Coronation Street’s Carla Connor has suffered a low blow after she tried to expose Becky Swain’s plan to win back her partner Lisa. After faking her death, Becky recently returned to the cobbles, sneaking her way back into her wife Lisa and daughter Betsy’s lives. Carla, Lisa’s partner, has had to put up with Becky’s presence for Betsy’s sake, but started suspecting the ex-cop may be up to something.

In tonight’s episode, Becky was discussing Christmas plans with Lisa, Betsy and Carla, saying she’d postponed her return to Spain. Betsy was elated to have her two mums with her for Christmas.

“And you, obviously, too, Carla,” she added hurriedly.

A pensive Carla then said she’d be spending Christmas with Roy anyway. “You three knock yourself out though, eh? Enjoy it,” she told them before leaving.

Later on, Kit Green called at Lisa’s to inform her that their boss Costello was planning on retiring to the Lakes in September.

“Doesn’t make sense,” Kit said as Lisa seemed equally puzzled.

When Becky asked Kit was he’d do about it, he replied defiantly: “My plan is to keep digging.”

At Underworld, Kit caught up with Carla to tell Costello had planned to retire before he changed his mind.

“Well, he changed his plans about the same time Becky rocked up,” he said. “That’s a bit of a coincidence, don’t you think?”

Carla reflected on the possibility of Costello and Becky being in it together, but said they couldn’t proved it. Kit suspected Becky may be behind the attack that landed Costello in hospital and was determined to let her know he was onto her.

“Just been to see Carla. She’s necking scotch like a bottle of water,” Kit told Becky after bumping into her. “She’s saying she really wants to see Lisa,” he added, as Becky said she’d tell her but headed to Underworld herself instead.

In her office, Carla continued drinking as Becky warned her to stay away from Lisa while she was in that state.

Carla revealed she’d booked a two-week trip to the Canary Islands for her and Lisa. “Got no use for it now, have I?” Carla said, insisting she wanted to see Lisa “to tell her I’m giving up”.

“You’ve won, Becky,” Carla said. “Well played. You got what you wanted,” she insisted as she attempted to get something incriminating out of Becky.

Becky agreed that she and Lisa “[were] meant to be together” and that Carla never had a real chance. “And I think it’s probably best if you stay away from Number 6 now,” Becky said.

“But that’s my house,” Carla protested, but Becky insisted Lisa needed a clean break to move on. Becky left, advising Carla to go to the Canaries to get over the breakup.

As Becky was watching Die Hard with Lisa and Betsy, Carla showed up, revealing she was only pretending to be drunk to get a confession.

“Merry Christmas,” Carla said smugly as she hit play on the recording of Becky.

Cornered, Becky admitted she wanted Lisa back and that she’d hoped for her and Carla to break up. “She is devious and dishonest,” Carla said, adding that Becky never passed the message onto Lisa to go and see her at the factory.

“That’s manipulative. That’s trying to keep us apart,” Carla insisted as Becky justified her behaviour.

“I didn’t want to stress you out,” she told Lisa.

While Betsy acknowledged that Carla’s behaviour was “weird”, Lisa announced she wouldn’t be a prize to be won. “I’ve had it up to here with the pair of you,” Lisa told Carla and Becky as she stormed out, followed by Betsy.

Alone with Becky, Carla let her know she wouldn’t give up. “You think you’re so clever, don’t you? But I’ve got to warn you, I’m a stubborn cow,” she said. “I’m gonna find out what you are and just what you’ve been up to.”

Carla immediately set her plan in motion as she went to see Costello at the hospital. When he suddenly woke up, Carla asked him if Becky was behind his attack. He weakly nodded, as Carla begged him to help her prove it. She frantically grabbed a notebook to scribble down what Costello tried to say but the detective only mumbled the words “hill” and “rhubarb”, leaving Carla confused.

In the final scenes, Kit promised they’d find the missing pieces, but an exhausted Carla said she’d had enough and left.

Is it over for Carla and Lisa?