The Archers

Brookfield’s guest continues to stir the pot, and Ruairi steps up.

At Berrow, Hannah concedes Ruairi’s doing better than she expected. She’s still not convinced he’ll stay the course though, but Ruairi’s enthusiasm is very persuasive. Ruairi goes with Neil to the outdoor unit, where Neil invites him to a meeting with a feed representative before suggesting a more challenging task for Ruairi to get involved with. Later, Neil tells Ruairi they’ve been sufficiently impressed to want to continue his training. He’ll have to take an online welfare handling course, but can then start looking at stockperson training to further his career.
In their search for the missing watch Rex and Alice split the list of pubs in Felpersham where it could have been handed in. Alice reassures Rex she’ll be fine going into bars on her own, but when they meet up later they’ve both drawn a blank. They go into the last pub together, the Brewhouse, where the manager tells them she’s kept the watch in her safe. Alice can’t believe the owner was so negligent, leaving it in a toilet, but at least Rex’s problems should be over. Rex offers to share any reward, before they discover they’re both going to the Bull’s Pancake Day celebration.
At The Bull later Ruairi tells Neil not to book him on stockperson training as he’s not sure how long he’ll be staying at Berrow. Rex arrives, followed by Alice, who suggests going for a drink at the Brewhouse one night. Misunderstanding Alice’s intention Rex suggests Ruairi could come along too, with Paul and some others. Covering, Alice agrees that sounds wonderful.

Akram is delighted to be gifted a packet of seeds by birthday boy Tony, who explains he’s giving the same to everyone in the village, rather than receiving presents he doesn’t need. Tom hopes it will encourage some guerilla gardening, before sending Akram off to work in the packing shed. Later, Tom finds Akram trialling a new system for packing the veg boxes, but it ends up taking far longer than the usual system. Akram apologises, then admits he’d much prefer doing outdoor work, including all the muckiest jobs.
Stella suggests Pip is distracting herself with work to stop thinking about the rift with Josh over the inheritance. Pip admits it’s preying on her mind, before Stella changes subject to Ruairi starting at Berrow, comparing Brian’s rash decision-making to her current boss’s calmer approach. Stella’s looking forward to her brother Zach arriving in the run-up to Friday’s engagement party. Later, Pip is impressed when she finds Zach already installed at the Bungalow, having brought champagne, crisps and other treats, claiming they’re to ease Stella’s burden and celebrate Pip’s birthday. Zach teases Stella with an embarrassing memory, before Tony arrives with his gift of seeds, accepting a glass of champagne in return. When Pip and Rosie go home later, Zach punctures the sense of bonhomie by suggesting Stella might be settling for less than she should in backwater Ambridge, where everyone’s related to each other. Stella gets defensive and Zach backs down, saying he's happy for her, so long as she’s thought through the consequences.

At the Rewilding, Alice is impressed by how the beavers have already reduced the risk of flooding downstream on the Am. Alice takes photographs for Phoebe before circuitously asking Rex if he did anything for Valentine’s Day. Rex, though, is worried about his taxi licence renewal after a drunken fare made a complaint about Rex “stealing” an expensive watch he left in Rex’s cab. Unless Rex can prove the man’s suspicions are groundless, that could be it for him as a cabbie. Alice suggests checking if the watch was handed in at any of the pubs and bars the man drank at before getting in Rex’s cab, offering to split the task if they go on Tuesday. Rex agrees.
Alice confides in Ruairi that she’s debating whether or not to ask out someone she fancies, before noting Ruairi is more subdued than usual. Ruairi denies this and heads off to Berrow Farm, where Neil lets Hannah know that Ruairi is starting as a trainee. It’s all very last minute, Martyn having told Neil that Brian wants Ruairi to get more hands-on farming experience. Hannah is unimpressed, what they need is a skilled worker, not a complete novice. Neil agrees, but they’ve got no choice in the matter. Ruairi then listens carefully while Neil and Hannah outline the seriousness of the responsibilities Ruairi will be taking on and the necessity of avoiding contamination. Later, while Neil starts showing Ruairi what to do, Ruairi gets distracted, then slips and falls in the muck. Hannah can’t see him lasting a week.

As oblivious David collects glasses at The Bull, Ruth turns up dressed for a romantic dinner. Her plan has worked, and they settle down for a Valentine’s date. David admits this is better than squeezing in at the bar, but now they’ve got a free evening tomorrow. Ruth jokes they could use that time to work on their wills, as they’ve already told the children the succession plans. David hopes his dad would think they’re passing on Brookfield in good shape. Reminiscing, the couple recall their first Valentine’s Day together almost forty years ago.
Alice arrives at The Bull to take Fallon for a night out at a comedy gig as a surprise. In between acts, Fallon asks if Alice is looking for a Valentine, and flustered Alice confesses there is someone who has crossed her mind. Fallon agrees Rex is lovely. She points out if Alice is interested, she’s just going to have to ask him out.
Ruairi arrives back from the Suffolk farm visit to Brian, who tells him about George’s visit and his own subsequent confession. Ruairi is stunned – surely Brian didn’t confess without solid evidence? Brian asks if he’d rather he told George that it was Ruairi who attacked him. Ruairi says he’ll tell the truth, but Brian insists he’ll do no such thing. He made a promise to Siobhan to keep him safe. If Ruairi wants to get back into Brian’s good books, then he’s got to work for it.