The Archers

Jim takes a dim view when Justin doesn’t turn up for his early shift at the shop. When Justin finally appears she says he’s too busy with tomorrow’s Borsetshire Business Angel Award event. He wants Jim to complete a form verifying his public service work at the shop. Jim tells Justin to leave the form with him. With no sign of the form imminent, Justin later visits Jim. Jim obfuscates. He wants to weigh his words, do a proper job. Justin impresses on him that he needs the form by tomorrow, and Jim assures him it will be ready for collection – at the shop. Helen’s tetchy with Natasha. Eventually Natasha discovers what’s behind Helen’s tension, and she sympathises. No need, responds Helen. She’s applied for a non-molestation order against Rob and she’s managing, for now. But she admits she can’t shake the thought of Rob causing trouble. She’s had an email from his first wife, Jess, who wants to see her. Helen hopes Rob’s not manipulating Jess. Natasha offers to go with Helen as a safety net. Oliver reports to George the break in at Grey Gables. George covers, but is taken aback when Oliver says the bench that was smashed was Caroline’s memorial and meant a lot to him. Guilty George reassures him – Oliver needs to put this behind him. Later George offers to fix the bench. Oliver’s instinct is to engage a professional, but he’s persuaded. He mentions the police are involved, and alarmed George calls Brad to brief him on what to say if he’s questioned.

Pat and Tony smell a rat, and Justin finds support from an unexpected source.

George and Brad get thrown out of a taxi after George was burning hash. They text Rex, who can pick them up in 45 minutes. Brad suggests they tell ghost stories while they wait. George doesn’t know why Brad would suggest that when they are outside Grey Gables in the dark. Harrison passes and asks if they’re OK. Once the coast is clear, Brad and George use a bench to climb into Grey Gables through a ballroom window. George is confident he can talk his way out of it if anyone catches them. George asks Brad to take a video of him. He then gets spooked by a noise and runs to get out, with Brad following him. As they make their escape, Brad worries they’ll be found out. George can’t wait to brag about the trespass to his mates, which only worries Brad more. Susan and Helen meet to discuss how to acknowledge the increased responsibilities in the dairy. Susan credits Helen as a decent boss but she doesn’t think a positive blog post is enough. Helen agrees to give Susan and Clarrie a small pay rise. They also review the job description. Helen says they’ll look at getting in help if it’s really busy over the summer. As their meeting ends, Susan spots a police car arriving. Harrison comes in and once Susan has left, tells Helen that Rob Titchener is back in the country. Harrison tells her to try not to worry, but Helen is terrified. She’s certain Rob will return to Ambridge.

Lee finds Pat shooting the pigeons that are decimating the brassicas. He shares his worry for Helen’s feelings after they laughed off Susan’s mention of an engagement ring. Pat reassures Lee that Helen had never given any hint that she’s interested in marrying Lee. She advises Lee not to be unsettled by Susan’s comment. Helen joins them, reporting there’s been a steady stream of interested visitors at the new dairy window. Chelsea and George clash as she cuts his hair. Chelsea’s surprised to learn that Brad’s going on George’s birthday night out. She’s not sure George will take care of Brad. George winds up Chelsea, suggesting he might add something to Brad’s drink, and Chelsea purposely ruins George’s hair. Helen and Lee talk warmly of their children. Lee’s daughters are messaging him more than when they lived in the UK. With Henry twelve years old, Helen sees raising a teenager as a marathon not a sprint. Henry messages Lee to say he’s at the skate park after being on his games console earlier. Meanwhile Jack and Lee have been ordering Lee’s Marvel figures in order of strength and kindness. George gives his version of Chelsea ruining his hair to Susan. Susan says she will try to fix things, something she’s always done since he was little. She sorts out another hairdresser to repair George’s hair, and makes him sausage and mash for dinner to cheer him up. George tells her she’s the best and they hug. Susan tells him he’s a good lad.

