The Archers

Eddie is in good mood. He has borrowed the fortune telling booth from the Ambridge fete. He is giving it a coat of paint and tells Will he is working on the next stage of The Bartleby Experience. He plans to charge people for a special message from Bartleby. Will is concerned how George will react. Later George turns up and tells Eddie he wants the sign he has put up removed. When Eddie tells him about the booth, George says they are wrecking a social media sensation. He storms off, shouting that the sign and the booth must go. Later, as George threatens to take a hammer to the booth, Eddie tells him visitors paid £30 a time for messages from Bartleby. Will plays peacemaker, insisting that Eddie must split the cash and that George must use his share of the windfall to do something good - like taking his mother out for a meal. Alice bumps into Jakob at the shop while he’s buying ingredients for a meal Kate is cooking this evening for Miranda and Brian. He’s not looking forward to it and persuades Alice to come

Denise is teasing Alistair about his dancing and as they work they get distracted talking about what might have happened in the church hall if they hadn’t been disturbed by Joy and Azra. Far from being uncomfortable, Denise thinks they should just choose a better time and place. They chat about Bartleby – Jakob is considering having a word with the Grundys because all the extra attention can’t be doing Bartleby any good. Alistair asks Denise if she has plans for this evening – he has Greenacres to himself. Denise is keen, she just needs an excuse to tell John. Later after a takeaway meal, and tucking into a second bottle of Jim’s fine wine, Alistair suggests they move somewhere more comfortable. But Denise doesn’t think Jim’s house has the right vibe and proposes they book a hotel room where they can really relax. Alistair misunderstands, saying they should call a taxi because he’s had too much to drink. But Denise explains she means they should make a booking at the weekend - John is away on Sunday night.Jak

Alistair is clipping Monty’s claws as he and Robert agree what an asset Denise is to the vet’s practice. They chat about Sunday’s cricket win over Darrington and Linda’s worry that she might not get enough volunteers to prepare the teas for the T20 match during May Bank Holiday weekend. Jim arrives with Alistair’s forgotten packed lunch. They agree to meet for a drink later at The Bull. Robert remarks how happy Alistair seems these days and says he might adopt a similar approach to working with Lynda. Instead of getting annoyed, he’s going to focus on him and Lynda being a team. Later at The Bull, Jim offers to help Robert with his ancient mystery puzzle and they agree to make a night of it. Alistair joins them and, while Robert is at the bar, Jim says he will be spending the night at Ambridge Hall and Alistair should take the opportunity to spend some time alone with Denise. George is not happy about Eddie’s sign advertising Bartleby The Talking Horse. Eddie thinks they’re on to a financial winner if they c

Alice is groggy when Jakob - hammering on the door - finally manages to rouse her. She needs to call the nursery as she forgot to tell them Kate would be picking Martha up. Alice is defensive when Jakob tells her Kate thought something terrible had happened when she didn’t answer her phone after calling in sick. Jakob’s suspicions grow when he notices Alice’s phone is under the coffee table, where its ringing should have woken her – then, as he’s about to leave, he notices a poorly-hidden empty wine bottle. Alice tries to talk her way out of it but he says he’ll have to tell Kate. Alice promises it’s a one-off and says she’ll call her sponsor, Lisa, if he’ll keep her secret. She says she can’t risk Martha being taken away from her. Reluctantly, Jakob agrees.Chelsea is being trained by Emma at the Tea Room, although her experience at The Orangery has Chelsea overflowing with confidence. Robert comes in for a cup of tea and she is soon trying to persuade him to buy cake as well – her overselling of the various

There’s a surprise for Emma and Azra finds herself embraced into village life

In April 2016 Helen Archer was arrested for stabbing her husband Rob Titchener during a row. One of the most closely followed trials in British radio drama history saw calls to domestic abuse helplines increase by 17%. This bonus catch-up edition charts the romance and the emerging coercive control, including Rob’s physical abuse of Helen, through to Helen taking her life in her own hands and stabbing Rob, and the insidious impact of Rob’s return on the family at Bridge Farm. If you are suffering domestic abuse or violence, a list of organisations that can provide help and support in the UK is available at bbc.co.uk/actionline Helen Archer ….. Louiza Patikas Rob Titchener ….. Timothy Watson Kirsty Miller ….. Annabelle Dowler Tony Archer ….. David Troughton Pat Archer ….. Patricia Gallimore Tom Archer ..... William Troughton Johnny Phillips ….. Tom Gibbons Anna Tregorran ….. Isobel Middleton Lee Bryce ….. Ryan Early Jury foreman ….. Nigel Havers Narrator: Annabelle Dowler Written and produced by Mel Ward T

Join Jill in the kitchen at Brookfield as she makes a batch of her much loved mince pies