The Archers

Writer: Sarah Hehir Director: Helen Aitken Editor: Jeremy HoweJosh Archer…. Angus Imrie Kenton Archer…. Richard Attlee Pip Archer…. Daisy Badger Lilian Bellamy…. Sunny Ormonde Vince Casey…. Tony Turner Justin Elliott….. Simon Williams Miranda Elliott…. Lucy Fleming Amber Gordon…. Olivia Bernstone Eddie Grundy…. Trevor Harrison Emma Grundy…. Emerald O’Hanrahan George Grundy…. Angus Stobie Will Grundy…. Philip Molloy Chelsea Horrobin…. Madeleine Leslay Tracy Horrobin…. Susie Ridell Joy Horville…. Jackie Lye Esme Mulligan…. Ellie Pawsey Freddie Pargetter…. Toby Lawrence

Having seen the size of the Brookfield herd yesterday, it’s dawned on Esme that she’s asking too much of the family. It’s clear Ruth can’t be at Meadow Farm every day. Esme promises that after her dad’s funeral she’ll sort it out. She admits to feeling hopelessly underskilled to deal with the urgent problem of the livestock. Pip counters that the way Esme pitched in to help with the errant heifer was impressive. Clocking Pip’s predicament over a lack of a witch costume for Rosie, Esme offers to lend her one. She has all her old dressing up stuff in the attic at Meadow Farm. There’s a poignant moment as Esme reflects on her childhood with her dad. Later she furnishes Pip with the perfect outfit for Rosie. Pip asks Esme if she’s considered staying on and continuing the farm. Esme’s not sure she loves it enough. Pip invites her along to the Lower Loxley Halloween event.Freddie updates Vince on the costume he’ll be wearing for the event. He agrees to help solve a problem with the chocolate cauldron for Elizabeth. He broaches the subject of George with Vince, but Vince is reluctant to give George any hours at the abattoir. Since Rochelle’s involvement in the siege he’s felt less trusting of those needing a second chance. Freddie breaks the news to downcast George, while Amber and Will do their best to raise his spirits. George overhears Will thanking Freddie for helping him, and declares he’s not a charity case. Freddie needn’t bother putting himself out again.

Freddie chats to a disgruntled Pip, whose plans have again been disrupted due to the ongoing needs of Meadow Farm. She hasn’t yet met Esme but admits she’s certainly making her life difficult. Freddie suggests a night at the Lower Loxley Halloween witch hat hunt might be just the break Pip needs. Pip assures him she already has her tickets. Josh reports a cow with mastitis at Meadow Farm, and Pip reckons Esme’s going to have to face the fact the cows need to be sold. Josh offers to take Rosie to choose a Halloween outfit to ease the pressure on stressed Pip. However he has to cut the trip short when Pip alerts him there’s a rogue heifer in with their cows. As they try to wrangle the heifer, Esme arrives and offers to help. Between them they soon have the heifer sorted and Josh returns her to her rightful farm. Pip thanks Esme, who had been coming in peace with wine by way of apology for her demands on Brookfield. Pip acknowledges it’s nice to finally meet her.Freddie calls in on George suggesting they go for a drink, outside the village. George accepts, and Will quietly thanks Freddie before announcing it will be his treat. Slightly embarrassed George thanks his dad. Freddie and George exchange views on prison life. Freddie offers George encouragement; his crime won’t always define him. Later Freddie calls with an offer to try and get George work at the abattoir. Amber’s delighted for George, and together they race happily down Lakey Hill.

George is helping with a tree surgery job at the rewilding. Emma’s enjoying the chance for a chat with her son. She suggests she’d like to expose Lilian’s bad attitude to the press. George points out that won’t help his cause, which Emma accepts. Will arrives with refreshments, buoying up George with praise for his efforts. George reckons until he can drive again and get proper work he’s not going to feel great – though he does admit he feels much better being outdoors. However Justin takes a dim view – he wants George off the job. Emma’s irate but George agrees to leave. Will tries to reassure him. People will forgive in time. George is starting to hate the expression ‘give it time’. He’s struggling to re-establish himself and feels Amber must be sick of having a useless fiancé that no-one likes.Miranda wants to clarify things with Lilian regarding her offer on the house at Home Farm. Justin speculates on her motives. He observes wryly she’s probably using the proceeds from their divorce. Lilian reminds him that if anyone has a right to be upset about Miranda’s potential purchase, it’s her. Over lunch Miranda assures Lilian the house will be a good investment and a beautiful home – no ulterior motive. She understands the complicated feelings it’s thrown up however. Lilian appreciates Miranda talking to her about it. She reports Miranda’s warmth back to Justin, who sneers. Brian needs to be on his guard. Irritated Lilian retorts she wishes Justin would show her a fraction of the compassion Miranda’s displayed today.

