The dog days of summer are approaching Ambridge. Freddy’s being hounded and Brian is in the dog house - can Jenny take the ruff with the smooth?

[PseudoBadger]

Thanks to all for the dog ideas, and special mention to Ppeatfruit.

Discuss the Archers here!

I heard it both ways - Pip being spectacularly tactless and entitled all round.

I heard it both ways too. Pip certainly upset Tom, so prepping him to pick up on her comments, but pointing out the kettle/pot situation was still very satisfying 😄

I heart Freddie more each day. I wonder if he'd like a trip to a gallery with a MUM figure?

i am enjoying the Lily lesbian-NOT storyline.

Elizabeth's observations about being out of her depth with mature men when she was Lily's age ...

I liked Christine's comment about father and daughter.

I think Christine's father and daughter comments and Elizabeth's honest remarks about her own youthful mistakes with older men may have hit home to Lily. It was quite clever really - Elizabeth ended up being very honest and upfront, but not in the way she intended. In fact she unknowingly gave Lily the talk she needed to give her while trying to skirt round the topic she thought she was supposed to be tackling.

I wonder where they’re going with Christine? I liked her cottoning on to the fact that Harrison and Fallon thought she was getting dementia via Peggy’s massively unsubtle “memory test”. This box is intriguing too.

Elizabeth ended up being very honest and upfront, but not in the way she intended. In fact she unknowingly gave Lily the talk she needed to give her while trying to skirt round the topic she thought she was supposed to be tackling.

I thought it was good, too. I think Lily was about to open up and tell the truth till Elizabeth started going on about Meredith so it was clear she thought Lily was a lesbian rather than with an older man.

I thought it was pretty nasty of Lily to pretend Christine had got it wrong.

I don't like this story line although I don't think there was much scope for Lily to admit anything. I don't think Elizabeth's "I'm the most understanding mother ever " stance would have lasted long if Lily had told the truth.

Oh I don’t know, Lass ...

Elizabeth would have wanted to know the exact acreage of Meredith’s estate. And which school her brothers went to. And the name of her dad’s London club.

I think it’s made Lily realise what her ‘relationship’ is doing to her. It’s turned her into a liar. She realises that she doesn’t want her mum to know and that is finally ringing a warning bell for her. And she’s seeing how much people love her.

Lily is a teenager. She doesn't think rationally.

My money would be on her ignoring all the inadvertent signals she's getting from Christina, Elizabeth etc and going all out for it with Randy Russ.

Loved Elizabeth's mangling of LGBTQ ... comic genius from the writers there.

Well she's going to have to do something because "Meredith" is going to be getting lots of invitations to Lower Loxley for LGBTea and cake.

Elizabeth would have wanted to know the exact acreage of Meredith’s estate. And which school her brothers went to. And the name of her dad’s London club

Sorry I meant the truth that "Meredith" is really randy Russ.

My mistake! My answer was garbled anyway. Was half awake.

I loved Christine's decisive gavel on the well-meant speculation, and boo hiss to Lily for making her seem loopy.

Full marks to Christine's perception that the man "Lily" was with implied father/daughter relationship. :o

I think Elizabeth would be OK if Lily told the truth, because she's been there. She was much reviled for the Robin Fairbrother affair so she knows how that feels.

Obviously she wouldn't be giving Russ her blessing....

Will Elizabeth go to Jennifer with another 'fictional' scenario to ask her how she coped when Debbie was with that sleazy lecturer?

Wouldn't it be good is Christine found out the truth about Lily?

DarkAndStormy - she might go easy on Lily, but surely you couldn't ignore the fact that Russ has abused his position and would need to report it to the college (however much Lily protested)

Yes she should absolutely report him! I will be furious if this is swept under the carpet.

But I think she will be a good mother to Lily and take care of her.

Afternoon all. Now caught up with both programme and thread after a few days away. I love the Lily misunderstanding and Freddie's constant sniggering and muttered asides. Chickens coming home to roost for Elizabeth, as she had a very wild youth, and of course much more recently she had that dreadful fling with Roy while he was still married to Hayley, who had been the twins' nanny and was still Elizabeth's employee. One might have expected Lily to remember that too and to have learned something from it.

Maybe the bunting is in the box?

Did we ever get to the bottom of whoever was lurking in the changing rooms?

Could that have been Russ and Lily?

It was Alistair, wasn't it? Doing some redecorating there so as to have an excuse for getting out of the house. I forget whether it was while he was staying with Jim and Jazzer or still at the Stables.

Is Meredith a real person? If so I suspect she'll turn up somewhere and blow the gaffe in a big way, possibly when Elizabeth tries to welcome her as Lily's partner.

I believe Meredith is a type of Bunbury.