The Archers

Neil bumps into Kate on her way to The Stables to see Alice and apologises to her for the shock of bumping into Clive – his unwelcome return has rattled everyone. Neil, on his way to supervise Clive’s latest visit with Bert, wishes he would just go away.

Adam checks in with a grumpy Alice on the phone. He tells her Brian has been trying to contact her. They’re both worried about her. He presses her on how she is. ‘I’m in hell,’ she snaps. And she doesn’t want to see anyone or go to rehab – she can’t face it. She tells Adam Justin came around yesterday and asked her to resign. There’s a knock at the door. It’s Harry and he wants to help her. But she shuts the door in his face. After a while she chases after him. He tells her Chris confronted him. Harry stresses her addiction put her where she is now and it’s a disease. He thanks her for saving him, for encouraging him to go for treatment. He tells her she can come back from this. He knows she can. But she rushes away.

Later Adam confronts Lilian and criticises her for letting Justin go round to try to force Alice to resign. They both admit they are scared – Alice is getting worse. They discuss how Brian is going out of his mind and Lilian promises she’ll have words with Justin. Adam concedes they have to face facts. No-one knows what will happen when the case comes to court. But there’s not much any of them can do. She really could lose everything. Lilian says when Jennifer died she swore she’d be there for the children but she doesn’t feel like she has been.

Chris turns up early to speak to Susan. He can’t pick up Martha, he says, because he has a late appointment. But when she questions him he admits he’s actually going to see Harry, who will be handing out prizes at the Borsetshire Young Horse Championship. Susan says she’ll drive him there. Later, Chris accosts Harry at the event. He accuses him of being there on the night of the crash. But Harry genuinely has no idea what he’s talking about. He didn’t know Alice had been drinking either. Chris rages at him, but Harry is genuinely apologetic, leaving Chris taken aback. As Susan drives Chris back to Ambridge she says he has to accept that Alice did this and there’s no other explanation. He needs to put all his energy into Martha and leave Alice to herself.

Harrison and Chris are getting ready for a cricket match against Leyton Cross who have won their last four games, buoyed by a new young player. Chris raises the question of Alice’s crash and how she wouldn’t buy cider. It’s a mistake discussing it with Harrison who insists she was drunk behind the wheel and she should face the consequences. Later, Susan congratulates Christopher on a 176 innings but asks if he has fallen out with Harrison, who threw his bat in disgust after Chris ran him out. He confesses that he talked to Harrison about Alice’s case. Susan says he mustn’t let it come between them. Later, Chris buys Harrison a pint and apologises. But then suggests there was someone else in the car with Alice – Harry Chilcott - he might have persuaded her to drive and then ran away.

Susan serves Neil lunch and he says Christopher is taking Martha to see Alice. Together they seem almost like a normal family and it’s obvious he still loves her. Susan can’t help thinking things could be better for Martha with all the privilege Alice was born into. She can’t get yesterday’s conversation out of her mind – Brian and Adam fussing over Alice, Lilian keeping her job open. No one is questioning her behaviour. Her not guilty plea is more proof that she’s in denial. Alice is never going to hit rock bottom, says Susan - no one is letting her. Neil says it’s Christopher’s life and they should put his needs first. But Susan wonders if enabling her to keep drinking is helping Martha.

Meg Mellor stops to ask Lynda for directions as she goes to collect Bartleby. George, Neil and Eddie are waiting for her and saying their farewells to the pony. Eddie has yet another suggestion about how to spend the money – a new cider press. For the first time George agrees. Meg tells them how she got started taking care of retired horses after her husband died. Lynda has left a fancy, colourful rug for Bartleby. As Meg goes to get her notebook Eddie suggests some new tries for their cider orchard. George agrees and suggests a new marble headstone for Great Granddad Joe. George says farewell to Bartleby and thanks him for listening, particularly over the last few weeks. They fasten the horse box and Meg drives away.

Joy tells Lynda she wants to go through her ideas for the fete. Lynda is taken aback that Joy already has some arrangements in hand. Mick calls to say the Hollerton Silver Band is not available but Lynda insists music is vital. Lynda says Joy should not underestimate the task ahead. Later, Lynda returns to chat with Joy as she tackles some weeding. As Lynda suggests a school ukulele group, Mick arrives to say the Borchester Found in a Skip band has agreed to perform.

Lily can’t decide on the Grey Gables job offer as she tells Freddie that George has called off the Bartleby sale. Mick is dismissive about the work logs as Lily says sending the same thing every week renders it pointless. Mick walks off, agreeing. Lynda chats to Kirsty on the phone about Roy’s decision as she arrives at Grey Gables to collect his address book from his locker. She invites Lynda to join a video call to Roy planned for that evening. After her exchange with Mick, Lily complains to Kirsty that no-one takes her seriously. She agrees to get the master key but after Kirsty invites her to join the video call to Roy says she’ll bring it along then.

That evening after the video call to Roy, Freddie turns up with Bulgarian treats from the dairy at Roy’s request. A message from Roy says he told Oliver to offer Lily the job. And he sends a message to Kirsty saying now he has found his soulmate, it’s up to her to find hers.

