30/04/2024

A familiar face returns to Ambridge, and Jolene offers a shoulder to cry on.

Paul fills Alistair in on how poorly Denise is doing. When Paul mentions that Denise’s main aim is to get well enough to sit downstairs to watch TV with John, Alistair blurts out that it sounds ‘cosy’. Paul attempts to chase up the paperwork up for the callout that Alistair and Denise supposedly attended on the night of the crash. When Paul’s insistent, Jakob notices Alistair’s unease and makes an excuse to call Paul away. But Later, Jakob tells Alistair that he needs to sort it all out – he’s finding the whole situation infuriating.Jakob catches up with Adam, commenting that Brian and Kate are still barely speaking to each other. Jakob wishes he’d handled it differently when he discovered Alice’s drinking. Adam’s supportive; Jakob did what he thought was best at the time. Adam’s not sure whether Alice wants to stop drinking, although she’s agreed not to drink at Honeysuckle. But when Adam pops home, he can tell Alice has had a drink. When Adam suggests that Alice rings her detox buddy Lisa, she reluctantly agrees. But later Alice tells Lisa that she’s only ringing because Adam told her to. She doesn’t want to get back on track, because it’s too late for her. She was so drunk that she smashed into a car full of friends that plunged into the Am, and she doesn’t remember any of it. She tells Lisa she no longer wants her to be her buddy. Afterwards when Adam asks how it went Alice says she’s an alcoholic and no-one can change that – she’s done.

Pip and Kirsty check up on Rex’s boat while he’s away and notice a bit of damage, maybe caused by debris from the crash. Pip’s going to fix it to make up for not being able to look after Rex’s pigs next week. Kirsty offers to give Pip a hand and they chat about Roy, who seems to be spending a massive amount of time video calling Lexi, even though he insists they’re just good friends.At The Tearoom, Chelsea notices that Fallon looks under the weather. Fallon admits she didn’t sleep well. Kirsty turns up and takes Fallon to one side to let her know she’s there for Fallon after the accident and miscarriage, but Fallon says all she wants to do right now is work and sleep. Kirsty advises her not to overdo it; Fallon’s been through a lot physically and emotionally. When Kirsty brings up Wren, Fallon says that her experience is different, because Kirsty really wanted a baby, but Fallon didn’t. However, Harrison’s heartbroken and now everyone knows about the miscarriage which is the last thing Fallon wanted. She can barely look Harrison in the face. Kirsty suggests catching up later, but Fallon’s keen to get on. Chelsea’s understanding – she knows what it’s like when everyone knows your business.Alice can’t face going to work at The Stables - she thinks everyone hates her and doesn’t blame them. She got so drunk she doesn’t even remember driving. Worried Adam suggests that Alice stays at Honeysuckle Cottage but stipulates that it’s Xander’s home and Alice mustn’t drink there.

Chelsea, Freddie and Paul prepare the food for today’s cricket match against Farndale. They’re short on players, so Paul and Chelsea have been roped in and Tracy’s trying to convince George to take part. They wonder if team captain Harrison will turn up after Fallon’s miscarriage last week and later Tracy confirms that Harrison’s not coming. George agrees to think about playing when Tracy points out that Tilly Button will be there. George is fed up with everyone wanting to talk to him about his ‘heroic’ river rescue but Tracy counters that’s because everyone, including her, is proud of George. But Tracy thinks Alice should be locked up for drunk driving and causing the accident. Paul agrees - because of Alice, six people could have drowned in the Am, including his mum, Denise. She’s still sick from her part in the River Am rescue.At the last minute everyone’s delighted when George turns up at the cricket ground, calling him a hero, but George is having none of it. Paul comments that Denise and Alistair feel the same as George and won’t hear a word of praise. George has a storming game but in the end Ambridge lose the match. In The Bull afterwards Tracy praises the team, and they raise their glasses! But George is subdued and when he learns about Fallon’s miscarriage, he feels sick and heads to the toilet. Chelsea wonders what’s wrong and asks if it’s because of what happened to Fallon. When George worries their baby died because of him, Chelsea puts him straight saying it absolutely wasn’t his fault.

