The Archers

Writer, Naylah Ahmed Director, Marina Caldarone Editor, Jeremy Howe Jill Archer ….. Patricia Greene David Archer ….. Timothy Bentinck Pip Archer ….. Daisy Badger Kenton Archer ….. Richard Attlee Pat Archer ….. Patricia Gallimore Tony Archer ….. David Troughton Helen Archer ….. Louiza Patikas Brian Aldridge ….. Charles Collingwood Phoebe Aldridge ….. Lucy Morris Neil Carter ….. Brian Hewlett Justin Elliott ….. Simon Williams Rex Fairbrother ….. Nick Barber Clarrie Grundy ….. Heather Bell Will Grundy ….. Philip Molloy Emma Grundy ….. Emerald O'Hanrahan Ed Grundy ….. Barry Farrimond Tracy Horrobin ….. Susie Riddell Jim Lloyd ….. John Rowe Elizabeth Pargetter ….. Alison Dowling Hannah Riley ….. Helen Longworth Lynda Snell ….. Carole Boyd Robert Snell ….. Graham Blockey Oliver Sterling ….. Michael Cochrane Peggy Woolley ….. June Spencer Joy Horville ….. Jackie Lye Martyn Gibson ….. Jon Glover

Lee visits Bridge Farm, hoping to see Helen. She’s happy for him to join her Christmas shopping, although she has to be home for dinner. It’s Pat and Tony’s 45th wedding anniversary. Lee reveals that he’s broken up with his girlfriend. Helen is the woman with whom he shares the real connection. Helen suggests they meet again tomorrow, but Lee has a booking at The Laurels. Helen admits that she only visited Christine quite so often as an excuse to see Lee. He teases her, and they kiss. Tony drops off some chrome polish for Joy’s MG Midget. Joy excitedly tells him that Rochelle, her husband and the grandchildren are coming for Christmas. Tony ends up staying to chat. He’s surprised when she makes a tearful confession. Nobody is coming to hers for Christmas. She lied so he’d think her family loved her. Feeling sorry for Joy, and having forgotten his anniversary, Tony accepts an invitation for dinner. When Tony returns to Bridge Farm Pat surprises him with his present – a handmade sheepskin flying jacket. Tony has to confess to forgetting about their anniversary, but lets her think he was held up at the garage. Pat forgives him. She’s just happy they can spend time together. Guilty Tony sits down to his second massive meal of the evening.

Justin, Hannah and Neil meet to decide what needs to be done about the Berrow Pigs’ tail-biting. Hannah is still defensive, but Neil gets her to admit that neither of them spotted the problem early. Hannah wants to start buying in pigs with docked tails, but Neil objects on welfare grounds. He sticks to his guns, and advocates a return to the old, more expensive, feed mix. Neil never approved of the change. He’s a little surprised when Justin readily agrees. Elizabeth shows off Russ’ set dressing of the Lower Loxley attic to David and Jill. They’re impressed. David asks Elizabeth’s advice on hosting weddings at Brookfield. David is miffed when she offers to recommend Brookfield to any clients who aren’t “high-end” enough to afford Lower Loxley. She suggests that the fad for rustic weddings won’t last. David drives Jill back to Brookfield, and Jill is delighted to tell him that Elizabeth plans to host the family Christmas. She’s surprised at David’s irritated reaction. Elizabeth’s negative comments about Brookfield weddings, coupled with Kenton’s yesterday, have made him feel that they look down on his hosting skills. David’s determined he and Ruth will prove them wrong.

The Archers eavesdrops at the gate into Marneys at Brookfield on a quiet afternoon

Neil and Hannah are shocked to discover that there have been a number of incidents of tail-biting amongst the Berrow Farm pigs. As they round up the injured pigs for treatment, Hannah becomes defensive. She doesn't like Neil’s insinuation that it started at the weekend, when she was on duty. Over a pint, Neil admits to Rex that he’s gutted. It’s an awful welfare problem, and of course he had to tell Justin. Neil is also worried about his reputation as a pigman. Rex thinks that Justin is reasonable, and values Neil’s opinion. Neil just needs to get Justin to listen. David’s unimpressed when Kenton implies that he’s temperamentally unsuited to hosting weddings at Brookfield. David points out that he’s only providing a venue, but Kenton thinks it’s inevitable that he’ll be dragged into the drama of any wedding. And David doesn’t have the right people skills. David is offended. At Lower Loxley Robert isn’t enjoying rehearsals of Jim’s ghost story readings. Jim insists on sitting in the dark, and Russ has found a creepy dummy to serve as part of the set. That evening, Robert complains to Lynda that it’s a disaster. Lynda can’t believe that he’s scared of a dummy. She’s keen to go to sleep, but Robert is unnerved by an owl hooting outside.