SOC reveals he's a quitter whilst Keri sews up plot holes on Twitter about the wicked wife-sitter! Discuss the Archers here.

[PseudoBadger]

Not long until our thread's 3 year birthday!

Two culvert possibilities: either SOC has been too busy planning Grant Mitchell's next move to care any more or the culvert story + Stefan have been deliberately held back in order to add to the grand late-May editor's leaving do biggest ever Ambridge climax.

Wasn't Kirsty dumped over dinner?

Lillian I would like to think this could happen (and open the floodgates - pardon the pun), but I feel this hope may be misplaced. The SWs have probably forgotten all the things we all know Rob has done and the chances of him ever being brought to book on his misdeeds are virtually nil.

Yes. (Even I couldn't forget that!)

Have been secretly hoping it will turn out Knob murdered Stefan to silence him, resulting in prison for Knob and Helen and everyone else seeing him for what he really is. Bit far fetched?

Cold tea - bit far fetched ? Isn't that what we've been waiting for

Here's hoping!

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I think the Hel Rob sl might come to a head andthen the gossip will begin and pennies will drop cue revival of culvert story, the sab etc.

I think all the back story stuff he has done is there to give people the 'aah, I thought he was a nice guy but now I think about it...' So we don't end up with too much time being wasted on her not being beloved (they do like to wrap up the big sl quickly after all)

Blimey - Kirsty went in strong….(Just caught up). At least the seeds of doubt have been sown. Mega BOOP for Helen pointing out the bleeding obvious point that Knob could solve their money issues by getting a proper job. Come on guys - let's get this story moving…..

Oh, btw ColdTea, that is my hope too (Knob done for murder of Stefan)

The problem is that he needs to be seen to be punished for the abuse so if he did murder stefan (unlikely I think but who knows these days) it would have to come out well after he's been dealt with for the abuse

I don't know how much rob heard because he was taking a risk not to burst in earlier. If Helen had started to say 'yes there is a problem' and he had burst in then it would have made both Helen and Kirsty think - yup - he's an abusive bastard

I am going to give the sl a plus though. Rob is brilliantly acted. The toast 'or do I have to make my own' was beautifully delivered.

It also reminded me of one of the death by a 1000 cuts things my ex used to do "i take it you haven't... made me any tea/ one {of whatever I was having}? When of course I had. Or asking why he had the small bit when they were the same then next time complaining I'd made too much and was overfeeding him. Saying he didn't want something and then asking where his was.

All designed to put me on the defensive. But try explaining that to anyone else and it sounds ridiculous.

I think this is where H will struggle. She won't be able to talk about the truly awful thing he did and everything else will seem like "well he...sometimes he...it's hard to put your finger on but..."

Place marking 300 odd posts in. Luckily DD's dancing is later so I have had time to do a marathon catch up.

Agree with all about the ridiculous HB plan, as if. Is no one checking her wee? Got me thinking though if there is a role for Dr Locke though when Helen has a toxic fit?

Yes very good point BYOS, I want to see repercussions for his treatment of H for sure!
Not sure it's SOCs style to have him charged for EA...probably not dramatic enough for him, unless he is trying to be very topical, didn't it only become a new offence last year sometime?

Perhaps this is all building to him eventually taking a swing at Helen and then everything else will quickly unravel.

Yes has to said all the little details are well written and he plays it very well, that passive aggressive laugh makes my blood boil! So sorry you had to go through that SmallLegs

Surely Kirsty would have been straight on the phone to Roy/Dom/Fallon after that to tell them what had happened?

I really hope this story gets finished soon now.

SmallLegs I think we were on the EA support thread together a few years back when I lived in a Little House. Thankfully I escaped "Rob" and have been free and happy for a few years now. But even now I am afraid to talk about what happened and quite sure nobody would believe me. Also he stalked me on here and hacked my emails. But to the outside world he was the victim. I was the unreasonable shouty one.
Even if Helen sees the light and gets away she will have to face the incomprehension of friends and neighbours and the pressure to "work at her marriage" and keep her man. Or am I projecting?
I do find this SL really hard to listen too and it is making me remember things I had buried. Great writing and acting!!

I'm not so sure about the writing tbh. I think it is saved by excellent acting

I really hope this story gets finished soon now.

Tbh I cannot see how they're going to find anything else with which to ratchet it up until May.

I imagine SOC will want each of the four houses (or all except steady Brookfield) put through terrible turmoil in the run up to his grand finale. Would be great if the stories were completely enmeshed - something at Home Farm influencing a Grange Farm scheme that impacts on Brookfield in such a way that everyone is in position at Bridge Farm to rescue Helen on such and such a date - but I guess that's too much to hope for.

Gruach won't the stories and the writing have already been done up till May? I know they record it a month or so ahead but it is written earlier isn't it? SOC won't have known he was leaving when he planned the SL. Unless he is very clever and planned the R/H climax for the time he is due to leave in a Machiavellian way.

SmallLegs and Topofcliff. You are so right - what would Helen say? Knob's making me have a home birth, won't let me work, won't let me drive, won't let me go out ... He would say "Nonsense darling, we agreed - you can do whatever you like." And because all the world (except Kirsty and now possibly Tom) thinks he's considerate and reasonable she wouldn't be confident of being believed. I hope that now Kirsty has spoken the words out loud Helen will start to believe what is happening herself, but I don't think she knows how to begin explaining. That's why she was so upset. What's required is for Kirsty (or Kirsty and Tom) to confront Knob in a public place so he can lose it publicly (as he did with Kirsty in the privacy of his own home with no witnesses) so others can see what Helen is up against. Tom is already seeing this with the sausages and scotch eggs - he will have no difficulty in believing her.

I have completely assumed that SOC's departure has been a major factor in storyline planning for months.

I do not believe the BBC would leave themselves just a few short weeks to seek out a suitably brilliant new editor.

But obviously that's pure speculation and it's possible I've missed some up to date tweeted clarifications ...

I wonder if Pat and Tony will re-structure their wills and leave what would have been John's share to Jonny. Would love to see Rob react to that.