Writer: Avin Shah
Director: Julie Beckett
Editor: Jeremy HoweNatasha Archer…. Mali Harries
Tom Archer…. William Troughton
Lilian Bellamy…. Sunny Ormonde
Vince Casey…. Tony Turner
Justin Elliott…. Simon Williams
Emma Grundy…. Emerald O’Hanrahan
Brad Horrobin…. Taylor Uttley
Tracy Horrobin…. Susie Riddell
Joy Horville…. Jackie Lye
Azra Malik…. Yasmin Wilde
Khalil Malik…. Krish Bassi
Zainab Malik…. Priyasasha Kumari
Kirsty Miller…. Annabelle Dowler
Freddie Pargetter…. Toby Laurence
Fallon Rogers…. Joanna Van Kampen
Lynda Snell…. Carole Boyd
Robert Snell…. Michael Bertenshaw
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13:09
27/02/2025
Azra’s organising food and her children indulge in some low level bickering. Khalil doesn’t understand why he still can’t participate fully in Ramadan. He leaves to take Monty for a walk. Lynda feels for him. Zainab tries to cheer Khalil with the news that the insurance will cover their damaged tech items. Khalil can’t get past being excluded from fasting. Zainab assures him they’re all just looking out for him. Khalil comments that at least at his new school he’s treated like everyone else.
Azra bumps into Justin and the subject of the sewage leak comes up. Justin sympathises. Azra mentions Robert’s emailed him on the subject, to see if he can help. Justin reckons there’s not much he can do. The liability lies with Borsetshire Water, not Damara as the developers of Beechwood. He suggests it’s up to the whole community to get together and persuade the water company to improve the infrastructure.
Lynda has a dilemma – Freddie’s volunteered as cricket captain and she’d just secured Tom. Robert suggests she retracts the offer to Tom. Lynda will sleep on it.
Concerned for Khalil, Lynda suggests she and Robert stop fasting. Azra feels it will make no difference. She confides that Khalil had leukaemia when he was younger, and it’s her need to protect her son that’s frustrating him. She knows she’s denying him his independence, but she can’t let go of her image of the fragile little boy he was.
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13:16
26/02/2025
Things aren’t getting any better for Natasha as she worries to Joy about both the Beechwood house and the lack of returning business at the Tearoom. She’s missing Fallon keenly. She can’t help thinking that if she was there, they’d get more support. Joy’s not so sure about that; and it’s not like Natasha could have done anything differently. Natasha thanks Joy for the chat. Zainab bumps into Brad and asks if they can talk. After some initial awkwardness they agree they can’t avoid one another forever. They talk about the last time they met up; Zainab comments it’s actually a good idea to ask someone out early on. Brad thanks her for being nice about Chelsea’s previous matchmaking efforts. Both are happy to move on. Natasha approaches and Brad tries to escape but is forced by Zainab into admitting he can’t do the Tearoom promotional videos due to his workload. Zainab sweetens the pill by volunteering them both for the pancake eating contest. Natasha’s delighted.At the Bull Joy mentions her trampled flowerbeds to Lilian, wondering if she saw anyone else hanging about yesterday. Guilty Lilian offers her lunch on the house. Natasha’s amused as Fallon sees off some customers who were deriding the Tearoom. Lilian raises an eyebrow at Fallon’s attitude but Natasha declares it’s cheered her up. However her mood changes once she realises the Bull’s doing breakfasts. She hopes they’re not trying to take advantage of the Tearoom’s downturn. Fallon reassures her, but Natasha knows what she’s seeing. Miffed, Natasha leaves.
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13:08
25/02/2025
Kirsty still hasn’t heard from Tom and Natasha about the house sale. Lilian ventures that their hesitation’s understandable given the sewage spill incident. Joy suggests giving them a nudge. Lilian’s intrigued to discover Joy and Mick are currently residing at Home Farm. Later she pays Joy a visit, taking Justin with her, on the pretext that she’s interested in an item in the garden. To Justin’s horror she’s soon asking if she might come in and see the Gills’ kitchen while she’s here. Joy cites the no visitors rule and relieved Justin readily complies. Lilian won’t be discouraged however, and pokes around the garden trying to get a view inside the house, setting off some garden sprinklers in the process.
Natasha presents busy Tom with a single fairy cake with a candle for his birthday. Tom’s touched; he’ll eat it on his rounds. Natasha suggests some video promotion for their Pancake Day event. Emma agrees to ask Brad to do them. Later Tom and Natasha meet Kirsty. They tell her they need to get another drain survey done – the sewage situation changes everything. Moreover, they think Kirsty should pay for it. They can’t give her an answer on whether they’re buying until it’s done.
Emma finds Natasha poring over some negative social media. With this and their rapidly reducing income, things are getting on top of her. Emma counsels the importance of keeping focus and tries to get Natasha back on track with Pancake Day. Buoyed by this, Natasha agrees and they start to work on a plan.
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13:14
24/02/2025
Freddie’s spotted an opportunity he thinks might appeal to Vince for Casey Meats. It involves working with an academy trust to supply locally sourced produce to schools for their meals. After some persuasion Vince sees the benefits and agrees to Freddie getting the ball rolling, starting with inviting trustees for a tour of the abattoir.
Stressed Fallon’s struggling on a particularly busy evening at the Bull. Diners Robert and Lynda discuss Ramadan. Robert supports Lynda’s plan to fast but is taken aback when she assumes he’ll be joining her. Tracy’s eager to know from Lynda who’s going to replace Harrison as cricket captain. She reckons she could convince Chris to reconsider, but Lynda declines her offer. Spurred on by Tracy, Freddie shares with Lynda his own tips for what makes a good captain. Vince is impressed – Freddie should go for the captaincy himself. He’s a natural at building team morale – a talented bloke in fact. Freddie’s touched.
Robert compliments Fallon on her food. He shares that the quality at the Tearoom has suffered since she left. Fallon genuinely worries about how they’re coping. She doesn’t like to see the Tearoom losing custom, but is sure Natasha will have a solution. Tracy’s less sympathetic; Chelsea’s being made to work silly hours, and Fallon was treated badly by Natasha and Tom. She thinks Fallon should capitalise and open up the Bull earlier for food. Fallon reckons that sounds a bit cut throat, but Tracy retorts she should strike while the iron’s hot.
Colombia