Silence in court! Discuss The Archers and shout from the gallery here. Send him down.

[PseudoBadger]

What day is it again?

Don't worry xmas there is definitely an episode tomorrow night!

Actor playing Rob is really, really good. Tonight he sounded like he was about to unravel, was barely holding it together. The interaction with his dad was not particularly well written but superbly acted. Very tense.

I really want to know what people are saying about the trial back in Ambridge. The gossip mill must be going into overdrive. I imagine it to be a bit like Broadchurch...

Shula, WTAF. Stop being such a slug.

Oh and another legal question - if the prosecution barrister suspected that Rob was intimidating witnesses (and I think the barrister is half way there) wouldn't he be duty bound to report his suspicions to the judge? If the defendant was doing so surely their barrister would have to do the same?

If they can fit it in during tomorrow's court 'pause', I wouldn't mind hearing Susan's reaction to the media coverage. Maybe Shula needs to go to the shop for something.

There's a BBC researcher's blog on the tweeting issue on their website - www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thearchers/entries/af184270-16ab-4a17-812c-df795a298516

She seems to think the issue is whether the tweet might influence other jurors. I'm not sure whether she's right. I think the jurors were told at the outset that they could talk about the case to each other, provided they were all together. If this juror tweeted something like "Guilty as hell" or "No way am I going to convict after the evidence today" it's something he could just as easily have said to all the others in the jury room, so the risk of influence is the same.

The difference might be that the tweet would attract comments maybe?

I agree that the Twitter thing could be to pause proceedings so tomorrow's episode will be what's going on back in Ambridge - Adam and Ian maybe.

Then Sunday night the recommencement of the trial.

I think the prosecuting barrister would have to report it if he thought Rob was intimidating witnesses, but I think Rob realised the danger in time to stop himself saying anything too incriminating. It would be good if the barrister joined the dots between his comment and the evidence of his controlling ways but it's still possibly too much of a stretch.

I don't think Rob pulled it back enough to he honest. The barrister asked him why he thought Jess might appear in the first place. You'd hope a barrister would be smart enough and a good enough judge of character to join the dots. Either way that comment will come back to bite Rob - it was put in there for a reason

Oh my! I didn't realise that Simon Pemberton had been abusive! I was a teenager at the time and really fancied him and I remember being really sad that he split up with Debbie. .

Hopefully Adam and Ian tomorrow and then contact with Charlie for Sunday...

Just read about Cameron Fraser on Wiki - I knew he was a baddun' but - he attempted to rape Shula?????!!!!

I suppose the tweet could lead to newspapers reporting stuff that could lead to the other jurors being prejudiced

Yes, that barrister seems quick enough picking up on things when cross-examining, I'm sure he got it. But at that point not enough to do anything with it. He didn't get a chance to cross-examine Jess yet because of Bruce and the tweeter- maybe he'll deliberately ask her about why she didn't come forward sooner, to give her the opening? Presumably whereas the defence lawyer's job is to defend the accused, his should be somewhat more about getting the truth rather than a conviction? (Would he be allowed to prosecute Robs case(s) too, btw?)

Has Charlie ever told anyone but Adam that he is gay? Jennifer knows? Ian obviously And Helen? But does anyone else

Cameron was the one who left Lizzie at a service station on the middle of nowhere, wasn't he?

I don't think I could face an episode with Adam and Ian tomorrow 😔. I love Ian. I don't want to hear any more of his hurt this week. He's already wracked with guilt for not realising that Helen wasn't herself for all those months. I really, really want to hear Susan and her attempts to backtrack.

Might the trial be halted to allow an emergency safeguarding hearing vis a via Henry now that Helen and Rob's ex wife have alleged rape and Bruce's conduct has halted the trial. I'd have thought there would be a duty of care there.

I think we may hear tomorrow that Henry is on emergency, temporary foster care while the matter is investigated by SS.

May, of course, be barking up wrong tree.

Julian seems to have Rob's measure. My DH is a QC btw and the antithesis of pompous. His clients use his first name always. Not criminal bar though. Mr and yr Hon are court parlance.

It may also emerge that Bruce has been spectacularly abusive - I felt a teeny bit sorry for Rob when he went into little boy mode and apologised. Bruce is an Arse and Arse has been his enabler which is why she takes Rob's aide.

I can't imagine he'd be allowed to prosecute any cases where Rob was the defendant - unless there's a severe shortage of barristers around there! His suspicion re Jess will come out one way or another I reckon.

I hadn't realised Cameron tried to rape Shula. I would have thought that that would make her instinctively repulsed by Rob rather than feeling she had to be polite to him and his father.

Errol, I think you are right that the prosecution's job is to get at the truth, not to get a conviction at all costs.

Judy forgive me for being thick, but surely the jurors HAVE to talk to each other about the case, no?? Isn't that the point of deliberating? Or are they only allowed to discuss it when it's time to reach a verdict?

Yep Brucey Brute is the arch villian - that bit where Rob becomes suddenly v apologetic was really well done.

That's a thought, Roses. I really don't like to think about Henry being left alone with Rob at a time when Rob will be all over the place and feeling extremely vengeful towards Henry's mother.

Yes, Cameron left Lizzie pregnant at a service station. She later had an abortion but Shula wanted to adopt the child before that because she was having trouble getting pregnant, had had an ectopic pregnancy and was having IVF. I can remember all that, but no attempted rape.