I’m your boss!
Johnny and Jenny become the new landlord and landlady of the Rovers – leaving Liz feeling awkward…
It’s all change at the Rovers this week, but in a surprise twist, it’s not Gemma Winter and boyfriend Henry Newton at the helm.
The kebab-seller’s dream to become queen of the boozer fizzles out faster than a glass of cheap champagne when Henry hits a hurdle and they’re pipped to the post by Johnny and Jenny Connor.
It’s a bitter blow for Gem, who thinks the sale is a done deal.
But as Leanne and Toyah are preparing to leave, Peter reveals that Henry hasn’t actually signed the contract. A sheepish Henry then arrives with shock news. Has his trust fund run dry?
As Henry begs for Gemma’s forgiveness, Toyah tells Leanne she wants the pub off her hands, pronto, and has a plan. Before you can say ‘dry roasted peanuts’, Johnny and Jenny swoop in and buy the place.
‘They’re at a loose end, because they’re not going to Spain now and they’re not involved with the factory any more,’ reveals Sally Ann Matthews, who plays Jenny. ‘But Johnny is always looking for an opportunity and, when they’re presented with the possibility of getting the Rovers, he thinks it’s a great idea.
‘Jenny isn’t keen at first. She was supposed to be living it up in her Spanish villa, with its swimming pool and bleached-pine dining table, and suddenly, she’s going to be working in a poxy, backstreet boozer! But she’s pretty adaptable. She sulks for two minutes then runs to the Moon with the idea, and starts to make all kinds of plans.’
As the new owners are given a guided tour, Jenny tells barmaid Liz that she’s grateful to have her on board – little realising that Liz has done more than pull Johnny’s pints. Meanwhile, word soon gets back to Gemma, who feels betrayed by the woman she has come to think of as a sister.
In a bid to smooth things over, Jenny suggests she help out behind the bar. It’s not what Gemma had planned, but she accepts the job. Jenny’s thrilled, and looks forward to a fresh start after a rocky few months with her husband. How long will it be until she finds out about Johnny and Liz’s fling, and her bubble of happiness is well and truly burst?
Jenny sulks for two minutes then runs to the Moon with the idea