Pip’s downhearted to learn she’s on her own with the milking again, with Ruth at Meadow Farm. Pip’s trying to juggle this busier working pattern with Rosie’s half term. With Josh doing what he can with his own business to run, and suddenly finding themselves managing two farms, it’s a tricky ask. Pip wants Rosie to feel like she’s the most important thing in her life. Josh promises to talk to their parents. Pip’s grateful; Esme has to realise this can’t go on.There’s an awkward moment for Tracy at the Bull as Kenton’s eager to see their award trophy. She offers to display it on a high shelf out of harm’s way. Kenton would like a better look at it, but Tracy’s adamant it’s in the perfect place.Eddie’s on a mission to sell his turkeys. He persuades Joy to order one before approaching the Bull with his flyers. Tracy wonders if people will want to buy from a Grundy. Kenton points out that George’s imprisonment didn’t affect sales last year, but Tracy reckons it could be different now George is out and visible again. Eddie’s festive enthusiasm has got Joy wondering about Christmas, and what special village event there might be in the absence of a Lynda Snell production this year. Josh is inspired when she says it needs to be something simple, that she can organise herself. He offers to share an idea he’s heard about via Young Farmers.

With George in bed most of the day, Emma worries to Will about his state of mind. They agree he needs a purpose – low mood is common after leaving prison. Will remarks that Amber perks him up, though George is unhappy she’s paying for everything. Emma thinks being barred from the Bull hasn’t helped. She heads off to appeal to Lilian as one mother to another, but finds little sympathy there. Lilian maintains that George has been rude and unpleasant. Emma accuses her of being a hypocrite, taking pleasure in making George an outcast. Lilian insists the Bull isn’t responsible for George’s rehabilitation. Tracy tries to soothe upset Emma, stating Lilian’s only trying to protect Alice. But Emma remains worried about George’s future. She begs Tracy to try and persuade Lilian to think again, but Tracy insists she can’t. Emma snaps that she thought family meant as much to Tracy as it does to her. Emma reports back to Will. Will reckons if George’s support worker can’t be of more help, they need to do it themselves. He suggests George might help with the tree surgery, and broaches it with him. George reluctantly agrees; what choice does he have?Lilian and Tracy enjoy the ceremony as they collect their award for South Borsetshire Best Local Pub. Lilian’s impressed with Tracy’s speech, and in return gives her a masterclass in schmoozing. They return home worse for wear, and accidentally damage the trophy. Struggling to repair it, Lilian thinks their only option is to confess they broke the Bull’s prize prize!

While Josh is milking the cows at Meadow Farm he tells Ruth he’s spotted another case of mastitis, so they really need Alistair. Later, Ruth confirms Alistair’s coming and Josh offers to wait for him there – he reckons that Esme might need some company. They talk about music for the funeral and Josh helps Esme decide what might be best. Then Esme suggests inviting the Archers to be guests of honour there and wonders whether the song “Bring Me Sunshine” should be played at the end. This inspires the thought that her dad’s computer password might be Eric Morecambe – and it works! Esme quickly finds the Will, acknowledging she’ll have to start making decisions now. Brian finds unhappy Alice at the Stables. She berates Brian for screwing things up over Home Farm. Brian chastises himself for ruining Alice’s birthday, asking her to celebrate Adam and Ruairi taking over. Brian’s excuse is that no-one had actually committed to running the farm, though Alice reckons Brian should have known it’s what Adam has always wanted, especially after he gave up working at Bridge Farm. Alice then tells him that she’s fine with the idea of Brian and Miranda moving into Home Farm together. Ruairi calls and they both tell him it’s a “no” to the holiday in three weeks’ time. When Ruairi turns up for supper later though he informs them he’s gone ahead and booked the holiday anyway, even though some people won’t be able to go. Brian’s unhappy and Alice explodes at Ruairi for being unbelievably selfish.

