Tensions were running high to start with as Maggie Driscoll (played by Pauline McLynn) pushed Eva Price (Catherine Tyldesley) to the edge – and that was before the bird-in-a-bird-in-a-bird was served.

It was clear she was the cat who had the cream after uncovering Eva’s emotional letter to her aborted baby and she’d wrapped it up, ready to give it to someone under the pretence of secret Santa.

After dinner, which was delicious for all accounts, Maggie passed the fateful message to her son, Ben, who opened it and seemed concerned when he read it.

Eva begged him to read no more but unfortunately it was too late – the damage was done and Eva’s secret abortion was revealed to the whole party.

While all that was going on, some more drama was simmering under the surface between Daniel Osbourne (Rob Mallard) and Will Driscoll (Lucas Hodgson-Wale).

Daniel is currently seeing athletics coach Megan Walsh (Beth Nixon) and though it’s early days, he seems smitten – much to the annoyance of teen Will, who is being groomed by the evil teacher.

While Daniel and Megan showed off their picture-perfect blossoming relationship, Will was sitting seething and taking any jabs he could at his love rival.

When it was home time after the explosive arguments of the day, Daniel whispered to Will that he knew he had a crush on Megan, but to leave romance to the adults.

It may have been one jibe too far as Daniel was spotted at the end of the episode face down in the ginnel, having been attacked.

With Will undoubtedly the prime suspect, will Daniel pull through? And is the young Driscoll going to be in trouble?