We love Charlie. But we want Adam and Ian to get married. What will happen in Ambridge in the pre-Christmas thread?

[PseudoBadger]

Just listened to Friday - we are 2 weeks from Christmas and David didn't even ask whether Ruth will be back by then?

Stefan having any more involvements than just spotting rob stuffing the culvert would be way too implausible

(And Jess admitted she wasn't surprised it wasn't his!!!!)

Nothing to stop Helen asking Adam to be a godparent, assuming Ian says nothing about Rob.

It will be rather difficult for them to gather any grandparents at all surely; he is busy dismantling all her friendships and has none of his own. If their relationship survives to that stage he'll probably insist on some distant, but demonstrably smart, aquaintances from his past, who will turn up with a gift and never be seen again.

Sister I'm pretty sure we heard Rob and Doc Locke in the surgery together when Rob was tested.

I heard that article Mini - it was impossible not to think of Helen ...

I know it made for a deliciously satisfying moment for listeners when Rob was forced into the toast but I really HATED the way that neither Jenny nor Helen just did it themselves- this outdated idea that a MAN must make a goat at a wedding, heaven forfend a lady do so. It was a gay wedding Fifa! Hardly the place for patriarchal tradition!

Ha ha, toast not goat! Though that would have been funny.

Oh Ian! Talk to your dh! It's not as bad as it seems. Although the Pawel thing is pretty bad. Oh me. It's all going to go horribly wrong.

Why didn't Jenny pick up on the nasty remarks about Helen's eating? No more champagne for you, JD!

Who is cooking at the Bull?

Has Ruth already done all the Christmas shopping? I know that it's David's equal responsibility but is that realistic? Surely most mammies do the bulk of the Christmas shopping for their dc? Ben's only 13. Surely she'll be back for Christmas?

I thought maybe Debbie but don't reckon TG would be up for a full time post.

Someone mentioned Jolene was doing the cooking at The Bull.

"I somehow don't think Rob and Ursula need worry about Ian agreeing to be Godfather now..."

this made me jump. My xBIL &xSIL have those names.

Ian didn't sound at all happy at his wedding. I could have cried for him. When I heard Rob (last night's episode) I said the C word, that I rarely ever say as I find it repulsive. My DP heard me and did a double take that I had said that word at all then when I explained, he agreed with me.

I did find it amusing that Rob was being pressed to toast the happy couple when he's spoken out about it previously but dislike how he's going to make Helen suffer for it.

Just waiting for Helen to wake up and smell the coffee. Really do hope it's soon. He needs kicking to the kerb asap as he's gaslighting bigtime.

Talking of Tamsin Greig, she's the narrator of the BBC Horizon programme about astronaut Tim Peake. Just watched it on iplayer and it's very good.
Jessie yes I was irritated that it had to be a man to do the toast but just a plot device I think so that Rob had to? If not then yes it's sexist.
Re cooking at the Bull, Keri Davies answered that on twitter and apparently it's agency staff just now.

What did Knob say about Helens weight?

Think I saw a tweet from KD replying to a question about cooking at the Bull: agency staff.

It's true, it was a very cruel outcome for Ian. Didn't he say something like "Well it's taken all year" when Adam enquiried as to his mood. That was very pointed. He knows Adams has had all year to mention New Year's Eve.

Crossed you elpth!

No worries!
Shows I didn't imagine it

I admit Stefan as management material is maybe stretching things a bit but so many of the plots are back of a fag packet ideas lately.

Knob neatly got in a stealth reprimand about her wanting a new dress at the same time as suggesting she'll not fit the one she's got on if she eats much more. She immediately left what was on her plate.

Oh no he just gets worse and worse.

Surely Pat will notice if she stops eating, she is almost halfway, I was absolutely ravenous at that stage!

I don't think Ian will say anything, he will just cut Helen off and she won't even know why. Am really starting to find it all completely chilling, the way he is able to manipulate everyone like little puppets.

they would have to "dissolve" their civil partnership but works the same way as a divorce! dull lawyer comment

Nearly, Baby, except that adultery is grounds for divorce but not grounds to dissolve a civil partnership

Mmm ... The way you phrase that Sinking makes it sound as if there is a philosophical difference (with marriage perching on some moral high ground) whereas, surely, the difference is merely historical in that adultery was at one time the swiftest and surest way of acquiring a divorce? (This thread forced me to re-read A Handful of Dust recently, it was wrenching.)

The absence of that particular possibility as a means of dissolving a civil partnership is hardly disadvantageous since irretrievable breakdown through unreasonable behaviour would presumably cover infidelity?

What was the article on R4?
Helen could press charges for rape/sexual assault. But that's nothing new.
There is recent legislation re. EA but I think H would have a hard time making that stick. The FA is too subtle - she still has money and clothes etc. And I think there has to be coercion or verbal abuse or threats of violence (e.g. throwing things, hitting walls etc.) for other charges to stick. He is manipulative, PA, he lies and gaslights and makes her feel guilty and he is a massuve massive evil fuckwit wankbadger but none of those are actually afaik against the law.

(I did read the new legislation but it was a while back when it came in).

But she should still ltb. It's still abuse. It's completely unreasonable.

It was on PM yesterday. From about 33.30. They covered violence but also coercive control - and unusually I don't recall being irritated by any of the report.

Umm small point but I think I read that Adultary has to legally involve a man and a woman? Homosexual sex doesn't count.

So once again Knob's nastiness has gone unmarked - what is it about him that no one ever talks about it (especially as this is not the first time for Ian has had a run in with him)? Ian will now shun Helen and she won't know why and Jennifer will continue to think Knob is marvellous. By making the toast Knob started to distance himself from his actions - I felt it was a case of "Drat - foiled again. But I got away with it." In fact he has got exactly what he wants - Ian will now have nothing further to do with Helen, won't want to be Godfather and all this achieved without Knob being revealed for the villain he is.

Look what's in the Guardian's Top 10 list of radio for 2015.

Careful with that link of you don't like seeing photos of cast members. I haven't got over seeing a photo of Lizzie years ago because she didn't look like I thought she should.

Funny how sometimes it's OK. Lynda looks like Lynda and David like David but others I've inadvertently seen, not.

TA went "doolally". Understatement of 2015.

Why wouldn't Jenny think knob is marvellous? I mean she's only had first hand account that he caused one of the main roads into ambridge to be flooded hence delaying rescue etc. What's not marvellous about that!