Archers Addicts 5 !!!!!

I think Helen was tempting fate to say Rob has gone and is out of her life forever. I think he is likely to do something extreme and, even if it is suicide she has to explain that at some time to the boys. In prison, disappeared or dead h will always hover over them.

Bloody typos/ predictive text!

For the heavy duty Archers fans amongst us who are really interested, this is last nights interview with the actor Timothy Watson. aka Rob Titchner. It was done in collaboration with Facebook.

www.facebook.com/BBCRadio4/videos/vb.401538510458/10158062162405459/?type=2&theater

Largely Tim talking about his role and how the whole story panned out.

Helen was remarkable calm when she confronted Rob. I found my ex husbands girlfriend in my house ( years ago ) I broke his ankle with a glass vase. I wouldn't have been responsible for my actions if someone had taken my child.

He'll hardly risk turning up for access. Has he been living in his car?
This will overshadow all their lives for decades. Look how Johnny was a sleeper for so long. Poor Henry - needs a fairytale super dad, either interred donor or new boyfriend for Helen. Both unlikely ?
Not so bad for Jack who won't remember Rob. Ursula may be after 'GPs' Rights' maybe.

Interested donor - duh!

Love it Elrel!! what planet is predictive text on, I often wonder.
(It's Rob who should be interred.)

Ian could play a part in his life. He supported Helen before and that friendship has survived a lot.

Do we know who the donor was?

No suzied, we don't know who the doner was. It's been a concern of mine, for all children born to doner fathers. Adopted children now have access to relevant medical information from birth parents, that isn't so for the children from doner fathers.
I don't understand why the law recognises that children placed for adoption, usually these days against the expressed wishes of their parents rather than because its parental choice, should have as much information as possible from their birth parents. I have so many memories of helping birth parents provide medical and family history information for their children it makes me cross that doner children seem to have so few rights. I may be out of date, will google.

Petra - what good would violence have done for Henry or Jack?

I might be completely wrong (often the case) but I thought there was a frisson of interest towards Helen on the part of the policeman (or whoever he was) who came to tell her that Rob was definitely out of the country (in the USA) and that if he came back to the UK he would be a "person of interest" to the Police. Helen didn't show any interest in him however but - you never know!! Could be a real slow burner..... I think Henry will continue to act up for quite a while. If Ursula goes for GP's rights then good luck to her - the storyline might at least shed some much needed light on that difficult subject, although maybe not in a useful way.

Hang on - that policeman was Fallon's Harrison, he's spoken for - as well as being the entire force for a wide area around Ambridge!
There's enough going on with Anisha being noticeably attractive, Toby being a loose cannon and the geriatric shenanigans of Lil and Justin. No more relationships in jeopardy just yet, please!
Wondering what Minneapolis did to deserve Rob!

PC Burns is a kind, empathic kind of village policeman, he's like that with everyone not just Helen. He's also smitten with the lovely Fallon, who returns his smite.

The idea of Ursula 'going for grandparents rights' turns my stomach. She manipulated Helen, was cruel to Henry and supported Rob even when the extent of his abuse of Helen and Henry along with the risks he posed to Henry and Jack were set out by the Judge in the family court.
Luckily, Ursula doesn't have any "rights" that aren't topped by the rights of Jack and Henry to live in a loving, protective family where their needs are met. Helen, Pat, Tony and Tom have enough on their hands helping Henry understand what's been happening in his life currently. They will also have the ongoing task of helping both boys feel loved, not to feel rejected, or responsible for 'daddy's " behaviour, absence etc. If Ursula had been a loving, stable grandmother who acknowledged her son had behaved badly, had supported Helen and tried to build a relationship with Pat and Tony, she probably would continue to see the boys sometimes, exchange gifts on special occasions. As things stand, I can't see any responsible mother allowing her any where near her children.

I stand corrected - I am obviously completely wrong - but, in my defence I would just say that I am a relative newcomer to TA and don't know everyone's foibles as yet BUT it is conceivable that both of my projections might be put into the script in order to be discredited at a later date to the satisfaction of the real Archers fans. After all it is just a story!!!!!

Ian, a friend has children from a Danish donor. She has medical histories up to both sets of his grandparents, a picture of him as a child, a recorded message to the children and a letter to them. They are allowed to contact him when older ( sixteen I think).

Sorry that was to Iam64 predictive text agai

Is it Helen's responsibility to inform Social Services about Rob's failed kidnap attempt and subsequent scarpering to USA or would that be left to the police?

Would they then be likely to suggest/insist that Henry really does need help?

I can't understand why they haven't told Henry about his parentage yet ( I thought you were supposed to tell kids from day one in an appropriate way)

The police will automatically inform children's services. Based on what the police tell them, children's services may speak to Helen so they can complete a basic risk assessment. Children's services wouldn't be the agency to help Henry, their resources are stretched to breaking point. I suspect if a sw does get involved, they'ed advise Helen to ask her GP to make a referral to CAMHS - that' the agency with staff qualified to help children and their families in this kind of situation. Oh dear, CAMHS services are being closed all over the country.
In Helen's shoes, I'd be googling and talking to my GP about finding a child psychologist who could support Henry and advise his family on how best to help him understand what's been happening.
Suzied, the fact the advice is to bring children up knowing about their parentage/adoption/birth parents, there are no safeguards to ensure that happens. As Henry was only three when Rob assumed the role of daddy and such a lot has happened since, it isn't surprising no one has raised this issue. It isn't a one off sit down and tell -

Thanks, Iam.

Next question. How will Rob's kidnap attempt and disappearance affect her divorce plans?

I do like my loose ends tied up

Good question merlotgran. Is my memory correct and he recently told a Helen he'd told his solicitor he would not contest the divorce. Let's all hope this means he signed the necessary papers leaving helen free to divorce him. Grounds of unreasonable behaviour I expect as they are only recently separated, so grounds needed.

I do hope the kidnap attempt will and subsequent disappearance will mean that when he resurfaces asking to see Myson, the family court will tell him to sling his hook, in proper legal language

My mistake above - Minnesota, not Minneapolis!

Lilian in flagrante, Toby in trouble and Rob on the run: unprecedented scenes in Ambridge

That's a peach of a summary GracesGran, thanks so much, cheered my morning.

The Archers Child Abduction Storyline – What Would Happen in Real Life?

There is a bit explaining Robs situation towards the end of this.