Sex, Chips and Rock and Roll - written by Debbie Horsfield
This synopsis was written by "Megan Westley" for the previous Joe McFadden website.
EPISODE 1
Eccles, Manchester
Summer 1965
The twins Eloise (Gillian Kearney) and Arden (Emma Cooke) Brooks could not be more different: Ellie loves reading and dreams about going to university after finishing school, while Arden is more interested in the boys and a career as a singer. But whatever they want, so far their life's motto has been "I want, doesn't get" as they are brought up by their strict widowed Grandmother (Sue Johnston). Very early we learn that her husband, a pianist, died only two weeks after their wedding and she had to raise her son, Ellie & Arden's father, all on her own.
It is the girls' 18th birthday, and their life is going to change forever. Ellie gets engaged to her 39 year old cousin Norman (David Threlfall) at whose chip shop the girls work. This is quite a surprise to her, as everybody in the family expected Norman to propose to the much more attractive Arden. At first Ellie is happy about her engagement, but is it really what she wants.
Ellie's doubts increase when they meet The Ice Cubes at the chip shop: The Wolf (James Callis), Tex (Julian Kerridge) and Dallas (Joe McFadden). They are an unsuccessful rock band touring with sleazy has-been singer Larry B Cool (Phil Daniels) with whom they have to play kitschy dance-hall music. Right from their first meeting there is a spark between Ellie and Dallas, but it is Arden whom he dates, while Ellie is wooed by The Wolf.
Arden returns from her date excited. She is not only in love, but she also wants to enter a talent contest in which the prize is nothing less than the chance to make a demo tape. She talks Ellie into performing with her, but the contest turns out to be a fake. The girls find out that it has been fixed so that Larry's lover wins the prize. In a desperate attempt to win, Arden makes "an arrangement" with Larry, losing her virginity in the process, but Larry has lied to her, and the girls still don't win the contest. To forget this ugly episode, she sleeps with Dallas in the back of the tour bus when the band takes the girls home.
The next day Ellie looks in on the band rehearsing, and she hears Dallas's music for the first time - the music that Dallas and the boys really want to do. She is impressed and moved by the rock music, but when it stops she runs off. In her hurry she knocks something over and Dallas hears her. He chases after her and they talk. She tells him that she likes the music, and he says that her sister wasn't keen, to which she replies, "I'm not my sister." They almost kiss, but Ellie runs away, and Dallas watches her leave.
EPISODE 2
Ellie and Arden finish school, but a nasty surprise is awaiting them as Arden learns she has been enrolled in secretarial school, and Ellie is to start learning the ropes at Norman's office. As the prospect of married life starts to dawn on her, she is becoming increasingly unsure.
The Wolf is very mucha ware of Dallas's interest in Ellie, but is determined to win her over. He offers to help the twins make their own demo tape to compensate for being cheated out of the contest by Larry. However, his idea does not quite go to plan as Arden lets slip that Ellie has a talent for making up her own lyrics to tunes. Tex then deliberately worsens the situation by suggesting that they all leave "these creative folk to come up with the goods". And so, Dallas and Ellie are left alone whhile the other three go down to the pub.
A short while later Larry turns up to "use" the flat with his lover, Hayley. Dallas and Ellie hide in Dallas's bedroom and Dallas opens up to Ellie about how he felt when he was "invited to leave" art college. Elie notices a postcard of a beautiful place called Iona, that Dallas once visited. Ellie likes the postcard so much that Dallas gives it to her, and it is around this point that their feelings towards each other start to intensify.
Just when the pair think it's safe to venture back into the living room, Larry returns, this time with the twins' grandmother and Norman, who is interested in buying the flat and chip shop underneath it. This time, Dallas and Ellie hide under Dallas's bed, but remain unseen, although Norman notices Ellie's poetry book on a table.
When Arden, and The Wolf return, along with Tex, they are both aware of the chemistry between Ellie and Dallas. The Wolf takes them all out for a surprise meal at the upmarket Belvedere Hotel. However, their gran turns up at the invitation of the girls' father. When she sees her granddaughters dining and laughing with strangers, she causes a scene and sends them home.
Norman, who is now getting slightly suspicious of what's going on, decides to bring the wedding forward, so there are now five weeks to go. That night, Ellie goes to the flat, supposedly to get her book back, but she and Dallas kiss, and end up in bed together. They obviously feel very deeply for each other, but Ellie runs out, feeling guilty. Dallas follows her into the street and begs her to recognise how much it meant, but Ellie refuses to admit this, and leaves.
Unbeknown to them, Norman had been watching the whole scene from his car.
EPISODE 3
Dallas is desperate to carry on seeing Eloise, so he tries unsuccessfully to finish with Arden. Arden knows what he is going to do, and cuts him off before he has a chance to tell her.
The Ice Cubes last demo tape is reutnred, and Dallas finally gives in to the rest of the group, and sends a tape to his record producer friend, Shane Riordan.
The Wolf decides to try his luck again with Ellie, by inviting her to a concert. Ellis is forced into going by her strict Grandmother, who seems to have taken a shine to him because of his good background and charming ways. But she then ruins The Wolf's plan by inviting herself along too. In a moment alone, Elie makes it clear that she is not interested in him, and tells him about her engagement to her cousin, Norman.
When Ellie catches Arden giving her self love bites with false teeth, Arden reveals that things have gone cold between herself and Dallas, and that she doesn't think he loves her anymore.
Larry informs the group that Shane is coming to see a showcase of Larry B Cool and The Ice Cubes, but the group are horrified. If Shane seems them playing with Larry, their chances of a record deal will be ruined. Round at the flat, Ellie agrees to meet up with Dallas, but their whole conversation, admitting they slept together, has been caught accidentally on tape, which is later heard by Arden and The Wolf. Ellie's worries increase as Arden later tells that she is pregnant. THe Wolf decides to try and put an end to Ellie and Dallas's relationship by telling Norman what is going between them.
Ellie meets Dallas as they arranged, but decides to play a trick on him with golden syrup and feathers, to get back at him for making Arden pregnant. After doing this, she runs away. Dallas tries to go after her, but is stopped by Norman who punches him.
At the showcase, Dallas can't bear to play Larry's music to Shane, so he stops halfway through the song and the group start playing their own music, leaving Larry furious. The showcase goes well, and Shane seems interested in giving them a deal. Afterwards Ellie finally tells Dallas that she is engaged to Norman, and that there are only ten days until the wedding. Ellie thinks it's too late for her and Dallas, but is it?
After talking to Norman, Ellie reluctantly tells him that her relationship with Dallas is over, and the marriage will go ahead. But things get worse for Ellie, as she discovers that she too, is pregnant.....