I'm a celebrity -get me in The Archers! The jury's out in Ambridge.

[PseudoBadger]

New thread for the celebrity packed hour long special tonight! Welcome to regulars and newbies alike

NO SPOILERS please there's a thread for that here

Added by MNHQ: NB there will be spoilers on this thread for those who are yet to listen to the one hour special.

Helen's back! Everyone's walking on eggshells!

At last Pat has found her backbone.

I thought that was a nicely paced and acted episode with nobody doing weird and unnatural things!

Helen tetchy at times yes, but she would be feeling claustrophobic listening to Pats endless fussing, and readjusting to normality.

Helen still holding back and afraid to let go (what a can of worms!)

Henry was a bit wary around Helen at first (last seen stabbing daddy and disappearing for 6 months) but like all kids came round pretty quick.

Rob feeling sorry for himself and blaming everyone but himself.

Pat shutting the door in the face of the bastard who raped her daughter.

All in all realism now the SOC has gone

I actually think there should be a time limit as to when a woman can give PR to a man who isn't her child's biological father. A time limit of say five years, by which time a proper relationship has already been established.

I imagine that PR could be rescinded if a man isn't the biological father, e.g. In the event of divorce and especially in the event of abuse. Let's hope that comes up as part of the family court hearing. So Rob loses PR for Henry and he goes back to live with Helen permanently, and Rob is allowed minimal access in a contact centre but no overnights or one-one access due to the fact that A, he is breastfed and B, the fact that there are serious allegations pending against him.

What a piece of work Ursula is. She has clearly been trained by Bruce to pander to his every whim and I imagine her life would be hell if she didn't. So now she walks on eggshells around her vile son, desperate to stop him getting angry too. A bit of clearsightedness about the monster she's produced wouldn't go amiss. He clearly doesn't give a toss about her.

trickyD oh no harm done.as you say, it was the most likely outcome.

Thank god Pat finally stepped up and stopped pandering to him.

I worry for Henwee going back and being punished for saying Jack instead of Gideon.

I've got a feeling Ursula might be making the wrong kind of custard very soon.

Great episode I thought. Feeling much more hopeful about the future now. As long as they can sort out what happens with Henry. Poor mite.

I thought Helen showed an astonishing (for her) level of maturity and generosity to Henry in letting Pat go to answer the door. (And just as well she did given Rob's hideousness). In the not-too-distant past I could see her overwhelming him and then being hurt when he was confused and reticent. Maybe she has really changed and grown up as a mother having had so much time away from her darling boy. Tough listening though, as the owner of two small ones myself.

And BOOP BOOP BOOP for proper Pat back from the dead. Even with all her wittering - understandable I thought in the circumstances - she is back to her previous don't-mess-with self.

They shouldn't have Rob coming to the house for handovers now Helen's there. Pat, Tom or Tony should fetch him from Rob's place or meet Rob & Henry in a neutral location - maybe the shop with Susan snooping! They're just asking for Rob to try & bully Helen again or snatch Jack.

Good episode. I think Pats line about not knowing how to "be" round Helen was pretty accurate.

And Rob feeling very sorry for himself. Arsehole.

Surely the authorities wouldn't leave Henry with Rob now it's been shown that he was potentially at risk?

Helen needs to:

1. Apply for an injunction v Knob to stop him communicating directly with her save through solicitors.

1. Put in place handover arrangements for Henwee's contact that don't involve him coming anywhere near her.

1. Apply to rescind his PR

1. File a divorce petition asap to show she's serious about permanent separation and that the children won't be exposed to dv like Henwee was on the night of the long knives.

1. Formally file a complaint with the police asap reporting Rob for rape, assault (the slap etc.) and coercive control. She should do this in advance of the family court hearing so that she can be the one saying that Knob stands accused of serious offences which make him unsuitable to be considered a resident parent.

1. Apply for a contact order for no contact between Henwee and Knob. he is not his father and he is a dangerous and malign influence. If not considered in his immediate best interests (likely as he's been living with him) then supervised contact not very often.