Kate and Jakob bring Brian and Alice some shopping, but Brian isn’t pleased to see Jakob. Brian argues with Kate, accusing her of trying to tell him what’s good for Alice. Kate counters, furiously, that his spoiling Alice is why they are in this situation. She adds that Brian’s ill-judged words about Jennifer are what drove Alice to drink that day. Then Jakob points out Alice left while they were rowing. Wearily, Kate asks if she heard, and Jakob says it’s unlikely she didn’t. Kate says it’s time to stop treating Alice with kid gloves. All three leave to try and find her. Fallon offers Harrison a cuppa as he sorts out his toolbox. The miscarriage is happening. She declines his offer of painkillers or hot water bottle and definitely doesn’t want anyone to know about the pregnancy. He wants to talk about it, but she doesn’t. She promises they will talk but not right now. He wants to go for a walk to clear his head. Alice turns up and Fallon invites her in. She forcefully tells Alice that she is shaken but still alive and she wants something from her – Alice has to get back to being a mum to Martha and a friend. She has to get back on her feet – if she does that she is forgiven. Harrison returns and erupts with fury, turning on Fallon for refusing to talk to him but having time to chat to her friend. He throws Alice out – shouting at her in the street that Fallon was pregnant and now she’s not: ‘Are you Sorry for that?’

Alistair, Mick and Jazzer are having a pint when Paul joins them. He says Denise has a bug she picked up from the river Am. When Mick takes Paul to the bar, Jazzer points out it wasn’t a coincidence that Alistair and Denise were together that night. He commiserates when Alistair says they didn’t make it to the hotel. Mick confides he’s experiencing flashbacks and that George seems overwhelmed too. Paul queries the ‘late call out’ Denise said they were on when they spotted the crash. Mick comes to the rescue with a story about an injured sheep. Alistair, grateful for the intervention, embroiders it. But Paul won’t let it go, despite assurances that it’ll be dealt with at HQ. When Paul goes to get another round, Mick promises Alistair mum’s the word.Chris and Alice are watching Martha in the playground. Adam gave Alice a lift with several bags so she could avoid being seen at Chris’s place – the rumour mill has already started. Alice insists Martha must stay with him for the foreseeable future: she can’t deal with her drinking and looking after Martha. Later Chris suggests they all go and get dinner together, but Alice just wants to leave, without even saying goodbye to her daughter. She’s resigned herself to ending up in prison after emptying the vodka, and even fruit cider, bottles found in her car. Three people ended up in the Am and Fallon nearly died. Later, Chris tells Jazzer the situation doesn’t fit with the Alice he knows - but it’s like she’s already given up.

Will is sticking sequins to Poppy’s party T-shirt as George teases him about his handiwork. Will tells him rice has failed to revive his waterlogged phone. He complains about the messages backed up on his voicemail - panic-stricken, George remembers that Will has the message he left when he found Alice. Mick arrives with thank-you goodies and, as Will goes to answer the door, George tries frantically to access Will’s voicemail. Tense after failing do so and embarrassed by their praise, George rushes off to his room. Mick says Alice deserves what’s coming to her. George returns, still out of sorts, apologising and saying the situation is a bit full on. He persuades Will to leave his phone when he has to dash out. With a sigh of relief, George deletes the voicemail he left.The atmosphere is awkward between Fallon and Harrison and she becomes frosty when he mentions ‘her condition’. They are interrupted by Alan who is collecting items for charity. Fallon is eager to send Harrison over with donations. Later, at the church, Harrison spots a tiny babygrow and can’t resist telling Alan that Fallon is pregnant. He has been given a double miracle – she survived the crash and he’s going to be a dad. At the hospital, however, he is devastated when the scan shows the foetus has no heartbeat: Fallon will miscarry naturally once her coil is removed. She asks if the accident is responsible. The doctor says it’s difficult to say for sure. But Harrison is adamant it cost them their baby.

