If The Archers characters were acted by dogs, Rob would be a Shih Tzu. Discuss Ambridge events here.

[PseudoBadger]

Avoided a non-sweary title.

Regardless of a prosecution, Justin won't want Damara's good name dragged through the mud in the Press, which is more or less what Stefan said he'd do. Which is why I think Justin ought to have told Brian the truth. They could both then have conducted their own investigation and presented their findings in the best light possible. The instant dismissal of the culprit would have been a satisfactory start, from everyone's point of view.

As things stand, Justin burying the story and continuing to bribe Stefan makes him culpable in a way in which he wasn't before.

I can't believe that's it - Knob disappears off never to be seen again? Surely not?

Agree, it will be a bit of an anti -climax (to put it mildly) if that's the case Lillian. Particularly if the extent of his incompetence and wrongdoings are not widely exposed.

Excited at the prospect of a potential opening for Charlie to return though!

TheAntiBoop that's disappointing. I've been imagining all sorts of shocking secrets!

I very much doubt Rob is just jetting off to Minnesota as Justin implied. Justin is being naive if he thinks this is just the end of it. Rob still has monthly contact with Jack, and now no job to distract him from menacing whoever else he feels has treated him disrespectfully round the village - he doesn't even have to maintain a veneer of professionalism for the sake of his job any more.

I wonder if he will have another meeting with Alan?

The problem for Rob is that he won't be able to afford the rent on the executive house with spare bedrooms for MySons, in fact he probably can't afford to rent anywhere unless Bruce bails him out, which seems unlikely. I agree he won't be jetting off to Minnesota - that stuff about his former employers being desperate to have him back was obviously the usual lies.

I expected him to pop out from behind a bush when they were out riding. That the accident would leave Lillian making her way back on her own and Rob wreaking his revenge on her. (Have I been conditioned by SOC to expect this?)
I'm disappointed Justin has chosen to cover it up but I suppose HC wants to get on with his own stories now and that might be that for Rob.

I'm sure Charlie is going to be brought back from exile. BTW someone upthread mentioned he's in No Offence. What character is he playing in that?

Give the poor SWs and HC a break! They are already pondering the same things, I hope and expect :)

It was so great to have an event like the party where nothing went wrong. How long ago is it that we were angsting over Jenny lending her Persian rug to Kate, knowing with a sinking feeling that there would be Hilarious Annoying consequences?

Neil Nunes fans, help me (sorry, not TA related, but you're the biggest collection of Mr Nunes fans I can find):

I was listening to the Shipping Forecast just now (the late night one, 12.50 or whatever it is), thinking how soothing NN's voice was. I freely admit I'm not the best at distinguishing voices but I really thought it was him. Then at the end he said 'my name is Vijay Alice (whom I've never heard of and who doesn't appear on a Google search). Help me out: is it Neil in disguise or not?! If not, then Vijay has a very nice voice.

It's on the website.

It's Viji Alles. Agree, another deep, soothing, lovely voice

Oh, thank you. I'll look out for him. I think he must be quite new.

I don't think Justin will bring back Charlie and I kind of hope he doesn't. That furrow has been well and truly ploughed - the over-bearing management style, in the closet, out of the closet, breaking up Adam and Ian - do we really want to go there again? I'm really hoping Huge Canoe will be paddling away from all of SOC's nonsense not endlessly revisiting it to pick it all over.

I'd be happy to hear Charlie again but agree it would be a bit of a backward step for HC to take.

I'd also be amazed if that's the last we ever hear of Rob. He won't go as quietly as that, I feel quite sure and if he does I will feel very cheated.

I liked Charlie's character (once they had settled on the more sympathetic version) and the actor and would be happy to see him back; especially as Ian and Adam's rapprochement doesn't seem to be going that well.

Yes, I'd definitely feel cheated if Rob's story line comes to a very abrupt end; it would not feel credible or balanced. Agree that without a good wage and the "respectability" of a good position at Demarra (sp?) he is on very precarious ground though.

especially as Ian and Adam's rapprochement doesn't seem to be going that well.

Eh? I thought the fun at Frilly's party thawed any remaining ice and they were now in the same bedroom a happy place.

I think that Rob is gone for now, though we may have a few mention-in-passings. He will re-appear when Gack is eighteen.

But they seemed v cold and awkward with one another the next morning when negotiating the bathroom; or have I got that wrong?

Justin may have told Rob he's got a lot of influence and Rob won't be able to get a job elsewhere - but he also pointed out he used his influence to get Rob appointed this time. So Rob might assume Justin won't tell everyone the truth, because it will show up his error of judgement. So far, going by what Justin told Brian, this would be a fair assumption to make (though Brian might hear more if Lilian let's something slip), but I suspect if Justin were questioned on it, he'd say something about letting Rob go with some dignity intact, so Rob can't rely on it. However, Rob doesn't necessarily see the world as others do, particularly when it comes to human relationships, so he might predict what he can get away with in the village quite wrongly.

I too would feel short-changed if he just went off to Hampshire or Minnesota and just gave up on seeing Jack, just because Justin has treated him so poorly for his loyalty to Berrow and Damara (which is probably how he sees it.)

Why are we not expecting rob at the contact centre next month? Sure he's been sacked but I can't see that making him shrug his shoulders and toddling off given his current state of mind

He only called off the crazy divorce thing because things were going reasonably well. Maybe he will go back on that now

He probably never had a proper job in Minnesota - Jess alluded to the fact he changed jobs frequently. Sounds like he wrote the reference himself

That's the last we will see of Rob!

Dun dun duh...

Sweeping The bathroom exchange happened before the party/Bert and Adam conversation. We haven't heard from A&I since.

Gah!.....haven't heard from A&I since they came back from the party giggling and headed off upstairs!

But they seemed v cold and awkward with one another the next morning when negotiating the bathroom; or have I got that wrong?

I think you are having problems with your wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff. Cold-and-awkward was Tuesday (thanks Lowfield). Party was Thursday.

0h sorry, that serves me right for listening to TA at wierd times of the night, not necessarily in the right order and for falling asleep at the wrong moments Does wonders for my insomnia though

I suspect that now is the time when Rob will make real his raid on Bridge Farm as part of the divorce...it would be less unhinged than an abduction/mass shooting, so more HKJ and less SOC.