With the Emergency Department reeling from the aftermath of the Holby Riots, Zoe takes on the role of Clinical Lead until the return of Nick. A local music festival puts thousands of music fans and her team in danger, resulting in some devastating consequences. Sam and Tom are out assisting in the emergency alongside paramedics Dixie, Jeff and Tamzin Bayle. When the festival stage goes up in flames and the crowd rush to safety, the collapse of the exit tunnel adds to the confusion and casualty list. Three of the more seriously injured are rushed to hospital. Zoe immediately faces a difficult decision when she has to make her first big decision as head of the department with the impossible choice of choosing which patient should get the remaining bed in ITU. Dylan insists his patient should get the bed as she has a better chance of survival. Sam notices when Tamzin asks if Tom is single. It transpires that fake tickets were sold at the festival.

As Linda struggles to come to terms with Denise's bombshell, she throws herself into treating Henry and Jules, a father and son injured in an accident at a warehouse. Meanwhile, the ED is alerted to a thief among its staff, with the finger pointed at Denise.

Amanda returns to the ED, as a teenager struggles to kick a bad habit and a mother-to-be suffers a scare. As troubled teen Angel battles to find the money to pay her friend Christie, she knows time is running out and has to get it by any means possible. Spotting an opportunity with her uncle Spike she begs him for the cash, but unable to pay immediately Angel takes drastic measures, sending her uncle to the ED more than once. Meanwhile Anna is rushed to the hospital after suffering a possible heart attack, but she is more concerned about her baby. Amanda, who was previously saved by Dylan and Sam when a cave collapsed, returns to the ED with her unwell friend Helen. Happy to see Dylan, she plucks up the courage to ask him on a date. Encouraged by Sam, Dylan agrees, but then catches sight of Sam and Tom flirting.

Zoe and Fletch treat a young mother with Down's Syndrome, Meg, and her baby Amy following an accident at home. Later, accusations from an unlikely source that Meg isn't a fit mother begin to circulate as Amy struggles to breathe. Meanwhile, Tom is unnerved by the arrival of new locum consultant Dominic, whom he has worked with before. However, as Dominic proves himself an asset to the team, Tom keeps quiet about his concerns. Elsewhere, as Dylan's suspicions about Amanda deepen, he decides to attend the ED Christmas party, where the truth about Amanda is revealed.

Tamzin and Jeff respond to a call-out to a shopping centre, where teenager Jodie has fallen from a height after running from security. As she is brought into the ED, Dominic and Tom argue over the best course of care, leading to a blow-up and Tom lashing out. Meanwhile, news reaches Tamzin that a legal case against the Ambulance Trust is being brought by ex-footballer Jay, whose neck she failed to immobilise. Having covered for her once, Jeff agonises over telling the truth.

As two parents argue, a car rolls into a freezing lake, trapping inside their children Mark and Callum. Back at the ED, the team attempt to resuscitate baby Mark but eventually new locum Dominic decides they can do no more. When Tom disagrees and takes over, Dylan is torn but eventually steps in to help Tom and between them they bring Mark back. With emotions running high, Dylan and Tom square up to each other outside the ED, much to Sam's horror, and Dylan finally admits to Zoe that he has not got over Sam.

Ally, Robyn, Jamie and Aoife, four student nurses on their first day of work placement in ED, are quickly partnered with their mentors—Charlie, Linda, Lloyd and Fletch. A coach crash involving 30 children and their teachers determines that normal induction is abandoned as they are thrown in at the deep end. The students have the anguish experienced in an overwhelmed accident and casualty department first-hand—death, dealing with bereaved relatives, organ donation and patient confidentiality. Ally suffers more trauma than the other three.

