The Gathering episode 2 recap: did Jessica attack Kelly?

Vinette Robinson plays the toxic and controlling mother of Kelly’s friend and teammate Jessica in The Gathering episode 2
The Gathering episode 2 recap: did Jessica attack Kelly? (Image credit: Channel 4)

The Gathering episode 2 sees Jessica and Kelly's rivalry turns toxic as her relationship with Adam takes an unexpected turn.

With the pair merging into both love and sports rivals, Jessica takes it one step further to sabotage Kelly's gymnastics dream.

Here's everything that happened in The Gathering episode 2...

Kelly is often looking after her younger brother.

Kelly and her little brother Tate. (Image credit: Channel 4)

It's the morning after the illegal gathering and a wounded Jessica is walking alone on the island as she leaves a desperate voicemail asking Adam to call her. 

As police sirens ring out in the distance, her furious mum Natalie pulls up in her car, but her anger quickly turns into concern when she sees the state of Jessica. When Jessica sees a police car speeding past them, she insists they need to go home now and they rush away from the scene.

One month before

Natalie interrupts Jessica practising her piano audition piece to tell her that she's replacing Kelly on the national team after receiving a promising call from the coach.

Paul returns home but refuses to talk about the details of his case with Kelly when Tate is in the room. Meanwhile, Jessica is texting Adam and she sends him a raunchy picture in the school toilets. He invites her to a club night and admits his feelings for her. 

Jules, who is the man Paul attacked at a school football match, is hellbent on getting Paul sent to prison for the crime and discusses the case with a solicitor who reckons that the police will drop it due to his family situation and the fact there is no witness. 

At gymnastics practise, Jessica is confronted by one of her teammates accusing her of sending the video to coach that got Kelly suspended. While Jessica is struggling with the pressure of making it onto the team, Natalie is having sex with a mystery man. Seeing how much Jessica is suffering, the coach asks her to book an appointment with the sports psychologist.

While on a date with Kelly, Bazi violently attacks a man in the toilets who propositions him for sex and steals his money. Kelly later goes back to his run down place where they share a kiss, but the moment is interrupted when Kelly thinks Bazi is seeing someone else due to his hesitancy. After reassuring her that he likes her, they spend the night together.

Jessica pushes herself to the brink of collapse during training and has an asthma attack at home. Natalie calls doctor Saul, the man she went on a date with, to come and check on Jessica. He tells her that anxiety may have triggered an asthma attack and prescribes her a course of oral steroids. 

Sonny Walker as Adam.

Kelly spends time with Bazi. (Image credit: Channel 4)

Jessica gets into an argument with Natalie as it's revealed that she was the one who filmed Kelly and got her kicked off the team. Being the overbearing mother that she is, Natalie insists she did it for Jessica as she dropped the ball and let Kelly take her spot.

Jules pays a visit to a grieving mother called Helen, whose son Rupert died after a drug overdose at a sleepover that his son Charlie also went to. It becomes apparent that he is only there to try and get her to be witness and help him convict Paul as Helen was at the same football match where the attack took place.

Although she didn't see the attack, she points out that Paul's dog attacked another boy the same morning and he was hospitalised.

In order to get Helen to be his witness, Jules lies that Paul's son Tate is starting at the school next term and is involved in drugs. Still reeling from her son's tragic death, Helen agrees to ID Paul to get him off the streets and send him to prison.

After taking a load of steroids, Jessica meets Adam at the club where they have a passionate encounter and Natalie arrives home from work, only to find topless pictures of Adam on Jessica's laptop. In the early hours of the morning, Natalie wakes up to Jessica practising her gymnastics routine in the garden.

At Kelly's house, she tells Adam that she knows he's been seeing Jessica and isn't happy about it since Jessica stabbed her in the back. Adam encourages her to quit gymnastics and do freerunning, before telling Kelly to fight for her place if she wants it that badly.

Taking Adam's words on board, Kelly sends the coach a video of her perfect tumbling move with the message: "I always carry the day for you."

The police come visiting... but what for?

The police take away Kelly's dog. (Image credit: Channel 4)

While Natalie is looking up side effects of corticosteroids, she discovers that Kelly is back on the team. Jessica's phone accidentally connects to Natalie's car and she overhears her flirty conversation with Adam, but decides to ignore it.

The police show up at Kelly's house and seize their dog Rocky under the dangerous dogs act. As she and Tate try to escape with Rocky out the back door, an officer catches the dog and takes him away.

When Natalie drops Jessica off at gymnastics camp, she points out that she left her steroids at home, but Jessica tells her that her chest is better now and no longer needs them.

Jessica struggles to mask her concern when Natalie reveals that Kelly is back on the team and apologises for interfering. Meanwhile, Kelly is comforting a devastated Tate at home as her dad lashes out at his solicitor.

The team wait on the bus for Kelly to arrive and Jessica overhears her teammates talking about an attractive boy on Kelly's Instagram. The girls show Jessica a picture of Kelly, Adam and his brother Kai and she's soon overcome with jealousy.

Natalie meets with Adam and pays him £500 to stay away from Jessica, which he accepts. She gives him a lift home and as he gets out of the car, a smug Adam gives back the money.

Kelly runs to catch the bus and leaves a voicemail for Jessica asking her to not let the bus go without her. However, a bitter Jessica tells the coach that she hasn't heard from Kelly and the bus leaves without her.

When she sees the empty car park, Kelly breaks down and gives up, while Jessica takes more steroids in the changing room.

Three weeks later

Jessica sobs in Natalie's arms on the island after the illegal rave. Back at home, Natalie puts Jessica's clothes in the washing machine and sees blood on Jessica's top.

Jessica is inconsolable in the shower as Adam tries to call her.

All six episodes are available as a box set on the C4 streaming service.

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Grace Morris
Staff Writer

Grace is a freelancer writer with WhatToWatch.com, and she now writes for our sister site TechRadar. She graduated from Anglia Ruskin University in 2020 with a degree in Writing and Film Studies, which only made her love for creative writing, film and TV grow stronger.

You'll usually find her watching the drama unfold in the latest reality series or much-loved UK soaps (usually with chocolate by her side!). She's an expert in EastEnders, Emmerdale, Coronation Street and everything reality-related from Selling Sunset and Married At First Sight UK to 90 Day Fiancé UK. Plus Netflix megahit Virgin River!

Grace also likes to explore new places with her friends and family and, of course, watch and read about the latest films and TV series.