Heartbeat: Auld Acquaintance

SYNOPSIS

Former EastEnder and The Bill bad cop Todd Carty guest stars in this festive special of the rural drama. He plays an old army pal of Lord Ashfordly who moves into the hall while the peer is sunning himself in Bermuda, claiming he's there to keep an eye on the place after rumours of a planned break-in. However, he arouses the police's suspicions when he becomes involved with a teenage tearaway who seems to think Christmas isn't so much about giving and receiving as taking without the owner's permission. Elsewhere in the village, Blaketon and Peggy go into competition with rival Santa's grottos, and Ventress has his nose put out of joint when his friends draw straws to see who'll invite him to Christmas dinner while his wife's in hospital.