03/08/2025

Brian struggles to see the wood for the trees, and Kate has a brainwave.

Writer: Sarah McDonald Hughes Director: Helen Aitken & Kim Greengrass Editor: Jeremy HoweBrian Aldridge…. Charles Collingwood David Archer…. Timothy Bentinck Jolene Archer…. Buffy Davis Alice Carter…. Hollie Chapman Chris Carter…. Wilf Scolding Susan Carter…. Charlotte Martin Neil Carter…. Brian Hewlett Justin Elliott…. Simon Williams Martyn Gibson…. Jon Glover Ed Grundy…. Barry Farrimond Emma Grundy…. Emerald O’Hanrahan George Grundy…. Angus Stobie Mia Grundy…. Molly Pipe Brad Horrobin…. Taylor Uttley Joy Horville…. Jackie Lye Adam Macy…. Andrew Wincott Kate Madikane…. Perdita Avery Akram Malik…. Asif Khan Kirsty Miller…. Annabelle Dowler Stella Pryor…. Lucy Speed Annabelle Scrivener… Julia Hills Terry…. Lloyd Thomas

On a prison visit George tells Brad he’s worried about Chelsea upsetting Amber. Brad says Chelsea feels awful and wants to put it right, but Amber won’t let her. Brad then persuades George to try and get Amber to accept Chelsea’s apologies. When George asks about Mia he can’t believe she told Brad on his birthday that she’s seeing someone else. Brad is embarrassed by how upset it’s made him. George’s attempts to console Brad fall on stony ground, until George drops in that he wants Brad to be his best man and Brad is thrilled to accept.At the hospital Alice doesn’t want Chris to tell anyone about Brian’s suggestion that she take over running Home Farm. Right now Alice is focused on finding out what’s going on with Martha. Chris insists there’s nothing wrong, but Alice has a list of Martha’s behaviours that could show she has Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. After seeing the paediatrician though Alice is disappointed that nothing was confirmed or denied. Chris interprets the doctor’s words as meaning there isn’t any cause for concern. It was only because Alice kept pushing that she suggested waiting until Martha is six before definitively ruling it out. Alice is shocked when Chris then reveals that he too researched the condition and prayed for Martha’s survival. But Alice has to stop, because he can’t take any more of her obsessive concern. Chris delivers some home truths about getting things in perspective and when Martha completes an impressive manoeuvre on some playground monkey bars they agree she’s doing fine.

David finds Stella taking time out from stewing over Justin’s plans for the Estate land. Stella admits she feels the whole mess is at least partly her fault. Despite David’s reassurance that things won’t turn out as badly as she thinks, Stella’s not convinced. Stella then confides how hard she finds being a parent to Rosie. David tells Stella she can always talk to him and Ruth whenever she finds things are getting on top of her, especially with Brian and Justin. He sympathises with Stella’s view that she just wants to be left to get on with farming. Whatever happens at the Board meeting on Friday, David tells Stella, she should keep her focus on that.Jolene has invited Ed, Mia and the family for a free meal at The Bull, though only Emma is with them. When Mia keeps getting messages she blurts out that she’s seeing someone at University, Jesse. But they’re not rushing into anything like moving in together. Ed and Emma are the first people in Ambridge she’s told about Jesse. But after what Amber told Mia last week, about Brad still liking her, Mia decides she has to tell Brad straight away. Then, when Jolene mentions it’s Brad’s birthday, Ed and Emma wish they’d stopped her going, but it’s too late. Emma compares Mia’s uncomplicated and carefree life with George’s, stuck in prison and planning to marry someone he barely knows. It could still all go well, Ed thinks, but Emma reckons it’s just as likely to all come crashing down.

Mia turns up at Little Grange and asks Ed to teach her the basics of filming with George’s drone for a University project she’s doing. They tread carefully around the subject of Amber, hoping she’ll be good for George, before discovering that Ed accidentally shot footage of someone setting fire to the Bull’s sign last Friday – and they can read the perpetrator’s number plate. At the Shop Joy tells Jolene they’ve got to move all the boxes of stock to Susan’s tonight. Mick, Neil and Chris will help shift the fridges and freezers, Susan adds. Helen’s storing frozen stuff at Bridge Farm, while perishables are going to charities. But they’re still really up against it. Later at The Bull, Jolene laments to Stella they have nothing to prove Markie is targeting them, when Ed and Mia turn up with their new evidence. Stella suggests to Kirsty that they go and help shift stock at the Shop. Jolene then reports the police believe Ed’s footage shows clear evidence of Markie’s involvement. It should be enough to put him and his gang back behind bars. Ed admits the recording was a lucky accident, before Mia drags him off to help at the Shop. Susan feels overwhelmed at first, what with the George and Amber business too. But then the cavalry arrives, first in the form of Akram with his car, then Kirsty and Stella, and finally Mia and Ed. Joy’s convinced all this support shows the Shop is too well loved to go under. Susan hopes she’s right

There are boxes everywhere as Joy and Susan reflect on how well sales have been going at the Shop since they restocked. Then Terry, the builder, arrives to inspect a spongy corner in the Shop flat, before he gives them the bad news: there’s dry rot in the floor above. If it’s spread into the joists it’ll mean Chris and Martha having to move out. Later, he shows Susan photographs: the rot is everywhere. It will take weeks to cut out, replace the joists and treat the affected area. If they clear the building by the end of tomorrow Terry can start work on Wednesday. Susan realises with horror this means they will have to close the shop too – and once people go elsewhere they might never come back. It’s an absolute disaster!Brian drops by at The Nest, where Alice tells him Martha’s got an appointment at the hospital on Thursday to see the paediatrician. Alice then confirms Brian’s suspicions about yesterday’s emergency family meeting without him. Brian confesses his concern over losing half the BL contract and how difficult it will be replacing that income. He’s tried reasoning with Justin, but so far Justin’s ignoring all his calls. Alice assumes that if all the Board members make the case for continued food production at Friday’s meeting that would stop Justin, but Brian reckons he might just go ahead anyway. Brian then surprises Alice, asking if she’d consider returning to farming and taking over Home Farm one day. Hesitant Alice says she’ll think about it.

