Love Rat starred TV favourite Sally Lindsay as a recently divorced mum, who holidayed in Cyprus as part of her healing process – and, in episode 1, she met a charming stranger.
Yes, he was tall(ish), dark and handsome, and said all the right things. Throw in the fact he owned a few hotels, and a boat, and Sally’s character Emma looked like she’d struck gold.
But (and you knew there’d be a but), there was a clue in the name Love Rat… Niko was NOT what he seemed at all. And Emma’s dreams of a Shirley Valentine-esque romance turned to nightmares. And I bet you were all screaming at the TV throughout!
So what happened in episode 1 of Love Rat on Channel 5? Here’s everything you need to know, including the burning questions we need answering in episode 2…
***Warning: spoilers from Love Rat episode 1 ahead***
What happened in episode 1 of Love Rat?
Recent divorcee Emma decided to travel to Cyprus for a holiday – it’s a place she felt safe in, having been there many times with her ex-husband.
In Love Rat episode 1 on Channel 5, she checked in to a beautiful beachfront hotel and hoped to recover some of her lost self-confidence… Almost immediately, she met handsome, charming Niko, the ‘owner’ of the hotel. He was flattering, gorgeous, and gave her all the attention she’d been lacking.
Never mind, the red flags going off left, right and centre!
Their relationship very quickly progressed to a sexual one, and Niko (Gerald Kyd) soon made a proposal – that Emma stay in Cyprus with him and move into the villa that he planned to buy. No surprises whatsoever when Niko suddenly needed £200K to secure the purchase of the luxury property.
To Emma’s horror, he suddenly vanished – along with her money. As the awful truth occurred to Emma, she refused to leave the bank until she had her money back, and eventually found herself arrested… The police led her away in handcuffs, and Emma’s future suddenly looked pretty bleak.
Where is Niko? Was he acting alone?
Niko appeared too good to be true. And, of course, he was. So where has he disappeared to, and will Emma ever get her money back?
It’s hard to believe he was a lone rogue conman – surely the so-called estate agent George, and hotel worker Maria were in on the scam? In Love Rat episode 2, Emma tries to get to the truth of the scam… And she gets closer to uncovering the dark truth at the heart of the cruel con. But how dangerous are these criminals? Could her life be in danger?
Do we have any sympathy for Emma?
Here at ED!, we love actress Sally Lindsay. I mean, what’s not to love? But I’m sure viewers were screaming at the TV screens during episode 1. Surely Sally’s character Emma should have guessed that Niko wasn’t as perfect as he looked. And agreeing to move in with a man after a few days?
When his so-called money troubles began, it was crystal clear he was going to scam poor Emma. And he easily persuaded her to part with her money. In Emma’s case, love really was blind. And she really did walk into a trap with her eyes open!
Love Rat episode 2
A synopsis for Love Rat episode 2 tells us that Emma’s daughter Susie visits Cyprus after the recent shocking events. Emma begins looking for Niko and her money, targeting hotel worker Maria, who is the only person she’s certain had contact with Niko.
After a confrontation at Maria’s apartment, Emma walks away with a crucial lead on one of Niko’s business associates, George.
Love Rat is on Channel 5 nightly from Monday, March 11, to Thursday, March 14, 2024 at 9pm. Also stream on My5.
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