Shameless

With only two more episodes of Shameless left to air, ever, let's savour the ridiculous - but ultimately entertaining - twists and turns on the Chatsworth Estate while we still have the chance. This week, Mimi reaches menopause; cue a ropey metaphor in which she seeks to be regenerated like her home city, Liverpool, and elects to retire to Wilmslow to raise funds for charity. Neglecting husband Billy and the other, less wholesome Maguire enterprises, however, may prove to be a recipe for disaster.

It's no weddings, a funeral and a fraud case on the Chatsworth estate as Patreesha (Jacqueline Boatswain) sees her dreams of stardom shattered in Shameless's unpredictable final series. Her late husband's fortune is revealed to be dirty money, leading her to plot to keep the ill-gotten gains. What will happen when Avril finds out and the owners of the cash come forward? Elsewhere, Frank is falsely accused of a heinously pervy crime against Mimi and Letitia keeps Aidan on his toes.

Shameless paid Lip service to past glory

'Lip Gallagher! All grown up!' said Karen when the Gallagher prodigal son strolled back into the Jockey, larger than life. Suddenly the riotous, raucous history of Shameless (C4) went flashing before my eyes.

With the show now in its 11th and final series, warped family values remain at the heart of Shameless. This episode sees Frank reunited with son Lip (Jody Latham's first appearance on the show in five years), and the mood on the Chatsworth estate is far from joyous. After all, Lip's only gone and told his daughter Katie that her grandad's absence was the fault of none other than the Taliban. Mimi's tactless treatment of the tomboyish young Gallagher makes for awkward laughs, but these plots are really scraping the Jockey's beer barrel.

Take That's Jason Orange guest stars in Shameless

You'll never forget this episode of Shameless - Take That star Jason Orange plays DJ Scouse Mouse in the Channel 4 hit.

As the 11th series of Shameless trundles on, Chesney (Qasim Akhtar) employs pharmacist Remona to run a chemist concession at Chesco's, though her Islamic fundamentalism soon begins to worry the shopkeeper. Elsewhere, Patreesha (Jacqueline Boatswain) makes a discovery as she tries to get sister Avril a job at the car wash, and the police come after Kassi (Jalaal Hartley). At least an arrest might mean more screen-time for his wife Esther (Isy Suttie), who's been a welcome addition to the show's frankly bonkers final run.

The final series is in full swing, with Kelly plotting a get-rich-quick scheme, Patreesha and Avril drawing battle lines over a fancy dress party, and Mimi putting her own spin on teacher training. Predictably, there are thrills, pills and disasters as they limp towards the finish line. The Chatsworth estate's grubby goings-on may be past their sell-by date, but you can't argue with the charm of the show's one-liners: "I can't go to prison," deadpans Bo Selecta!-visaged Lillian. "Not with this face. I'd be catnip for all them lezzies."

Has Shameless lost its heart and soul?

Shameless is approaching its finale, but can it reclaim its former greatness?

This series will be the last trip to Manchester's Chatsworth estate, with Shameless now wrapping up its grubby affairs after a commendable 11 series. Frank is as effusive and battered as ever, and there are revelations afoot as Jamie discovers he might not know who his real dad is, thanks to a singularly grubby recollection from Mimi while high on mushrooms. Obviously. Elsewhere, a solid contingent from the estate ends up in front of a magistrate for rioting and looting. Vaguely topical.

Paul Abbott interview

As Channel 4's Shameless starts its final series, creator Paul Abbott talks to Ben Lawrence about his own family history, his bipolar disorder and writing something that 'smelled like it smelled on the inside'.