▁a ▁reference ▁to ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁every ▁episode , ▁a ▁mon olog ue ▁by ▁Frank ▁ending ▁with ▁him ▁y elling ▁' sc atter ' ▁to ▁the ▁back drop ▁of ▁a ▁burning ▁car . ▁ ▁Mon ica ▁Gall ag her ▁ ▁Play ed ▁by : ▁Ann abel le ▁A ps ion ▁( Series ▁ 1 , ▁ 3 , ▁ 4 – 6 , ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 1 ) ▁ ▁Mon ica ▁Gall ag her ▁( born ▁ 2 4 ▁April ▁ 1 9 6 3 ) ▁is ▁Frank ▁Gall ag her ' s ▁( David ▁Th rel fall ) ▁est r anged ▁wife , ▁and ▁the ▁mother ▁of ▁F iona ▁( An ne - Marie ▁D uff ), ▁Lip ▁( J ody ▁L ath am ), ▁Ian ▁( G er ard ▁K ear ns ), ▁Carl ▁( El li ott ▁T itt ensor ), ▁Deb bie ▁( R eb e cca ▁Ryan ), ▁Li am ▁( John ny ▁Ben nett ) ▁and ▁St ella ▁( N ik ita ▁Brown lee ). ▁She ▁is ▁bis ex ual ▁and ▁left ▁Frank ▁for ▁a ▁l orry ▁driver ▁named ▁Norm a ▁Star key ▁( D yst in ▁Johnson ). ▁She ▁came ▁home ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁series ▁ 1 ▁but ▁had ▁left ▁by ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁series ▁ 2 , ▁she ▁then ▁returned ▁for ▁good ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁series ▁ 4 ▁and ▁res umed ▁co - hab iting ▁with ▁Frank . ▁Although ▁her ▁intent ions ▁for ▁this ▁were ▁unknown ▁at ▁first , ▁a ▁visit