Ahead of the first Eurovision committee meeting, Harrison tells Jolene that he knows why Justin has been getting involved in community activities. He wants to win the Borsetshire Business Angel of the Year award. When Justin arrives, he struggles to join in with Harrison and Jolene reminiscing about their favourite past Eurovision moments. Harrison emphasises the importance of fully committing to volunteer roles and he and Jolene subtly convey to Justin that they’ve rumbled him. Justin confesses he is competing for the business angel award and admits defeat: he can’t pretend to love Eurovision. He thought he’d signed up for a Coronation committee. He goes to leave but then remembers he needs a signature to confirm his volunteering activity. Harrison and Jolene don’t think a few minutes at one meeting qualifies as proper volunteering and Justin begs them. He’s shouldered so much with his time in the shop, but he thinks Martyn may still have the edge for the award. Harrison and Jolene agree to sign off Justin’s Eurovision volunteering in exchange for a financial contribution to the community Eurovision activities. Adam and Kate share the hurt they feel over Jennifer singling out Martha in her will. Kate can’t help feeling angry towards their mother for leaving them with something so contentious. They’re all worried about the effect it’s having on Alice. Adam and Kate talk through Jennifer’s motivations for leaving money just to Martha. They agree they need to support Alice and be grateful that Jennifer didn’t think their own children needed the money.

Emotions run high for Alice, and Susan puts her foot in it.

It’s all hands to the pump at Bridge Farm, while George finds himself on the spot.

Helen presses Tom on a list of things he said he would do for their open day tomorrow. He asks if her anger is really about the twins’ modelling job but Helen doesn’t think there’s anything else to say. George is helping out with preparations too, and suggests making a film with Tom talking about organic growing that visitors can watch in his absence. George has big ideas for it. They get some of it done and then start recording in the packing shed. George gets annoyed when Helen interrupts them. Tom sends George off to get more general shots. Helen and Tom talk again about the modelling job. Helen hates that they’re taking it; she thinks it’s hypocritical. She makes it clear that she won’t be telling their parents about it. It’s not her place – this is Tom’s mess. Alice is keen to help as Brian cooks a Sunday lunch for Adam, Kate and Alice. Afterwards, they congratulate Brian on a lovely meal. They are surprised to discover Jennifer’s will has arrived but Brian is yet to open it. Kate opens it and announces that Jennifer has left Martha £15,000, but nothing to her other grandchildren. Alice quickly leaves. Brian says he didn’t know about this bequest or when Jennifer added it to her will. As they tackle the clearing up, Adam and Kate are left stumped. Their mother must have had a good reason but they’ll never know what it is. Kate feels it’s not like her mum to disregard the rest of her grandchildren. What was she thinking?

Writer, Tim Stimpson Director, Gwenda Hughes Editor, Jeremy Howe David Archer ….. Timothy Bentinck Helen Archer ….. Louiza Patikas Natasha Archer ….. Mali Harries Tom Archer ….. William Troughton Brian Aldridge ….. Charles Collingwood Lilian Bellamy ….. Sunny Ormonde Lee Bryce ….. Ryan Early Neil Carter ….. Brian Hewlett Alice Carter ….. Hollie Chapman Justin Elliot ….. Simon Williams Ed Grundy ….. Barry Farrimond George Grundy ….. Angus Stobie Will Grundy ….. Philip Molloy Jim Lloyd ….. John Rowe Elizabeth Pargetter ….. Alison Dowling Oliver Sterling ….. Michael Cochrane

Elizabeth and Jim struggle to make conversation before David joins them to make up Team Détente for The Bull’s quiz night. Jim acknowledges he shouldn’t have been so forceful with David over the charging station campaign. David reveals to Jim that Justin had warned him that Jim had Brookfield in his sights. Later, David and Jim wonder about Justin’s involvement in the planned charging station. David tells Jim the name of the person who bought their land is Marcus Bonneville. Jim relishes the detective work they now have to do. During the quiz Elizabeth tells David that Lily wouldn’t feel confident moving nearer to university right now. The Stables a is good move for her towards living completely independently. Justin startles the horses by arriving at the Stables in an almost silent electric car. He’s bought if for Lilian and he casually announces that Damara is an investor in the proposed electric vehicle charging station. Lilian is wise to him simply wanting to spoil her, but still, has no objections to the new car. On their way into The Bull, Lilian tries to convince Justin to stick with the Eurovision committee even though he’s not really enjoying it at the moment. After trying to locate Brian all day, Alice finally speaks to him on the phone. Relieved, she heads home. Lilian reports to Justin that Alice was getting concerned. Justin wonders if Brian’s up to his old tricks and doesn’t want anyone to know what he’s up to.