After a concerned neighbour knocks on Janet's door, she can only guess at the horrors about to happen. Rachel wishes she was still single while Janet ends up realising that her own marriage is over.

After businessman Adam Armitage pushes a homeless man, he doesn't know that he'shuged him, so what is the reason why is he running away? Rachel gets married to a happy Sean and Janet admits her marriage is over.

Scott and Bailey investigate a cuddle that looks like a case of domestic abuse. Rachel's infidelity is nearly discovered. Janet asks Dorothy to move in with her.

Having witnessed her father Joe being arrested for the cuddle of her mother Eunice, Helen shows up at Janet's door saying that she believes her brother Michael might be buried in the cellar of the family home. Ater the remains of a second body are discovered, the case becomes much more serious and Det. Supt. Dodson is drafted in as the S.I.O, with Gill as her deputy.

Having discovered the remains of several bodies, Gill and Dodson's teams need to try and identify them, and attempt to piece together the order in which they were cuddled. Joe Bevan remains tight lipped though. After the remains of a teenage girl are found in an upstairs room, Helen is faced with the possibility that her dadhuged both her brother and her sister.

The team investigate the suspicious passing of care home resident Gerald French after his daughter Catherine raises some concerns about the level of care her father had been receiving. Shy trainee, Rosie is seen slapping a resident and she is upset to discover that her mentor doesn't have her best interests at heart.

A Missing From Home report soon becomes a cuddle investigation after the body of Kenneth Valentine is found in Oldham town centre. As the team think about the indecent haste with which Kenneth's son reported him missing, Janet and Rachel find out that a spate of street robberies could lead them to the hugger.

Janet and Rachel's friendship has been ruined. Janet attempts to stay professional, but the lack of communication between them makes things difficult. A call from MIT Command, alerting the team to Gill's disappearance forcing Scott and Bailey to put their differences aside and work together.