Special: Out of Africa

A brief Corrie recap.

Fiz, Chesney, and Kirk get invited to South Africa by Fiz and Chez's mum, Cilla Battersby-Brown. She says her and Les are waiting for them. Les is their father who they also haven't seen in at least a year. Last they knew, Cilla was in Las Vegas, and they have no idea how she's ended up in Africa. Chesney is excited at the prospect of a family reunion, and can't wait to get on a plane. Fiz decides not to go considering all she's had happen to her recently with John Stape, and opts instead to return to her job at Underworld. She sees Kirk and her brother off.

When they arrive in South Africa, Chesney discovers that “Les” is not his father, but Cilla's new man, a native of South Africa whose nickname is also Les. They find out that the only reason she's asked them to come is so they can enter the 'Sunshine Family of South Africa' competition in which the top price is $500,000. The “Battersby Family” has made it to finals in the competition and has been awarded a week's stay at a luxury hotel. They just have to beat out two other families, and the money is theirs.

Cilla's told the committee that her son Chesney is wheelchair-bound after an earthquake back in England, and he's to stay in his chair unless they're in private. She's said that Kirk is Chez's older brother, and has the brain of an eight year old. Not much of a stretch there. Fiz is Sister Fiona, a nun who works with various charitable organizations, and has declined the stay at a luxury resort for religious reasons. Les is to be their step-father.

Cheesy ex-South-African-talk-show host Alfie Vlok introduces the three families. There's Cilla's “family”, another family with 12 children of various races, and the Teel family, a father, mother, and daughter who appear to be saints. They've just gotten back from walking thousands and thousands of miles for Leukemia research. Pretty steep competition.

Chesney immediately cozies up to the Teel daughter who begins to help him out with things because he's wheelchair bound. She's a sweet girl. Cilla asks Alfie how he thinks their chances are. He suggests that maybe if Sister Fiona were to make an appearance, their odds might improve. Cilla gives Fiz a call, telling her something's terrible has happened. Fiz leaves for South Africa, telling Tony there's been a family emergency.

Chesney tells his mother he wants no part in this. He feels horrible lying to everyone. He's not going to let her use him in another one of her schemes. She was never there for him when he was growing up, and he spent most of his time in care because when she WAS there, she was an unfit mother. He decides that he WILL help his mother out on one condition. If they win the money, she has to promise to come back with him to Coronation Street and raise him. She promises.

One of the families in the competition is disqualified when they learn that the family with a dozen children are actually an under-10 football team. Now it's down to just the Battersbys and the Teels. Chesney sees the Teel daughter crying and she invites him into their hotel room to tell him that she feels like she's let her father down with her violin playing in the talent portion of the competition. Her parents return, and she hides Chesney out on the balcony. He just happens to have his video camera with him, and catches the father yelling at his wife and daughter. He's drunk, and tells them they need this money. He's already got it invested in his wife's boob job to improve her “saggy tits.”

Fiz arrives, and goes OFF on her mother when she finds out they're all fine and that she's just spend her life savings on a plane ticket and may have lost her job in the process. She's surprised Chesney would go along with something like this, but he tells her that he just wants his mum to come home. Fiz finds out what HER part in this charade is, and walks out.

Fiz is busy drinking and gambling away her sorrows down at the hotel casino... wearing her habit. When the dealer calls the head of security over to remove the nun from his table, he takes an immediate liking to Fiz. His name is Alex. He asks her out to dinner, and they're out til 2am laughing and talking. He came here a few years ago with his fiancée for their wedding until he discovered that she was sleeping with his brother. He stayed in South Africa, got a job, and never left. Fiz decides to seize the moment, and ask this gorgeous hunk of man back to her room. He says he can do her one better and takes her to one of the most expensive suites in the hotel, and they boink like rabbits.

Fiz and Alex spend several nights together, and they fall in love. Fiz is the happiest she's been in a long time. He asks her to stay in South Africa with him. She can get a job here and they can start their life together. She thinks it's a great idea. If they win the competition, her mother will be going back to Coronation Street to raise Chesney, so she's free to stay here. She shows up the next morning in her habit and tells her mother she's prepared to help her win.

While out on safari, the Battersbys wander off and get lost in the jungle. Feared dead, Kirk finds the way back to camp, and Les carries Chesney back to camp. He's abandoned his wheelchair deep in the jungle, and they don't want anyone to see him walking. Alfie and his camera crew cheer for their safe return, but Mr. Teel wonders... “Why are that boy's shoes so dirty?”

Chesney shows his mum the video evidence he has against the Teels, and she's super excited. They've got this competition won. Later that night, he overhears Cilla telling Les of her plans to sneak off with the money. She has no intention of ever returning to Coronation Street.

In the morning, Cilla slips the video to the judges. They announce the Battersbys have won, and award Cilla the check for $500,000. Chesney can't take it, and stands up out of his chair while on stage. He tells everyone it was all a lie. The Teel daughter is heartbroken that Chesney would lie to her. She really liked him. The competition is scrapped. No one gets the money.

Fiz, Kirk, and Chesney are all ready to leave. Kirk thanks Les for being such a good dad to them over the past week. He doesn't know where Cilla's gone, and thinks it's probably for the best. Fiz asks Alex to come back with her to Coronation Street, but he reveals that he was in the army, and since he snuck off to Africa for his wedding and never came back, if he even tries to leave the country he'll be arrested. She tries to tell herself it was probably just a holiday fling and that they got a little carried away.

The next day on his newly revived talk show, Alfie Vlok introduces Cilla Battersby, who's there promoting her new book about what it's like being the “worst mother in the universe.”