Tracy badgers Oliver into meeting her for lunch at The Bull. But when he gets there Oliver finds that Carly, one of his foster children, is joining him instead. Carly praises Oliver and Caroline for turning her life around, before filling Oliver in on her life since they last met. She mentions two other foster children, before spilling the beans about the original plan for a party. Carly apologises to Tracy, but Oliver thinks his birthday surprise has worked out perfectly. Adam and Ruairi give Brian a cool reception when he walks into the Eco Office, back from his holiday. Adam is particularly scathing about Ruairi’s lack of experience regarding the management succession issue, while his own impressive qualities have been overlooked. Ruairi objects to this, while Brian claims he was simply trying to cover all bases and make the best decision over who will end up in charge at Home Farm. Adam points out he gave up his job to rescue Brian when he was in crisis, before adding bitterly that he’s never been Brian’s kind of farmer. Ruairi switches subject to the holiday – he needs a decision from Brian by tomorrow. Adam is still against it and says Alice is too. At which point Brian decides he needs to call Alice, but doesn’t get an answer. Later, Brian tells Ruairi that Miranda’s put in an offer for the house at Home Farm. The plan is that he’d move in with her and Ruairi, if that’s what Ruairi wants. But honestly, Ruairi can’t answer that right now.

Adam and Ruairi discuss Brian’s imminent return, before Ruairi breaks off with news about the castle he sourced for Peggy’s legacy holiday: there’s a huge discount if they bring forward their booking to three-and-a-half weeks’ time. Adam’s clear, he’s not taking Xander out of school and he’s pretty sure others will feel the same way. Kate though is all for it when she phones Alice, only for Alice to rebuff her as Adam predicted. Kate then reminds Alice she’s coming to dinner tonight, with Adam and Ruairi. At dinner Ruairi’s bullish about the holiday going ahead, before bringing up Brian’s promises to him and Alice. Kate assumed Adam and Ruairi were in charge now, with Alice admitting her disappointment about that. Adam regards Ruairi as just an apprentice, while Kate wants to be considered for a management role too, believing Brian should talk to all of them. Join the back of the queue, Adam suggests.Esme tells David she still hasn’t cracked her dad’s computer, and without a Will she’s struggling to make progress. David thinks one of the cows needs a vet, suggesting Alistair could do it as a favour. At least Esme’s cleaned the kitchen and organised her father’s papers, though. To David’s surprise Esme praises Josh for being nice the other day, when she was upset. She then suggests solving her financial problems by selling the cows to David, but he lets her down gently. Esme still doesn’t know how she’ll pay for the funeral, suggesting bleakly that it feels like she’s on a boat that’s sinking.

Lying in bed with Amber, George complains that she’s always on her phone. Amber defends herself, that’s how influencing works, but suggests taking George for a drink in Felpersham. George doesn’t want her driving him everywhere though, paying for everything. He thinks they should move away from Ambridge and start afresh. Amber isn’t keen, pointing out that living rent-free with George’s dad is a big reason to stay, comparing Will favourably to her own father. George is luckier than he thinks he is. But when George sees Tracy later he reckons being barred from The Bull is cruel and unnecessary. Tracy corrects him: what he did to Alice was cruel and unnecessary. At the Stables Alice is distracted, still thinking about the conversation yesterday with Ruairi and Adam. Lilian’s surprised to hear she’s interested in managing Home Farm. She’d expected Alice to take over at the Stables one day. However, Alice is more concerned about Brian’s promises which don’t mean anything. Oliver turns up for a ride, explaining his reason for the last-minute trip to see his daughter. He was inspired by Tracy’s suggestion to celebrate his birthday. Estranged from his two other children Oliver envies how close Brian is to his offspring, especially Alice. Alice suggests wryly that after all the mistakes Brian’s made he’s lucky his children still talk to him. Later, at The Bull, Lilian suggests to Alice that Brian’s duplicity should come as no surprise and Alice has to agree. Lilian continues that Brian will always do what serves him best.