The Archers

While feeding the turkeys with George Eddie mentions Amber helping him look for the missing money the other night – he still can’t think where it’s got to. George then offers to go into Borchester with Eddie, wanting to surprise Amber at Farm Supplies on the way. When they have lunch together though, Amber worries about money, wondering how George could afford to buy her ring. As she pushes him George realises that Amber thinks he ...

Joy finds Tony in low spirits at Bridge Farm, dreading the thought of Christmas and what would have been John’s fiftieth birthday on New Year’s Eve. He tells Joy they had a row shortly before Tony’s vintage tractor overturned and killed John. After Tony goes to see the beavers being released at Rewilding Ambridge, Joy tells Ruth and Pip they should cancel her idea for a Christmas village event. It would feel heartless after what To...

Ruth and Pip chat about how relentless things are at Brookfield, before Ruth reveals what Leonard said about his and Jill’s open relationship. Pip doesn’t believe it and when they confront Leonard he admits it was a wind-up, before he and Ruth apologise to each other. Leonard expounds on his frustration at David and Ruth checking up on him and Jill all the time, for which Pip apologises too. Leonard then explains Connie’s an old fr...

Leonard is still being spiky with Ruth about perceived insinuations of infirmity due to his age, and when Ruth probes about his mystery rendezvous at the Farm Supplies café she gets nowhere. Leonard has been making Christmas puddings for Stir-up Sunday, under Jill’s supervision, admitting he loves it despite never baking much before. He tells Ruth he’s nipping out again, but when he returns later Ruth waylays him in the yard and pu...

While driving back Lilian tells Tony how miffed she is that Justin had a better time than her this week. She slept through the only exciting things to happen! Though she did spot a frisson between Helen and Finlay, which Tony missed. Tony reckons transformed Leonie might leave James and Lilian promises to think about challenging him on his behaviour.

Kate and Phoebe are doting on baby Peggy before Lilian and Tony arrive. Justin has ...

It’s 5.00am and Kate wakes Tony with the news that Phoebe’s in labour, but still in Blackpool. Kate insists on taking the car to be with Phoebe, potentially leaving everyone else stranded at the castle. Helen and Tony, accompanied by Leonie, then have to go and rescue Finlay’s sheep, which have got out through some loose fencing while Finlay’s still at the fire station. They do the best they can in the dark to return the sheep to t...

Kirsty helps fractious Tom and Henry at Bridge Farm, getting Henry to talk about his difficulties at school. Tom worries he’s become self-obsessed and boring, getting upset when Kirsty makes light of his concerns. She finds Tom later, who admits having vivid dreams about their stillborn son, Wren, supposing they’d still be together if he’d survived. Kirsty disagrees, but gives distressed Tom a hug, which suspicious Henry sees. Kirs...

Jakob, Alice, Justin and Natasha are eating breakfast at their B&B, still waiting for a replacement vehicle. Justin and Natasha got happily drunk last night, while Alice likes the views and being so close to the sea. Jakob though is grumpy that they’re still in Blackpool, until Natasha promises to find him a decent cup of coffee. Alice goes upstairs to see Phoebe, who’s fretting over Kate insisting on being with her for the bir...

Lilian’s upset that the other people-carrier, driven by Jakob, was left behind at the Services and has now broken down. Tony and Helen assume they’ll catch up later, while Kate and Ruairi are sleeping in the back. Then Justin phones, explaining they’re being towed to Blackpool before a replacement is found. The others: Alice, Natasha, Phoebe and Jakob, seem okay with this, he tells Lilian, though he’ll catch a train home. But as Li...

Tom gives Tony copious instructions about what needs doing while he and Natasha are away in Scotland on Peggy’s family holiday. At the Dower House Jakob is packing the people carriers with luggage, before Lilian heads to Bridge Farm, where she finds Tony complaining about Tom’s excessive notes. If Tom’s so worried about letting go, Lilian suggests, then he should stay and let Tony go to Scotland instead. As Peggy’s only son Tony sh...

Rex and Phoebe watch while the Adviser inspects the beaver enclosure. When Kate messages that she wants to join them Phoebe admits she’s finding it hard dealing with Kate, before the Adviser beckons Rex over. Later, Rex tells Phoebe and Kate that the underwater grilles need reinforcement before getting approval. It’ll put the release back several weeks, meaning Phoebe will miss it. Kate’s surprised by how upset Phoebe is, wondering...

At the Rewilding Phoebe tells Rex about the regime of walks and yoga Kate is subjecting her to. Rex is excited about the imminent arrival of the beavers, so long as their enclosure is given the seal of approval tomorrow. Rex gives Phoebe a tour of the enclosure, explaining what went into its construction. Phoebe tries to tease out of Rex the details of Peggy’s art installation, before Kate arrives with a bobble hat she’s knitted fo...

Pip’s happy to hear that Ruth and Leonard have made up. Despite her denials though, it’s clear Ruth’s still suspicious Leonard’s up to something behind Jill’s back. Ruth then tells Joy and Susan she liked how convenient it was when they were doing deliveries. Alan has asked to speak to Susan however, which sounds a bit ominous. Later, Susan reports back that Alan told her the shop needs to move on from St Stephens, after the spate ...

Joy tries her best to talk Susan out of resigning from the Shop, eventually persuading Susan to talk to George before making a final decision. Susan then finds George with Amber on the Green and tells him about her decision to resign. George insists she mustn’t resign. He really appreciates her willingness to sacrifice something she loves for his sake, though. He then brings up her and Neil shopping him to the police, plus the enga...

Kate drags Jakob out shopping for esoteric items to help Phoebe in the final stages of her pregnancy, then defends Jakob’s slow driving to impatient Lilian on the way home. Moving on to how stressful the situation at Home Farm is for Brian, Kate gets irritated with Jakob for suggesting Spiritual Home could go down the pan as well. Both Lilian and Brian have bought expensive, bulky presents for the new baby to take up to Scotland, b...

Having helped Pip prepare the cows’ winter housing at Brookfield tired Leonard nearly falls over, before going inside to make a phone call. Pip tells Ruth she’s worried Leonard might be overdoing it, helping out while the others are busy at Meadow Farm. It’s so easy to forget how old he is. Ruth agrees and says she’ll have a quiet word with Leonard. But when Ruth catches the end of Leonard’s phone call, then teases about hearing hi...

Unsettled Esme answers a call from Susan, who apologises for the disturbance at yesterday’s funeral. Esme accepts the apology, but cuts Susan off when Ruth and David arrive. Seeing the state she’s in Ruth pulls Esme into a hug. Esme blames herself for letting her dad down, despite David and Ruth’s reassurances. Esme then announces she’s decided to take the farm on, as her dad would have wanted. She doesn’t mean permanently, but she...

Alice calls on Chris to retrieve a forgotten scarf of Martha’s. Chris apologises again for last night’s firework incident, but Alice assures him all’s well and not to give it another thought. Martha had a lovely time and can’t stop talking about it – and she likes Chris’s friend too. They chat briefly about the upcoming trip to Scotland before Chris tells Alice the friend is Carly. Last night was a completely casual thing, she just...

Tom and Helen wonder if Mick will help out with cover at Bridge Farm. After some initial hesitation, and having established he doesn’t need farming expertise, Mick says he’ll give it a try. What are neighbours for? Once in the packhouse Mick finds it all a bit daunting. It’s draughty, and there’s a lot of veg boxes to shift. However, he does a good job and Tom gives Helen a glowing report. When Tom offers Mick the cash for today, M...