Brian, Adam and Kate are at the police station – they want to get Alice through this with the least possible trauma. She was arrested as soon as the doctor said she was well enough. Brian is kicking himself about his harsh words to Alice. But Kate thinks people have every right to be furious with her. For now Alice is free to go, while her blood alcohol is being tested. During the drive home she wants to go to the hospital to find out how the others are. Kate is derisive – if the shoe were on the other foot, they wouldn’t want ‘the offender’ visiting. Alice struggles to remember what happened – she recalls George but little else. When they get home Alice tells Brian it’s not the first time she has parked up and got drunk but she’s never driven drunk before. After putting her to bed, Brian tells Kate and Adam they have to do something – he doesn’t know how Alice will get out of this mess. Fallon is impatient to leave the hospital with Harrison. Mick arrives, unscathed apart from a sprained wrist although Joy has a broken collar bone. They’ve all had a lucky escape - they all agree George is one brave kid. The doctor arrives and gives Fallon the all clear to leave, but first wants a word with Fallon and Harrison in private. He tells them one of the hospital’s routine tests has come back positive – Fallon is pregnant. She’s shocked - she has a coil and they’ve been careful. She must return for an ultrasound tomorrow.

Alistair and Denise are driving to a hotel after an enjoyable dinner together. Nervous, they chat about the evening to come. They screech to a halt as Alistair spots headlights in the water – a car has gone off the bridge into the Am. George, frantic, is on the scene. They hear Mick shouting and George helps Denise pull him out of the water, Alistair goes to help Joy. He and George drag her to the shore but she’s unconscious having hit her head. To their relief she’s breathing and has a pulse. But then Mick tries to wade back in – Fallon is still in the car. Desperate, she screams for help, trapped as it fills up with water. George dives in again and Denise tries to follow. Alistair begs her not to even as Fallon reaches the surface. The back door was jammed on rocks on the river bed so George got her out of the driver’s side. Shortly afterward he makes it back to the surface too. They’re all alive! Denise praises George and Fallon thanks him.Then he hears sirens and dashes off. Alistair goes after George. Meanwhile he is busy shifting Alice into the driver’s seat of her car. He apologises to her but what else can he do? When Alistair arrives George tells him she has necked a whole bottle of vodka. Alistair remembers bitterly that he saw her buy it at the shop earlier that evening. As the emergency services arrive to speak to George, Alistair is distraught. Thumping the car he says: ‘Oh Alice, what have you done?'

Brian gives painkillers to a groggy Alice. She is hungover but claims she’s ill. She denies drinking but Brian tells her lying is not going to help. Chris arrives – Alice forgot to pick up Martha. Chris guesses she has been drinking and Alice storms off so Brian fills him in. She returns, furious. Chris reassures her she can see Martha as long as she’s sober. But all she hears is the threat of losing access. Brian says Jennifer would be so ashamed of her and, hurt by his words, Alice walks out.George is at the shop looking for drinks for a party. He can’t afford much and Joy tells him fruit cider is on offer. In the end he has to settle for it. Alistair pops in and says he’s having a quiet night in and Joy mentions Denise bought an expensive bottle of sparkling wine for a night with friends. Alice arrives and despite Joy telling her the shop is closed insists on getting a few things. She picks up snacks, demands some vodka, pays and rushes out. Joy says she shouldn’t have sold her the drink but Alistair says Alice is an adult. Later George is on the way home from the party when he comes across Alice slumped, drunk in her car. He leaves a voice mail for Will saying he’s going to drive Aunty Alice home. En route she feels sick and starts trying to open the door. Distracted, George swerves and hits an oncoming car which crashes into the river.