Still seriously ill from the stab wounds inflicted during the Holby riots, Yvonne is rushed to ED with a distraught Jordan. Desperately clinging to hope, Jordan refuses to acknowledge the true severity of her condition, much to Zoe's concern. Yvonne insists on seeing her mother with whom she has had no contact since she left home at 17. An incident involving three students results in two of them being taken to ED. Student nurses Robyn and Jamie pluck up the courage to break it to Aoife that her boyfriend is not as honest as she believes. The previous day's coach crash and events at ED today lead to Ally deciding that she must give up nursing.

With Yvonne's condition deteriorating, Jordan is determined not to give up hope and fights to keep her alive against the advice and wishes of both Zoe and the ITU consultant, Dr Earl. He assures Diana that her daughter will be saved. Lauren refuses treatment although her condition is now life-threatening. Jeff and Dixie find a boy, Wayne, being set upon by local bullies. At ED Wayne's symptoms and behaviour confuse Sam and Fletch but when Aoife finds him stealing supplies and she is convinced he is a thief, Sam reprimands her. Then he runs away only to be reunited with Dixie and Jeff when he allows them in to attend to his sick mother. Jordan reminds Zoe that he is still the Clinical Lead. A role he assumes when he takes over control of dealing with Lauren who wishes to end her life. His involvement leads to his understanding of what he has been doing and he switches off Yvonne's life support machine. As the team leave at the end of their shift, Sam warns Aoife that Fletch is not only her boss but also is married. Diana and Nick comfort each other beside Yvonne's body.

This episode continues from where the previous one ended at the young offenders' institute with Jordan sitting in his car. He is prevented from leaving and returns to save Johns' life. The paramedics and Jamie arrive and Jordan returns with Johns in the ambulance. Now unified following the birth of their son, the Aslams are thwarted in their attempt to destroy the video tape by Aoife. Jamie impresses Tom and Sam when he cares for Danny who believes he is transitioning. The person responsible for the Holby riots, Faith Portman, who is Johns' mother is castigated by Jordan. He eventually convinces her to tell the truth about events leading to Wesley Royce's death in front of Johns. He tells Johns that he is convinced of his innocence and leaves to get answers from Mehmet. When Zoe is shown the evidence on the tape, she calls for the police. Mehmet is about to leave home when Jordan confronts him. He confesses, then collapses. Jordan starts to walk away but has no choice other than try to save his life. At ED he performs a life-saving operation. After their shift, Jamie comes out to Jeff and realises his uncle is nothing like his father. Uncommonly, Nick Jordan joins the team in the pub only to hand his keys to Zoe and announce that he is leaving them forthwith. He told them that he might work in Michigan with Anton Meyer.

Returning to Holby's ED for the first time since 1998, ex-nurse Martin "Ash" Ashford is now a locum consultant. He finds himself forced to hit the ground running after being tasked to treat a patient with suspected rabies. Charlie is delighted to welcome back his old deputy but Zoe is far from being impressed. Meanwhile, Aoife is forced to take control of her private life when ex-boyfriend Craig turns up.

A robbery at an off-licence ends in violence when shop owner Danny is stabbed - and when one of the gang arrives at the hospital nursing an injured hand, it soon turns out the two know more about each other than they're letting on. When a confused and disoriented Godfrey brings his dog Lulu to the ED, it takes teamwork to discover the sad truth behind his condition. Student nurses Robyn, Aoife and Jamie are interviewed for the two permanent staff positions in the ED.

A teenage girl is brought in after ingesting an unknown toxic substance, and as the medics question her relatives to find some answers, it becomes clear the family have many unresolved issues. However, Tom isn't coping well after the complaint made against him and when the patient becomes severely oxygen-deprived, he suffers a panic attack. Meanwhile, Linda takes sides when she suspects a patient of being harassed by a gang of youths, despite being mocked by Ash for getting emotionally involved, while Fletch and Tess try to sort out their relationship.

Lloyd is determined to uncover the truth about a cannabis factory on his final day as a nurse after a seven-year-old boy is brought to the ED with suspected poisoning. Meanwhile, Tess and Fletch try to counsel a feisty young couple, and a patient's beloved pet mouse is accidentally set free in the hospital.