The Split Barcelona ending explained: Does Hannah pick Nathan or Archie?

Hannah with her hand on Nathan's face as they stand by a fire on the beach at night in The Split Barcelona
(Image credit: BBC / Sister Pictures)

The Split: Barcelona is a Spanish extravaganza set over one weekend, reuniting us once again with the Defoe family as they swap briefcases for suitcases and head to Barcelona for a destination wedding in the sun-drenched vineyards of Catalonia.

As always with The Split, there is plenty of drama in the two standalone episodes which explore themes of love, legacy, and modern marriage.

Here is everything we know about The Split: Barcelona episode 2...

The second episode opens the morning after the night before with everyone clearing away the wedding tables after Gael and Liv's wedding was called off following the revelation that Alvaro has been having an affair with Wren.

As Ruth grills Nina over breakfast about where she vanished to the night before, Alvaro arrives and acts as if nothing has happened. However, Valentina isn't ready to forgive and as she cancels the wedding she tells Alvaro to go and find their son.

Meanwhile, with Gael still a no-show Liv is hiding out in Hannah's room, where she is being comforted by her mum and a very hungover Nathan who is trying - and failing - to give his daughter an inspirational chat about marriage. Archie knocks at Hannah's door but when he sees Liv and Nathan are there he pretends he was there to ask after all of them, but Hannah is rude and fobs him off before shutting the door in his face, while Nathan comments about her being a commitment-phobe.

At breakfast, Nina lets slip that Rose is pregnant and Ruth is thrilled even though Rose tells her she isn't allowed to be excited, but Glen still doesn't know and thinks Rose was sick that morning because she was hungover, not becasue she has morning sickness.

Wren turns up at breakfast and Alvaro is horrified to see her, telling her she needs to leave. But she points to the huge diamond on her fingers and reminds him he has made promises and she's going nowhere.

Meanwhile, Liv comes down in her dressing gown and yells at Alvaro for ruining her wedding day. She says she didn't want the big wedding, she just wanted to be married to Gael and now he has run away and it is all becasue of what Alvaro did. Hannah tracks Valentina down in the chapel and asks how she is and what she wants going forward. Hannah is in work mode and advises that if she wants a divorce then she needs to strike first, and Valentina asks her to start the ball rolling today. Within minutes Hannah has got Nina and Ruth on the case getting the best divorce lawyers in Spain to help.

Archie finds Hannah and wants to talk about their kiss the night before and why she left him high and dry all those weeks ago, but she is in lawyer mode and guesses that he will be working for Alvaro in the divorce, which now puts them on different sides of the case. She knows that Alvaro must have promised Wren money or a share in the vineyard and tells Archie that she will fight for what is rightfully Valentina's. Archie tries to turn the conversation back to them and their fledgling relationship, but she walks off avoiding him.

Nathan looks for Gael in the centre of town in The Split Barcelona

The hunt is on to find Gael and bring him back for the wedding. (Image credit: BBC / Sister Pictures)

As Rose tries to talk to Liv, Alvaro and Nathan head off in the car to look for Gael. Nina and Hannah meet with Valentina and go through her paperwork and she shows them the prenup written on a napkin the night she and Alvaro got engaged. She asks Hannah if it will stand up in court and she says it is better than nothing and gets to work.

Meanwhile, Ruth has been doing some digging on Wren and tells Hannah that she is a businesswoman of sorts and has been having an affair with Alvaro for three or four years.

Nina goes to see Señor Santos so they can issue the divorce petition before Alvaro can intercept it and while she is there she chats with Lola, who is driving her, telling her that she doesn't regret the previous night. Nina tracks Señor Santos down and gets him to sign the papers, just in the nick of time.

Meanwhile, Ruth corners Wren for a chat and tells her that nothing Alvaro has promised her will stand up in court, but she wants to strike a deal. If Wren leaves the family alone, the Defoes will make sure that she is given substantial compensation when they win the case for Valentina.

Back at the vineyard, Nina is still working when Julian finds her and proposes. She almost says yes when she sees the huge engagement ring that he is proposing with, but she knows it isn't right and lets him down gently. He seems to take it well, and then promises to do one last thing for her when she asks him to help with Valentina's divorce.

