Elves have needs too - will there be a pheasants' revolt? Discuss The Archers here

[PseudoBadger]

I've just browsed Lowfield for the first time - they really don't like Pat do they!

The 'truth' may emerge in the episode that Keri Davies describes writing, where 'one person speaks over themselves' - surely (please) this must be Rob reacting as a recording is played of him goading Helen towards suicide?

Could she be found guilty but given a suspended sentence or a community penalty and let out to go home with Jack and get Henry back, while he is led off in chains as a result of some vicious outburst during her trial? I know this is not realistic but it would satisfy me, as it would signal an end to this whole mess.

KingscoteStaff, has Keri been tweeting again? I must search for this.

I did so hope that the phone Kirsty gave Helen had recorded the whole thing, but I don't see how that could have happened and not been spotted/recalled yet.

I hope she gets acquitted only because I could not bear Patterwauling if she goes down.

The 'truth' may emerge in the episode that Keri Davies describes writing, where 'one person speaks over themselves' - surely (please) this must be Rob reacting as a recording is played of him goading Helen towards suicide?

I wondered whether that might be Helen talking over the WA call. Do they record calls?

Excellent point SmallLegs.

Does anyone know if Nancy Banks-Smith is indisposed? There hasn't been A Month in Ambridge this month. Her last one was in early April. She's well up in her 80s so I hope she's OK.

I think they will reveal 'facts' we didn't hear abbout the stabbing. And it is very bad form because that's not the way TA is done. I completely agree SmallLegs. The stabbing scene was not clear at all - it is something that has been infuriating me ever since. We, the audience were witnesses, (in the same way we witnessed Knob doing all sorts of other things) and yet we don't know what happened. I thought at first it was bad writing (a bit like Tony and the bull where it was impossible to work out what happened just by listening the scene) now I think it was almost certainly deliberate for the reasons you outline.

Could it be meant to be 'What Henry heard', or 'What will turn up on the secret phone', so that the ambiguity will still be there even though the jury will know that Rob's a Bad'un?

The archers should be more columbo than Midsomer murders

Columbo would have sorted this out quicker than Anna has

"I told Rob I was leaving. He got really angry, said the most awful things. I wasn't a fit mother for Henry, I drove my last partner to suicide....
Then he grabbed a knife out of the drawer and grabbed my wrist, forced the knife into my hands, told me to kill myself like Greg did. I was sobbing and he was yelling so much. I was pushing away as hard as I could but he was too strong and the knife was getting closer and closer to me. I thought he was going to push it into me. I thought about the baby I was carrying and pushed back as hard as I could.
Then Henry was in the hall and Rob shouted at him too. Suddenly he wasn't pushing the knife at me any more and I was still pushing back so I suppose it went into him then though I didn't mean it to. He was going for Henry still shouting and so I used the knife again because I was so afraid of what he would do to Henry while he was so angry. He was telling me to put the knife down but in that tone that he always used to make me feel stupid but for one little moment I was in control and had the power to hurt him. I wasn't really thinking anything - I just wanted him to stop being so angry at me and Henry and for me and my son to be safe from him.

Henry's telling the truth. He did see Mummy hurt Daddy but he came downstairs because Rob was yelling and I was sobbing. I was just so frightened. I was frightened for months, so scared of upsetting him and have him sneering at me, telling me I was stupid."

Enochroot

bows

I'm going to victim blame here, but Knob really is to blame. He did after all tell Helen to give him the knife. Which she did...

It sounds a bit like a story though.

Robs a nice guy who has taken on this deranged woman and helped her through her pregnancy. He's even taken Henry on as if he were his own. Look at how much Henry loves him and his new granny ursula. He gave up a high flying career to support his wife and she threw it in his face. She was the one hitting him - just ask her psychiatrist. She has mental health problems. We don't want to see her punished but she needs help.

Given no one else seems willing to piece together anything to help Helen support a coercive control defence it is her word against his. Even if Jess turns up she's just the bitter ex

Short of him publicly showing his true colours there isn't much evidence of his abuse.

BOOP for Peggy though. She has been magnificent.

Except she's going to pop round with photos and tell them SOK's name...

Which would be a reasonable thing to do, but not when Titcheners are invlved.

I suspect their true colours will be rvealed to Peggy.

sdding ipad!

It's two very different stories though. Rob has a totally different spin on it all so it comes down to Anna really being a shit hot lawyer and the jury deciding which one is telling the truth.

BOOP for Robert Snell. (Once I would have just said Robert, but people who haven't heard this episode might wonder if I'm on glue.) He and Lynda are a great team - he knows just how to rein in her excesses.

It's two very different stories though. Rob has a totally different spin on it all

Plus he's not beyond lie in, and he's had weeks where he's had not much to do but rewrite it all in his head - he's already going on about how he saved Bridge Farm single-handedly and so on.

The residence ruling for Henry is being revisited in June. Can Jack/Gideon's be added to the application. There is no evidence of any social worker etc reports so far. Apart from Anna, it's a professional free zone.

Another nicely balanced episode today and written by Keri Davies.

I'm with you, theredbean…

Please let H register the birth before Peggy goes round with pictures! Wish they'd stop being so gracious to the Titcheners, no courtesy is extended the other way.

Excellent updating there on the culvert issue, thanks everyone.

I don'y know why Peggy is being so gracious to Rob and Ursula. She knows that they kidnapped Henry and only gave Bridge Farm access when forced into it by the Court.
The SW must have decided that it's Peggy's turn to be the dimwit.