1. Apply for no contact / limited supervised contact between jack and Knob.

1. Apply for a specific issue order that Jack be known by that name (not Gideon) and that this be used during any contact.

1. File an application for financial relief in the divorce proceedings. he can fuck off from the former matrimonial home which, if not already in her legal name should be transferred into her sole name. Clean break save for him paying maintenance for Jack.

Think that's all she need do for now!
Come on Helen you need to get your shit together and fast...

As you were.

I've only just started listening to TA (I'll admit to being interested in all the publicity but now more intrigued about getting to know other characters). Caught up on last few threads and episodes on iplayer, but slightly confused about what happened with the baby's name. Did Rob just start telling people he was called Gideon? I noticed he used that name with Charlotte and obviously Henry, but has he been telling other people too?

Oh good, an expert. Thanks, Giddy. Minor correction to point 9: the matrimonial home is rented. Can't imagine that Helen would want to go back there and Rob was renting it before she was with him, so it will be his name on the tenancy agreement. I'm hoping Usha (who owns BHC) evicts him asap.

I don't suppose there's a cat in hell's chance of getting Peggy's £10k back. All the time Rob was refusing to get a new job (other than taking over Helen's job), that's what he's been living on, isn't it?

Welcome, prettygirl. Jack was born while Helen was on remand. He told Ursula (his mother) that he wanted to name the baby Gideon after her father. Fortunately, by the time he'd got round to going to the registrar, it was too late. Helen had already registered the birth and called the baby Jack, which was the name of her dad's father (Peggy's first husband) and also the name of Peggy's second husband, who was like a grandfather to Pat and Tony's children. (They were born after Jack Archer died, I think.)

Rob has persisted in calling the baby Gideon. I was really hoping that he would be questioned about that in court. He's told Henry that the baby is called Gideon and I think he did use the name at one point in his testimony last week.

Is Helen starving herself again?

Of course it is rented .
In that case I think I'd want to provoke him and be a wind up by applying for spousal maintenance from Knob. Helen's earning capacity and her ability to work has been severely impaired and after all he is about to start a high flying well paid job... (or is he?). He has said all along that she's incapable - so he better support he financially don't you think?

Perhaps her shit hot lawyer (?) could also advise Pat on how to formally terminate his employment.

God, I'd love to represent H in the family proceedings.

That was satisfying - for once Rob had the power taken away from him. I worry it might make him more dangerous but maybe he is just a sad and pathetic little man.

If soc were still in charge I would be expecting rob to kidnap Helen and the kids and drive into the am. Helen and the kids will survive but robs body will never be found. And then he will turn up in ten years...

Now that's some delurk, Giddy! Good to have your input.

I wonder if the rape allegations will get anywhere? What would police / CPS need to have any kind of realistic prospect of taking a case to court?

Enjoyed tonight's episode more than the verdict!

The way Ursula was talking was interesting, more of a timid calm down dear rather than sharing in Rob's outrage. Deep down she knows Helen was telling the truth because Rob is just like his father. The only difference is Bruce is from a time when men could get away with brazenly abusing their wives and people looked the other way whereas Rob has always had to hide his character from society.

Rob is not going to be happy when Henry gets home and starts calling the baby Jack. Poor Henry :(

I think she'd have to make a complaint to the police who'd then have to investigate - her statement / what she said in court, her call to Women's Aid if recorded and she gave permission, possibly Jess's statement for similar fact evidence (Jess could also report him for rape of course if she wanted to)... then the Crown Prosecution Service would have to decide whether to proceed with charging him.

In real life would you really want the grief? The prospect of a trial with him getting off when everyone knows how hard it is to secure a rape conviction?

That's a fair point, Giddy. I can't see it getting to court, but equally I expect Rob will point to that and crow about it, saying Helen and Jess were happy to throw around rape allegations, but haven't got the guts to let it go to court, because (in his warped world) they were lying and know he would walk away free.

Ooh, has anyone noticed that this thread is on MN's Discussions of the Day!

I hope that's bringing in lots of lurkers - please delurk. This thread is friendly (and there are some very knowledgeable people if you are new to The Archers and have a question).