My wife has been an Archers devotee since before Grace Archer died, but the recent (and current) issue surrounding the insidious domestic abuse has served to sever her ties with the show, at least for the time being.

I understand that the situation has been playing out in real time (I'm not a listener myself, this is what my wife has told me) and although the writers probably believe that adds reality and gravitas to the theme, it is the very slowness of developments that have bored my wife half to death.

I wonder if other long time listeners have been similarly affected?

Your wife must be the same age as me, I have also been a devotee since Grace died in the fire with her horse Midnight.
I hate this story line and have shown my dislike many times on here. It's a horrid thing and I feel so desperately sorry for Henry. I cannot believe any social services would allow a horrid man to get custody of a child who is not his. And not allow him contact with his Mother I know it's not real but, is this really what happens, have the producers got it right? No hope of any result until September.
Unless the ghastly Rob steps out of line and Helen breaks her silence, there is a real chance He could end up with both Children. It is a disaster for all abused Women, who will now probably say nothing for fear of getting the same treatment as Helen.
I wonder if the horrid one will offer a deal Henry for the Baby.then we would see his true colours.
Yes, answer to your question, my listening now is very sporadic.

I switched off during the actual abuse as I found it difficut to listen to.

However once the stabbing happened I knew the story would change direction, Helen would be safe (albeit in custody) and it'd be more of a fight rather than abuse.

I don't mind listening now because the narrative will be about gradually unmasking Rob and about redemption for Helen. O'Connor himself has said as much.

She's now talking about the coercive control she suffered, so hopefully this is a turning point in the whole case.

On another point - oo-er Justin! Mind you it was only a matter of time. To be honest I thought it would be Lilian who made the first move Odd coincidence that she's got a son called James Bellamy, and she's (probably) about to embark on an affair with a man who used to play James Bellamy

The way he asked her was . Nothing shocks Lilian - she guessed his question!

Anna still pulling teeth trying to get info out of Helen. Some progress anyway.

But that bastard is using Henry to get at Helen, he should be taken from Rob. When is O Connor starting the unmasking of Rob. Will it take so long this poor old crumbly will not live to hear it?

Expect more mindgames and twists & turns - the court case isn't until September.
That will be the denouement I think.
I expect Henry to be back with an acquitted Helen by Christmas.

I think I'm right in remembering that the original court order giving Rob temporary custody runs out in 5 weeks. Has my memory deluded me?

Will Helen do some bargaining? Demand of Rob that Henry be cared for at Bridge Farm in return for access to Jack?

She can't vary the court order without going back to court, but that's a thought that she could use access to Jack as a bargaining tool later on.

Think Anna was saying that if she didn't grant Rob access to see Jack it might make things worse for her. She has to play the long game here. She's scored the first few points with the baby's name and the registering of the birth!

Yes I agree. What I meant was that if the court order is reviewed (like postit asked about) it could be a bargaining point. Is Rob's custody of Henry subject to review? I can't remember.

Not for me. It can be a bit frustrating at times and one wishes they would cut to the chase. But one of the things I like about the Archers is that it plays in real (ish) time and spends most of its time dealing with the minutiea of life, making marmalade, baking cakes, growing parships etc.

Real - ish because in real life this case wouldn't come to court until next year.

Oh yes. Well spotted

I'm sure that when the original order for Henry to live with Rob was made, it was mentioned that a review would be made in 5-6 weeks. Henry really needs to get out of Rob's clutches because the poor lad is going to be used to "persuade" Helen to see things Rob's way.

It's starting to happen. Rob showed his true colours in front of the formidable Peggy, and Helen has started to open up a little about what he was like behind closed doors.

Far from being a disaster, I think it has raised the profile of emotional abuse and coercive control. It also led to over £100k being donated to a domestic abuse charity.

I think the storyline has been excellent, and the way it's done against a backdrop of "innocent" village fetes and shepherd's huts has made it even more resonant. The actors playing Rob and Helen have been superb, and if The Archers was eligible for the soap awards they should have been nominated for the best partnership award.

Lilian is just wonderful! She and Justin will be great together.

Me too.

Do you think Rob will leave Ambridge afterwards? He will have been vilified during the trial, so no-one will have any time for him, and he'll have no chance of getting custody of the children when it all comes out about what a psycho he is.

He could even be prosecuted for coercive control, and up in prison himself. That would make my day!

I like Lilian, and Justin since discovering he's played by gorgeous Simon Williams , but I really hope Lilian turns him down. That speech of his about ghastly Miranda not understanding him was a bit sleazy. I know Lilian knows the score, but she's just asking to get hurt if she becomes his mistress () Maybe she thinks Justin will leave his wife for her, because Matt did (iirc)

I've been wondering if Lillian's budding romance/affair is the cue for Matt the Monster to appear in the storyline.
Certainly Matt's deceased brother has been preying on her mind of late.

What a co-incidence about James Bellamy btw.

I want him to try and hang around pathetically for a while, refusing to give up Jack.
I want his car vandalized, and for people to pelt him with water balloons full of urine. Then properly mobbed until he's terrified and broken, and then leaves

She's more his type than the ghastly snob Miranda. She's such a snob she makes Jennifer sound positively common.


I don't think so. I think the actor playing Matt wanted to be written out as he felt they'd gone as far as they could with the character (or something like that). Mind you I wouldn't put it past the director to get someone else in with a generic voice to play him (and Matt had such a lovely distinctive voice).

I've always wondered, did Matt run off with the secretary (can't remember her name) or was it just coincidence that they both left at the same time?


I'm sure lots of us would be happy to help with that

I feel sorry for the actor though as it seems he's been getting it in the neck somewhat from sad people who can't separate fact from fiction

He did go to Russia with Brenda (?) but then came back and she went to London, I think. I don't remember any hanky panky. Feel free to correct me.

Oh no! Why do people do that?? You feel like doing a Brian Conley and saying "It's a puuuuppettt!" It's not real!

Miranda is annoying and was very condescending to Lilian. Not the done thing, darling.

Thank you.
As a father of 2 (long grown up) I didn't know that!

Some Archers fans are taking anti-Rob feeling a bit to seriously:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ob-street.html