The Archers

There’s drama on the cricket pitch and a surprise is sprung on Azra.

Writer: Naylah Ahmed Director: Pip Swallow Editor: Jeremy Howe Ben Archer…. Ben Norris David Archer…. Timothy Bentinck Helen Archer…. Louiza Patikas Henry Archer…. Blayke Darby Jolene Archer…. Buffy Davies Kenton Archer…. Richard Attlee Natasha Archer…. Mali Harries Pat Archer…. Patricia Gallimore Tom Archer…. William Troughton Leonard Berry…. Paul Copley Rex Fairbrother…. Nick Barber Chelsea Horrobin…. Madeleine Leslay Joy Horville…. Jackie Lye Rochelle Horville…. Rosie Stancliffe Zainab Malik…. Priyasasha Kumari Jazzer McCreary…. Ryan Kelly Freddie Pargetter…. Toby Laurence Lily Pargetter…. Katie Redford Saskia…. Alison Belbin

Ben gives David a hand on the yard, appreciating the screen break. David jokes that Ben’s NHS work is to give him a break from the family farm. Ben observes his Dad can’t resist another dig over his views on inheritance tax. Joy asks if anyone from Brookfield’s available to help to check out the routes up Lakey Hill ready for the VE Day beacon lighting. Unsuspecting Leonard appears in the nick of time. He’s happy to help. He and Joy agree to meet tomorrow. David and Ben agree something needs to be done about dog walkers not picking up after their pets, risking neospora affecting livestock. David tells Ben he’s having some signs made to put up around Brookfield. Ben remarks on the hard hitting nature of the image but David maintains it needs to be impactful to get the message across. Helen’s car’s in dock and she gets a taxi ride with Rex to collect it. She spots he seems a bit down. Rex admits that he doesn’t know what to do about a woman who’s blowing hot and cold with him. Over coffee Helen advocates action over standing still – there’s nothing brave in that. Rex confides he always puts his everything into a relationship. What if he keeps choosing the wrong person? He refers back to Pip. Helen reckons he’s just still waiting for the right one. Can’t he tell this woman how he feels? Sometimes it’s better to just know. The right person will recognise the good person he is. What’s the worst that can happen?

There’s a thaw between Joy and Rochelle as they make the baked cauliflower postponed from last night. Joy suggests tentatively that she has some money set aside to help Rochelle get her own place. Wrongfooted Rochelle’s unsure. Joy presses on. It would be somewhere to bring the kids and have friends – like the one she met in the café the other day. Rochelle won’t be drawn. Instead she accuses her mum of wanting to reinvent her from head to toe. Rochelle feels judged. Joy insists she’s just trying to improve Rochelle’s lot – she’s not always thinking the worst of her. She knows Rochelle likes Ambridge, and just wants to help her stay around. Rochelle insists that’s not going to happen any time soon. She knows Joy and Mick want their space, and besides she’ll soon be back with her own family. Helen’s taken delivery of Tom and Natasha’s new sofas. Henry agrees to polish the hall floor. However he overdoes it and Natasha and Tom slip and slide. They see the funny side but it’s not the welcome Helen wanted to give them. Natasha accepts Helen’s gift of a vase, before declaring the sofas are in the wrong place. Helen apologises but Natasha backtracks – she’s grateful Helen was around when they arrived. Later Natasha wonders to Tom if she was a bit rude. This was after all Helen’s domain, so it must be a bit strange for her. She wonders if it’s too late to get out of the living arrangements. Tom confirms it is. Onwards and upwards.

Joy calls in to see Helen at the Beechwood house and helps with finishing off the packing and cleaning. Joy declares she’ll miss Helen even though she and the boys will be around a while longer. Helen assures her they’ll still visit one another. She presents Joy with an attractive gift, which Joy loves. She invites Helen to dinner; Rochelle’s cooking. Helen mentions her sighting of Rochelle with a friend at the cafe yesterday, but her description doesn’t ring a bell with Joy. Under mounting pressure from Saskia, Rochelle tries again with Freddie to request some training in an area of work that would increase her access permissions. It’s another no from Freddie, but as consolation he offers for her to join him on the Academy tour on Thursday. Rochelle tells Saskia later that this is real progress; she’s getting closer and Freddie’s definitely clocked she really wants to shadow more of what goes on. Saskia’s pleased but wants Rochelle to talk her through the layout of the building tonight. You never know how soon the opportunity to act will arise – they need to be ready. She appreciates Rochelle’s tricky position staying at her mum’s, but she needs to stay focussed on what they’re doing and why. Rochelle assures Saskia she’s in. She informs crestfallen Joy she can’t make dinner after all – but they have the ingredients so they can do it themselves. Joy doesn’t fancy it. Helen’s understanding; they can go to the Bull. When Joy insists on making her something, Helen requests Joy’s excellent fishfinger sandwiches.