KARL is history. Rovers landlady Steely Stella is on the lookout for fresh meat and plunges feet first into the heady world of dating. While ex-boyfriend Karl holds out hope of a reunion in Coronation Street (ITV1) Stella makes it clear she’s moving on. Slapping him round the face with the bunch of flowers he’s just given her is a pretty strong hint for him to sling his hook.

Alas and alack, Stella’s first foray into the world of available men is not entirely successful. A blind date goes horribly wrong, and she walks out of the restaurant. Karl sweet talks her into going out with him, but then she bumps into Jason, the thick-as-twoplanks builder. One thing leads to another – a touch of the other – and before you can say “cougar” there’s some horizontal jitterypokery going on and clothes coming off. Next morning, Stella needs to sneak Jason out of the house before he’s spotted. She might have let him get dressed first instead of shoving him out in the cold in his boxers. His assets are frozen.

There’s a new face in Emmerdale (ITV1) as vet Rhona hires a new locum, her old college mate Vanessa. She and Rhona were wild in their student days – knocking back the lemonade shandies and playing hide the sausage with the male students.

Rhona’s husband, Paddy, is worried that Vanesa will be bringing back strange men to the house. Why? Does he want one for himself? Anyway Vanessa reckons disgraced vet Paddy is boring (sticking his hand up a cow’s bum is the most excitement he can expect) and Rhona needs to lighten up.

A familiar face returns too. Alicia is out of jail (making room for Chas probably) and back in the village. She turns up unexpectedly during son Jacob’s nativity play. But someone has been playing away in the manger during her enforced absence.

David, who married Alicia to get custody of Jacob while she was inside, has been schmoozing with Priya. There are three of them in the marriage and one of them has to go.

Lauren’s complicated love life in EastEnders (BBC1) is enough to drive anyone to drink. In fact, it has driven her back to drink. Not a good habit in one so young.

Here’s someone who would clearly benefit from a minimum price of a unit of alcohol.

There’s a ray of hope for her when Lucy reveals she’s not with Joey, because he’s told her he loves someone else. Could that person be Lauren? She might never find out because she’s seeing the world through the bottom of a glass filled with vodka.