The Archers. No need to share the thread with anyone else darling, we can have a lovely time just us together. It must be Henry's bedtime.

[PseudoBadger]

New thread for the Omnibus.

President Olivia - that's impressive - that you change your name on one thread and immediately come over here to show off

Ian was avoiding Helen because he didn't want to talk to her (until he was forced to)

Since Rob has issued his diktat, Helen is avoiding Kirsty because she doesn't want to talk to her. I'm hoping Kirsty will also force a confrontation but fear for the outcome

There is no way Helen could have taken that call from Kirsty with Rob there and it might have been a little awkward with Tom too.

Yes Gaspode I wondered the same about The Bull and Emmur.

As an aside my ipad just auto-corrected "wondered" to " womb-feted"...possibly the oddest and yet most Knob-like correction I've seen it do yet!

the big problem i have with the helrob sl is that she lives in a close knot community with loads of family around. he is a newcomer.

you would expect people to notice how she has changed - her behaviour, her weight, her clothes etc. But no one has and no one seems to care. She could kill herself in the garage and no one would notice as they would just take Rob's word for it that she's resting. It's not adding up and it's escalating too much now!

I'm amazed Tom didn't say anything about Helen not tasting the new recipes. Surely he would notice her thinness? Unless she's wearing 14 layers.

But anyway, who thinks tea flavoured black pudding is going to be the next big thing?

Grumpy - many thanks for tying up that loose end for me. I never know if it's my intermittent listening or forgetful SWs these days.

Except...does Knob know Ian said to fuck off? And what does Adam have to say about it

Can someone remind me please - I didn't think Ian was clear about why he had fallen out with Helen. He certainly hasn't talked to Adam about what Knob said - this is what I'm finding infuriating and unrealistic.
I think if Knob hadn't been there Helen would have answered her phone.

I'm going to re-listen so I can swear at Rob. Just feel like it.

And my cousin has just left her marriage with her toddler DD because of the same thing as Rob's doing. I have no idea if TA was the catalyst!

Sorry, my grammar is appalling.

I hope that my meaning was taken as: that my cousin left her EA husband, and took her daughter with her.

Urgh Knob is just the worst

Can someone remind me please - I didn't think Ian was clear about why he had fallen out with Helen.

It was quite cleverly done. Helen knew (for a long time) about Adam/Charlie but didn't tell Ian. So Ian was cross about Helen - someone who he thought was a friend - not giving him the heads-up. It was a betrayal.
Ian didn't mention that it was Rob who spilled the beans, so Helen doesn't know that and hasn't joined the dots.

Thanks BOOP

BOOP for Helen having fun for once. Rob's "can't have one rule for me and not for you" caused me to swear loudly. Surely he is on his way out? I can't take much more of it.

Emma was understandably put out and Fallon was insensitive. I hope Emma does get the job at the Bull.

Helen hasn't twigged that Knob set it up but she has told Knob that Ian isn't going to be godfather. Knob hasn't revealed his choice yet, except to say it won't be Miles.

Ursula wants it to be Miles.

Adam hasn't commented so perhaps Ian hasn't mentioned it.

What was Emma put out about? Kirsty helping? Why was that an issue?

Ian did mention Rob in the conversation with Hel. Something like even your husband knows but you chose not to tell me. Rob was definitely mentioned though. So Hel is not confronting Rob and Ian is not confronting Adam.

I think Emma was put out because she does not have a great circle of friends and is not terribly emotionally literate. I can imagine that she has invested a great deal of time and mental energy in this relationship with Fallon, the "team" and now it feels threatened. She is her mother's daughter and her learned behaviour in such situations is to make sarky comments and try to undermine the newcomer.

God yes, Rob's "one rule" statement had me shouting at the radio. I'm still not convinced that the SW will bring this to a head though...I still have money on him fucking off with his pockets stuffed with cash.

Jean-Paul did have a voice occasionally, particularly around the time of twinning with Meyruelle and Carrie learning French, which was probably late '80s/early '90s.

I disagree gypsy- Fallon was gushing unnecessarily about Kirsty and was really nasty about Emma and determined to criticise her. Not at all surprised Emma got defensive, and she did well to keep calm and stay to enjoy the celebration at the very end. Out of character for Fallon, obviously some plot point they are trying to engineer.

Oh and I laughed at Kirsty "Young Free and Single". She must be heading for her mid- thirties by now.

So glad you are all here and listening for me so I don't have to shout at the radio myself

Cripes, tibbawyrots. Don't suppose you can casually drop Rob and Helen into a conversation with your cousin, really. I hope she and her DD are doing OK, it must take a lot of emotional strength to get yourself together to do that.

I loved the fact that Billy Joel's Uptown Girl was playing in the background as Knob insisted on returning the tops in exchange for charity shop stuff.

Delurking to comment on the charity shop line; I thought Helen was a queen? And how is she supposed to trail round charity shops when she's so frail and exhausted and carless?

If Helen has any sense she will keep the maternity tops but tell Knob she returned them, then bring them out again and, if he notices, tell him she got them from a charity shop.

I found the charity shop line hard to believe- Rob wouldn't want Helen seen in a charity shop, would he?

Tbf maternity tops are a bit of a waste of money. Think it was just meant to illustrate that money is tight. If I were her I'd go the charity shop and by the lowest cut most risque maternity tops I could find and then let it all hang out.

What I hate is the way he says "shal we send them back, hmm?" Its the little hmmm that gets me.

The black pudding thing. I think Rob likes to think he is knowledgeable on retail but is teally very conservative and behind the times. That said, isn't Ambridge also quite conservative and behind the curve?