Despite his relaxed appearance Akram confesses to David that he’s worried about the Ambridge versus Grey Gables team event Lynda’s asked him to come up with for the fete. Kirsty commiserates, before they all agree a tug of war would fit the bill nicely. Later, Akram tells Kirsty that Lynda loves the idea, so he’s started asking round for potential team members. But then Dane messages with a photo of the Grey Gables team he’s put together – they’re all gym regulars and look scarily good.Brian tells Adam he’s heard the Gills are selling the house at Home Farm, but he’s in no position to buy it now. Adam’s worried that Justin’s rewilding scheme stands to cost Home Farm thousands in revenue at a time when food production should be their highest priority. He urges Brian to take action, suggesting he should already have done so, thereby raising Brian’s hackles. Brian retorts that he doesn’t need Adam’s advice. Adam then calls Alice and Kate for an emergency meeting on Home Farm’s future. He feels Stella hasn’t done enough to protect their interests and Lilian won’t stop Justin either. Kate thinks Justin’s rewilding initiative is a good thing environmentally, but Adam reckons Debbie’s on his side, while Alice says Ruairi will support continued food production. Kate supposes they need to come up with a plan, especially if there’s doubt over Brian’s ability to take the farm forward. Brian then turns up and is immediately suspicious, suggesting a walk so they can tell him just what they’ve been gossiping about.

Mia collects Amber at the crack of dawn to watch the sun rise from the top of Lakey Hill. Amber happily films it, before they spot George’s drone being used by Ed to get footage for the tree surgery website. Amber and Mia share a moment talking about Mia’s mum, Nic, before Mia mentions how sorry Chelsea is for bullying Amber and how much she’s changed. Amber isn’t prepared to forgive Chelsea yet and moves the subject on to Brad, suggesting him and Mia might still have a future together. When Amber heads back to the car Chelsea approaches Mia, who admits she failed to get Amber to change her mind. But she tells Chelsea not to give up, her and Amber will be friends one day. Meanwhile, the burglar alarm goes off at The Bull. Kenton takes a hammer as he goes with Jolene to investigate. All they find is an open window in the gents with a dodgy catch. No need to bother the police, Kenton thinks, as nothing has been taken or disturbed. Jolene wants to call the police anyway, before Tortoise jumps away from the windowsill. Kenton sees the Bull’s sign is on fire. They rush to put it out, and even Kenton admits this is beyond coincidence. And that’s before Kenton finds a dog collar left under the fruit machine. It’s clearly a threat from Markie, who’s toying with them. Kenton despairs; they haven’t got a chance in hell against him.

When Neil and Tracy arrive at Number 6 they are unimpressed by the mess. Neil goes to fetch Jazzer, while Susan is shocked to discover Martyn under a blanket. As Martyn goes to get dressed, happy memories of last night start coming back. At Berrow, hungover Jazzer tests Neil’s patience, but Martyn is in a forgiving mood, hinting heavily at what he and Marlene did last night. Meanwhile, having helped clear up, Susan chastises Tracy for the state of the place, before Jazzer rings, mentioning what Martyn and Marlene got up to. Tracy moans, they’ll have to sterilise the house all over again now, but Susan reckons Tracy’s on her own with that one. When Stella apologises to Pip for missing Tracy’s party, Pip tells her she had a great time, until Toby mentioned the idea of giving Rosie a phone. Stella is just as appalled as Pip about the potential risks and having to monitor Rosie all the time. But when Pip defends Toby’s intentions, she upsets Stella in the process. Later, Pip phones Stella to clear the air, then turns up at the eco-office, explaining she’s told Toby that Rosie’s not having a phone, but they will try to make him feel more connected. Stella then tells Pip she’d prefer Rosie not to call her ‘Mum’, before adding how grateful she is for Pip’s support, because it feels like something is going to blow at next week’s Board meeting.

Jolene arrives at Tracy’s party ready to make cocktails, only to see Tracy disappear in a taxi. Jazzer, who genuinely thought Tracy was joking about not coming to the party, doesn’t know how he’ll cope once her mates start turning up.Pip and Toby, on a rare night out together, are amazed to see Martyn outside Tracy’s. Inside, Jazzer tells people Tracy’s popped upstairs, while Jolene keeps everyone lubricated. But when Jolene tells Martyn Tracy’s gone for a meal instead, Jazzer responds to Martyn’s mockery by telling him he doesn’t care – the party’s banging anyway. Martyn’s happy being young, free and single again, so Jolene packs him off to deliver a ‘French Kiss’ cocktail to Tracy’s friend, Marlene.Toby breaks the mellow mood in the mobile sauna by telling Pip he wants to reward Rosie with a phone for being so good at her birthday party this afternoon. Pip’s appalled – she’ll have to supervise Rosie twenty-four-seven just to keep her safe! Toby tries to explain, but when Martyn lets himself into the sauna, disgruntled Pip makes her exit.When Tracy returns later, she’s ready to party and Jazzer’s thrilled to have her back. Meanwhile, Toby sympathises with Jolene over Kenton’s trauma, then goes after Pip, who left a few minutes before. Catching up with Pip, Toby explains how much he misses Rosie, while Pip gets to see her all the time. Giving her a phone would enable him to become part of her life properly, not just an occasional extra add-on. Pip promises she’ll at least think about it.