Susan and Joy are filling shelves. They discuss Lynda being mysterious about who will be taking over from her to organise the Ambridge Fete. Joy is not keen on becoming her successor. Jazzer arrives to collect some beans and agrees. Joy says being part of the team effort is more her style. Jazzer suggests a cost of living fete with prizes that are actually useful. Later Joy tries to cheer up Susan who is rattled by Alice’s not guilty plea. Every time she thinks things are getting better they get worse. Joy saw them at the playground and they looked like a normal happy family. Later tired Susan yawns and confesses to Joy she’s not sleeping well over the situation with Alice. The only upside is that Martha has her home and Emma’s to fall back on.

George and Eddie are getting Bartleby ready for his tour of the village when Meg Mellor calls to say she’s arrived in Ambridge. George asks if she can come early on Friday so he can take her through Bartleby’s likes and dislikes. She promises she will and George hangs up abruptly, growing upset at the thought. Susan, Joy and Jazzer come to say farewell to Bartleby. Eddie waxes lyrical about the pony’s new home but George is irritated at such talk. The Grundy’s finish Bartleby’s tour and Eddie reminds George that he’ll have to appear in court at Felpersham and lawyers will try to run rings around him. Eddie suggests using Bartleby’s money to buy more pigs. Furious, George calls Meg and says the deal’s off – she can’t have Bartleby!

Neil brings Christopher some of Susan’s strawberry tart. Chris confesses weekends aren’t easy caring for Martha full time. Adam tells them that Alice pleaded not guilty at court. Both are astounded. And now Alice is not picking up calls or answering the door to visitors. Later, Martha is ready for bed after playing in the park with Alice, which seemed to do them both good. Chris tries to ask why she didn’t plead guilty but Alice shuts him down. Christopher is worried Alice could go to jail – he doesn’t want Martha to go through what he did when Susan was jailed.

As George tries to get a perfect take for Bartleby’s last video, Eddie suggests making videos with Gem once he leaves, but George says no way, Bartleby’s a one off. George finally gets the perfect take, gives Bartleby a hug and asks Eddie to take their picture. Eddie has suggestions for the money from Bartleby’s sale but George says no to funding the tree surgery, a new van or a family holiday - the money has to be spent on something Great Granddad Joe would have liked.

Adam visits Lilian who confirms Alice isn’t answering the door to her either. Everyone feels useless about the situation. Lilian blames herself for encouraging Alice to date Harry in the first place. Adam admits that even at the police station Alice sneaked off to drink a miniature in her bag. And he thinks there’s little chance of her changing her plea – she seemed so certain.

Alan and Harrison meet in the church for private prayers and meditation for Harrison to think about his loss. Before they start Alan checks that this time Fallon knows what he’s doing, but Harrison hasn’t told her because it always leads to a row. He wants these prayers to be unspoiled. Afterwards Harrison feels more at peace with everything, and Alan says he’ll remember both Harrison and Fallon in his prayers. But he reminds Harrison that he ought to let Fallon know what he was doing and why.

Fallon’s out on the town with Kirsty, celebrating her birthday early. She’s told Harrison that she’s staying at Kirsty’s and watching a film. Fallon just wants a night away from all the recent angst with Harrison. They agree not to talk about anything work or man-related. As the evening goes on Fallon gets tipsy and tells Kirsty she bumped into Lily, Paul and Josh in the bar. Paul’s there trying to take his mind off his relationship troubles with Etienne. Fallon’s agreed to go on to a club with them afterwards, commenting that it’s good to have mates – she’s glad she’s got Kirsty. As the evening progresses Fallon gets drunker, but Kirsty stays with her. When Fallon opens up about how she feels that people are trying to control her personal life, Kirsty counsels that sometimes it’s not about control. There are people out there who love her. Fallon adds that there’s also fun out there as well as worries, so she’s going to dance the night away!

Stella asks for Pip’s opinion on a sustainability paper she’s writing for Borchester Land. Stella agrees when Pip suggests commissioning an ecological survey of all the BL land. But as Stella’s about to add that to her document, the computer starts to crash. Pip realises it’s a cyber-attack, telling Stella to shut it down immediately.

Kirsty catches up with Fallon to ask what she wants to do for her birthday next week. Fallon says truthfully she’d just like to spend it with Harrison. She’s missed being close with him. They’re interrupted by Alan who mentions that he’s on his way to see Harrison about the order of service. Fallon knows nothing about it and is upset when she realises it’s a service for the loss of unborn babies. Alan’s apologetic, realising Harrison didn’t tell Fallon, and makes a quick exit leaving upset Fallon to wonder how Harrison could do this to her.

Furious Fallon confronts Harrison about organising the service behind her back. He tries to explain that he and Alan were only looking at it as a possibility. He didn’t mention it because he wasn’t sure how Fallon would react. Fallon feels betrayed. Harrison has really tried but he can’t turn his feelings off. Harrison goes and Fallon tells Kirsty she’s changed her mind - she wants to go out and celebrate her birthday with Kirsty before next week.

Alan counsels Harrison, saying he needs to acknowledge his own grief. Perhaps instead of a service, Harrison and Alan could have a private time of prayer. But Harrison needs to tell Fallon this time.