Archers Addicts 2

I'm amazed Rob has given Helen access to his phone. As well as Jess's number he may have also added the boarding school?

I had a feeling she was being set up.

Poor Henry

For each step forward it seems like one in an even nastier direction. Kirsty is being such a good friend. Helen could well be strengthened by Rob taking it out on Henry - I think you are right Luckygirl, about her ringing Jess.

Helen is going to use the search on Rob's phone for the pharmacy number to find Jess's number and ring her as advised by Kirsty.

Oh I could not listen tonight, to poor little Henry , made to throw his chocolate AND his cuddly in the bin, crying upstairs and Rob telling Helen to "sit down" like a naughty Labrador. I become apoplectic at the idea of any man coming between a mother and her child.
Now he is going to force her to take the anti-depressants too?
I may have to listen from behind the sofa.

Oh dear. The scriptwriting and acting are too good. I have the same knots in my stomach as when I experienced similar behaviour to Rob's.
Deep breathing and 'it is not real'.
Plus a bag to the Refuge charity shop tomorrow.

I'm still missing Tiger!

Thanks nellie, I do not listen every day, on at 15.00 here which is when DGS is collected from school DD and take turns. Radio off in the evenings.
I was confused that an adoption would go ahead so quickly.

I find the story line uncomfortable but glad to hear such a subject tackled.

We seem to have lost so many lovely characters of late.....I know this has been noted before but where is Nik, Haley,Alice, Chris, all with great story potential.? Kate has been brought back with little or no purpose from South Africa

More Fallon please, less.Linda. Let's have a giggle. I loved the scenes between Susan and. Jennifer when they became family. When will Caroline come back from her break in Italy to find the ferrets? Keep Rob and Helen bubbling but let's not loose the plot too much.

They've had lots of controversial stories in the Archers before haven't they? gay relationships, the vicar marrying a Hindu, his daughter having a fling with a married man, babies out of wedlock etc etc I guess this one is different as it has been ongoing for what seems like ages. They do have lots of concurrent storylines though don't they? Linda Snell and the village hall, the flood and aftermath, now the missing money, David and Ruth, the Fairbrothers (yawn ) etc.

I am still worried about Helen. Rob has appeared to accept her change of mind re the birth but he will be scheming ... and Pat is going to feel so bad when she knows. I agree though merlotgran - a bit more of the lighter stories or even just catching up with everyone else would help but that would, I suppose, mean this story would go on for longer

Does anyone remember the Jennifer pregnant out of wedlock when the Abortion Bill was going though parliament? I vaguely do but I don't think I listened so constantly then.

Obviously in real life, domestic abuse can go on for decades but in TV/Radio soapland we have attention spans that can be seriously challenged.

I love the Home Farm lot and wish I was spending more time in Jennifer's kitchen listening to Brian moaning about Kate's yurts and Lillian raiding the drinks cabinet.

What's happened to Phoebe and how is Roy getting on with Kirsty?

Oh and please can Pip stay in Cumbria......for ever??

I just wish they would get on with the story-it's been dragging on for so long now. It's time that Rob got his come uppance and everyone saw him for what he is, a nasty controlling bully before he ruins that poor young boy's life.
Look I KNOW it's only fiction. . . . . .

Felice Rob has not adopted Henry but because he married Helen he automatically gained parental responsibility (PR).

Rob started to look at going for an adoption order but when Rob himself discovered all the background checks and interviews that would be needed he decided quite abruptly that he would go for the parental responsibilty option.
In making the PR option there was some distinct hint of Rob not wanting to have to go through a full adoption assessment.

Dr Richard Locke a one time Ambridge GP who recently returned to live in Ambridge also commented that he had net Rob somewhere else. I suspect there are some stories still to be revealed there.

You are prob right Merlot. I just dislike Peggy.

Just a hought but i wondered why Rob was so quick to adopt Henry, probably getting carried away but as he was born by artificial insemmination could there be an even darker side.
Rob does sound like the type of man who would want to 'spread it around'.

If he could show Helen as being unstable and an unfit Mother then he could take the baby and Henry.

And Peggy doesn't know that Henry has any tension to deal with at home so she might be a crabby old thing at times but I don't blame her for thinking Henry is being babied.

Henry was being a bit of a bully at nursery school when the Helen/Rob relationship was all sweetness and light. It's only recently he's been caught up in the tension.

merlot I think it is understandable that Henry's behaviour can be "wimpy" and also aggressive at times. It would be odd if a child did not react to such a fraught home situation and his mother's distress, by regressive behaviour. I think he needs more understanding, not Peggy putting oar in.......but she and Pat think Rob is superman.........and I am no psychologist and this is only a storyline.

Your post made me Alea in a 'been there, done that' kind of way.
I wouldn't be able to replace the iron so quickly though.

I have caught up with WH on iPlayer and there was definitely a hint that the Helen and Rob story still has some way to go but I do hope they bring this part of it to a swift end.

There is still plenty of mileage for the SWs....Will Helen bond with the baby, will she suffer from PND? Will a restraining order be slapped on Rob? Will his parents interfere? How long will it take for Helen and Pat to resume their relationship? How will it all affect Henry?

I just want Rob GONE!!

I settled in to do the ironing while I listened to WH and the interviews with "Helen" and the SW/ editor (?) of the Archers.
Plugged the iron in and off went the radio, Hoover upstairs (cleaner here) and everything else except the lights.
One of the advantages of where we live, was that I could be in John Lewis 15 minutes later, with 20 minutes free "Click and collect" parking right outside the relevant door, 10-15 minutes to choose and buy an iron and I was home again, total time away, 45 minutes!!
Alas, WH had finished, but I at least got part of the serial in the car.
Did I get the right impression that this story still has a way to go?

Amazing how they don't get the message if you have your earphones on! I am the only Archers Addict in our house and have been listening since I was young. Love it.

I'm looking forward to listening later with a cuppa.

Bit busy this morning and i won't get a minute's peace once DH sees me with headphones clamped to my ears.

It is worth listening to woman's hour today as they have interviewed ' Helen' and the writer. A lot of explanations given i.e. 're Pat. The charity has raised£80,000 so far which is amazing. No promises of a fast conclusion sadly.

I noted Helen's non reply when Henry asked about "and daddy? I am glad someone mentioned about the womans hour talk I had not remembered.

The possible repercussions from Rob on Helen after she leaves him could go on for ages. He could start being really awkward about access to the children and serious harrassing her.
Statistically she is in more danger from Rob now than she was before.

Actually, I thought Peggy had a point - not about the cuddly toy but Henry would have been introduced to piglets from a very early age. Before Rob put Helen under house arrest he spent a lot of time with Pat, Tony and Tom.

He's always been a wimpy child at home but a right little thug at school and nursery school before that.

The SWs need to allow him to grow up and start acting and sounding like a normal five year old.