Hannah deep in conversation with Archie in The Split Barcelona

Hannah struggles to let her guard down with Archie. (Image credit: BBC / Sister Pictures)

Rose is still being sick and Glen is asking her why she is being so scratchy with him and she says she overheard him talking to the girls about needing to ask her something but she doesn't want to get married. He says he wasn't going to propose, but that the girls want her to adopt them, which she is thrilled about. She tells Glen that she is pregnant and he is over the moon, and says they don't have to get married if she doesn't want to, and their relationship is finally back on track.

Archie is talking to his son, Ethan, on the phone about Hannah, not realising that she is standing behind him. He gets off the phone, embarrassed, and tells her about his ex-wife, Maggie, and her now husband Hank, and how they all get on now and that he likes Hank because he is a good guy. He tells Hannah that he really likes her, but it is okay that she doesn't feel the same way... but as she is about to say something, her phone rings and it is Liv.

Hannah finds Liv upset in her room and they talk about marriage and as they're chatting about every couple having their own special place, Liv realises where Gael is, he will be at the cove where they went the night they got engaged. Nathan heads down there and finds him, and after a chat Liv calls and Gael tells her he still wants to get married but they do it their way - and the wedding is back on!

Meanwhile, Alvaro arrives back after trying to find Gael, and not only does Julian, in his capacity of a disinterested party, serve him his divorce papers, but he also reads them and realises that Wren has taken Ruth's deal.

Julian and Wren leave the vineyard, and Archie tells Hannah that he will get his assistant to bring the paperwork for the divorce over when they're back in London. But before she can say any more, Nina comes over and breaks the moment.

Nathan and Hannah walk Liv down the aisle on the beach in The Split Barcelona

Nathan and Hannah walk Liv down the aisle. (Image credit: BBC / Sister Pictures)

The time for the wedding arrives, and Liv and Gael are doing it their way - with Liv in a simple white sundress, not the lacy gown that had been passed down in Gael's family, and they aren't getting married at the vineyard, but the cove instead.

Everyone is the picture of happiness as they have the wedding they wanted and before long they're married and everyone is celebrating with a meal and party on the beach until after dark.

Liv and Gael getting married on the beach in The Split Barcelona

Liv and Gael finally tie the knot. (Image credit: BBC / Sister Pictures)

With the party still going on, Hannah tells Nathan that she doesn't know how to do life without her family at home with her. He tells her it is different and admits that a few weeks ago he got the bus home from work and ended up at their house instead of his home with Kate. He tells her that he wanted to knock on the door and for her to let him in, but he didn't becasue "you're not my person anymore, and I'm not yours, I'm Kate's" and with that in mind, Nathan tells Hannah to go and find her new person, but reminds her that they did so much good together when they were a couple. Sob!

As the party winds down, Hannah sits with Archie on the beach and tells him that she had an affair with Christie and that she has never forgiven herself for breaking her marriage vows and we realise that is what is stopping her from letting herself find happiness. Hannah tells Archie she is scared about starting something new but also scared becasue he is likely to be right and will fit with her family perfectly. He understands and they share a kiss - finally giving this new romance a chance.

The Split: Barcelona airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday, December 29 at 9pm and Monday, December 30, also at 9pm.

The first three series of The Split are available to stream on BBC iPlayer now.

CATEGORIES
Claire Crick
Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch

Claire is Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch and has been a journalist for over 15 years, writing about everything from soaps and TV to beauty, entertainment, and even the Royal Family. After starting her career at a soap magazine, she ended up staying for 13 years, and over that time she’s pulled pints in the Rovers Return, sung karaoke in the Emmerdale village hall, taken a stroll around Albert Square, and visited Summer Bay Surf Club in sunny Australia. 

After learning some tricks of the trade at websites Digital Spy, Entertainment Daily, and Woman & Home, Claire landed a role at What’s On TV and whattowatch.com writing about all things TV and film, with a particular love for Aussie soaps, Strictly Come Dancing and Bake Off

She’s interviewed everyone from June Brown — AKA Dot Cotton — to Michelle Keegan, swapped cooking tips with baking legend Mary Berry backstage at the NTAs, and danced the night away with soap stars at countless awards bashes. There’s not a lot she doesn’t know about soaps and TV and can be very handy when a soapy question comes up in a pub quiz! 

As well as all things soap-related, Claire also loves running, spa breaks, days out with her kids, and getting lost in a good book. 

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