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

[PseudoBadger]

What day is it again?

[HumphreyCobblers]

Helen is being amazing. It is so good to hear her side of the story being properly articulated.

[Bea]

Hoorah hoorah!! Things seem to be going hellins way!!... I knew jess would turn up... It's all a little... Last minute though!! Suppose it's all to keep us all in suspenders!!... Love someone's comment on Twitter.... "I think Rob's off the cricket team!"

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Hello, thegoodnameshadgone. Welcome to The Archers. The first thing to say is that it's not normally like this. If you do become a regular listener you'll have to be prepared for weeks and weeks of farming talk, villagers preparing for the Flower & Produce show and the biggest drama whether Lynda Snell can get a cast together for the Christmas show.

As for what's happened up to now, I'd suggest looking at the BBC website. They've put up a lot of background information to help people get up to speed.

[Bea]

An hour long ep!! On Sunday!!???.... Is this true!!.... Sooooo excited!!

[Stickerrocks]

Bruce & Arsula probably just think that Helen is a lying bitch, who doesn't realise that an act of marital rape is a gift from husband to wife.

[BertrandRussell]

I'm surprised the judge allowed the questioning about Henry's conception. But it's good that he stopped the barrister shutting her down before she'd finished. And good that he allowed the case to continue.

[IorekByrnisonsArmour]

I have been in MN exile since these threads went crazy during the stabbing. I had to return after today's episode.

That was hard to listen to, but wonderfully done.

[Stickerrocks]

I only hope that they aren't giving us a tantalising glimmer of Jess-related hope, before the judge says that she isn't allowed to appear as a witness. That would be too cruel.

[enochroot]

I feel 'comeuppance' is about to occur at long last.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

It seemed to me that the prosecution barrister pushed it too far and lost his advantage. He seemed genuinely taken aback by Helen's response. Did anybody else think this?

[Bea]

After all this drama... I can't wait to get back to normal service... Though... I'm still revelling in the brilliant Brian quips the other week... Re: lilly taking after lizzy and Freddie inheriting Nigels brain! ... And then poo pooing the plot of madame butterfly! .. I have never guffawed with such relish!!

[TheAntiBoop]

That was a rubbish cliffhanger

[JudyCoolibar]

Bruce is probably proud of Rob at last. I wonder if Ursula is beginning to re-evaluate her own experience of sex with Bruce?

[IorekByrnisonsArmour]

I can just imagine Rob & Arseula discussing how it couldn't possibly be rape as they were married.

[JudyCoolibar]

I hope the Defence will also call the person from Women's Aid that Helen spoke to - both to prove that the rape isn't a recent invention, and to give evidence that women in her situation regularly block out what happened to them.

[Minimammoth]

Perhaps there will be psychiatric evidence.
I think Charotte will be reversing sharpish.

[Gherkinsmummy]

Really hard to listen to but Louiza is giving an amazing performance.

[madsmam]

DD (13) was in the car with me on Tuesday night when I listened and came in from school today asking me what time TA was on so she could listen with me. Have had a stern chat about what to do if any chap tries to tell her what to do, she says LTB, I said I hope for her sake she's always as strong as she is now, sigh.

[ColdTeaAgain]

I thought that too Judy, Ursula will defend her son to the bitter end but I bet this is all bringing up some painful truths for her about her own marriage.

[BoreOfWhabylon]

Helen didn't tell WA that she'd been raped though. She didn't tell them much at all.

And we don't know yet that Jess has been raped either (although bet she has and will admit it)

From Lowfield (when H and J met that time)
As Jess talks about Rob, it is ever more clear that Helen's experience is much like hers. Rob undermined her constantly, and when she stood up to him, he hit her. Helen tells her about Henry's Easter presents, and Jess is appalled. Now she is over Rob, Jess looks forward to each day and to seeing her child grow up. Sadly, Helen admits that when she and Henry were on their own she laughed a lot. She still thinks things will change once she has the baby, but Jess sees things much more clearly. Rob will chip away at Helen until there is nothing left. Get away, Helen, before he crushes you completely.

[BoreOfWhabylon]

Agree that ths will have given Arsula food for thought - she may even LTB.

[NaturalBlondeYeahRight]

It's going too well. I fear this will go pear shaped for the time being. This drama will be around for many, many years so it won't finish now. Traditional 'building our hopes' scenario. I'd be more positive if it all looked hopeless #doommonger
He'll have both children next week. Guaranteed.

[Gruach]

Goodness.

Raced from Evensong at Christ Church, stumbled into a being-cleaned Prêt, grabbed something (who knew Prêt does actual hot meals?), almost ran through the beautiful sunset-y quad, flung off my boots ...

It was 7.17. IPlayer.

The biggest, fuck-off, big red banner: "Contains some upsetting scenes."

Never in a million years seen such a thing generated by TA.

That was a cracker of an episode. At last - some Law.

Exhausted.

BOOPS and stuff. And hello to newbies. And is it possible to have more fun anywhere than on this thread?

Thank you Pseudo btw.

Theatre? Pah!

[dragonsarebest]

TA is amazing atm. I'd got out of the habit but this week, oh my gosh. These threads are ace too, thanks all. However I have a legal question. Can the jury take into account an unproven allegation? If Rob hasn't been found guilty of rape (and therefore must be presumed innocent?) to what extent can that affect Helen's trial/guilt?

[Fink]

Who the hell was it that audibly gasped on hearing that Henry was conceived via a sperm donor? Probably not anyone in the gallery (they all already know), which leaves a juror as the most probable option. Don't rate Helen's chances as much as before if she's tried by jurors who sit silently through rape allegations but are shocked by a woman having a baby alone!