that Lip has been living nearby with his little daughter Katie but not bothered to visit though he has been in touch with Katie's maternal grandma,Mimi. He invites them to tea,which requires Esther's help in cleaning the filthy house and they meet Stella,Monica's youngest,whom he has been minding. Whilst Lip has fun with the other estate lads and Karen and Jamie welcome him at the Jockey Frank sulks. Worse is to come when Lip catches his father having sex with Derilee and Sherilee and,after getting drunk,decides he and Katie should leave. Thus,whilst all the Maguires are invited to Katie's confirmation Frank is absent.

Chesney is surprised when Remona's father Barry shows up as she had said that he was dead. He gives her a cheque for thirty grand from his house sale and endears himself to Jockey customers with his generosity and anecdotes but Remona is hostile. Learning that Mindy,Barry's new wife,has left him Chesney feels sorry for him but soon learns that Barry has lied about his relationship and joins Remona in helping Mindy escape her husband. Frank accompanies Esther to a Polish evening,hoping for free vodka,but her son Tam,in revenge for Frank stealing his stash of drugs,feeds everybody laxatives whilst WPC Randall becomes jealous of Esther's innocent chats with Shane. Billy gets a tattoo to impress Mimi but the result is a failure.

Having served six months for benefit fraud Frank is discharged from jail to be welcomed by a heavily pregnant Monica,so pregnant that she gives birth in the Jockey. Soon she is suffering severe post-natal depression,upset that she had a termination that disposed of her surviving child's twin.With little help from Frank she summons Fiona,Lip and Carl for a show funeral for the dead child but Fiona,recognizing the inadequacy of her parents to raise more children,steals Stella and the baby and,helped by Lip,hides them with Kev Ball whilst she talks to Steve about housing them. Stella,babe in arms,wanders off,causing panic on the estate but she eventually tracks Frank down and cleverly forces him to publicly admit that he loves her. He takes the pair of them home,where there is a huge family row,which,in turn,leads to reconciliation and a celebration at the Jockey whilst another fight starts and the police are called - just like old times.

Frank is dismayed to discover that Lip has been living nearby with his little daughter Katie but not bothered to visit though he has been in touch with Katie's maternal grandma,Mimi. He invites them to tea,which requires Esther's help in cleaning the filthy house and they meet Stella,Monica's youngest,whom he has been minding. Whilst Lip has fun with the other estate lads and Karen and Jamie welcome him at the Jockey Frank sulks. Worse is to come when Lip catches his father having sex with Derilee and Sherilee and,after getting drunk,decides he and Katie should leave. Thus,whilst all the Maguires are invited to Katie's confirmation Frank is absent.

As Fiona and Steve organize their wedding, his car is stolen and he's desperate to retrieve it.

A heavily pregnant Mandy is knocked aside during a purse robbery at Kash's shop and gives birth to Lip's baby, but her family forbid contact. Elsewhere, Kev is given a racing tip not to be shared with anyone else.

Frank takes Karen out for some driving lessons, whilst Ian and Kash take steps to ensure their relationship stays secret.

Sheila asks Lip to water plants for a neighbor who's on holiday, but the place ends up burgled and he's wrongly accused and arrested.

Lip and Ian make new friends. Elsewhere, Kev's sister starts lodging at Sheila and Frank's, whilst Marty starts work as a handyman.

When Carol discovers that Lillian slept with her husband years ago, she takes revenge by reporting her as a benefit cheat. Meanwhile, a lustful Carl attempts to take advantage of a complicated love triangle involving Lip.

Debt predators vulture around the Gallaghers, but Frank has something else on his mind - a plan to get his hands on maintenance from his estranged wife and mother of their children.

As Kev grieves for his mother on his birthday, his wife returns after being released from prison.

Frank and Monica continue to clash, and Monica vents her anger by sleeping with Norma. Frank tries to steal Norma's money, but when she catches him in the act, an allegation is made that could land Frank in deep trouble.