Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat, please put a penny in Joe Grundy's hat. Discuss The Archers here.

[PseudoBadger]

Ho ho ho! Will this thread last until Christmas?

Although ... I've forgotten anything I ever knew about probation - but I think a few peeps have mentioned that possibility.

Or a contact arrangement with his child(ren)?

Surely the SWs have made up their minds by now?

Surely the other Bearfrother knows? Can't imagine he would keep dark secrets - more likely to push Toebeee to tell all to Pip.

But yes, I think it will be a little Toebee.

I actually think she would forgive him a wife if he spun her a good story, which he will.
I think it's something less blindingly obvious.

Pip is selfish and thick so a wife wouldn't bother her because she would see it that she has won him

Not believable that Rex hasn't said anything. Particularly that scene when he found out about Toby and pip. He was so angry he wouldn't have held a secret

I don't really see how it can be a wife or child in Brighton, because whatever it is that keeps calling Toby down there, it seems regularly to be a crisis demanding that he drop everything. Unless the wife/child has health problems and he has to keep going down to take them to hospital/section them/donate unusual blood type etc?

Oh god it's not going to be Alice's hideous loan sharking paramour from University is it...he might have moved along the coast a bit from Southampton.

I think you're right, wife/child might be obvious. But won't it be something that breaks Pip's heart so that Gill is right? But they'll have made sure there's maximum impact (loans etc) and maybe pip being pregnant?

If Pip does turn out to be left holding a Fairbaby I might have to stop listening.

Probation officer or some criminal involvement seem most likely, remember how he wasn't all bothered or ready to dash off when his Dad had a heart attack.

I think probation officer. How could he possibly afford to keep a wife in Brighton? Or is that where all his money goes and is the reason he sponges off Pip? Ultimate cocklodger.

Tobes had to hang around for Christmas but has hot-footed it to Brighton as fast as he could after Pip gave him the money?

Christmas - bit of a blur now (I'm on day 5 of a humdinger of a cold ) but as far as I can recall, Pip and Toby spent most of the day in bed after Toby incinerated the potatoes. Eventually Ruth or possibly David persuaded them to go over to the farm for a bit to exchange presents. Jill immediately disappeared into the kitchen to put together an enormous buffet to be served after P&T left.

I enjoyed the panto tonight.

I wish my village had a panto like that.

How utterly stupid is Pip - Christmas bash with the boys! He isn't going to get there until midnight and be in no fit state to drive back the following day.

...and kenton will have to do the panto without his partisan..

You can't have Mother Goose without the Goose! Who is will step in and save the day...

I wish my village had a panto like that.

I wish my city had a panto like that!

Surely he'd have his probation dates well in advance? I think it's more likely to be something other womanish, although I almost want it to be above board. I can't stand Toby, but think Jill has behaved very badly with the whole thing..

Could Toby be seeing a married woman (or man) and he hotfoots it down there when he gets a message that the coast is clear?

Maybe he has a regular charity slot helping out orphans....? And doesn't want to tell anyone. Or is involved in secret medicine testing to eradicate TB in badgers.

But it's a kid isn't it...

I enjoyed the panto, even Justin's frustration with Kenton & Toby.

I wonder whether Toby has child with health issues, hence having to dash down sporadically rather than regularly. Even then you'd think he'd be better off setting off early this morning than after the panto last night. Why does he have to wake up in Brighton?

Do we reckon he'll be back when he said he would? There was an emphasis on where he was hanging his costume, anyone could take the part of a goose couldn't they? Pip the goose perhaps?

Why does he have to wake up in Brighton?

Ahh ... Child's birthday? (But then, how could he have avoided Christmas with said child?)

I don't think it can be a probation officer ; if he had to report to one would he not have said he was moving and be reallocated one in Felpersham?

OK I know Toebee might just ignore the requirement to notify but a breach of that would have serious consequences including potentially jail.

It can't be that any order specifically prohibited his being in Ambridge or Borsetshire as people would know if he had done something heinous locally.

Although I suppose it's not beyond Toebee not to let a probation officer know he has moved.