Rob enthusiastically greets Henry at his bedside but Pat and Tony are given the cold shoulder by Ursula and Rob.

Radio Times: Rex just keeps on trying, and Tony galvanises Pat.

Characters: Henry, Pat, Pip, Rex, Rob, Tony, Ursula

• As Rob utters his first words in a while, Ursula fusses over him and comments on the less than salubrious surroundings. Rob is just grateful that he is no longer in intensive care, although is repulsed by his stoma bag which must remain in place for at least six months. Rob is chomping at the bit to see Henry and instructs Ursula to ring Pat and Tony, which she does.
• Pip is lending a hand to Rex with the hens’ new home. He thanks her for her help with moving the caravan. Both Neil’s and Rex’s remonstrations with Josh over his aggressive marketing of the Fairbrother eggs have amounted to nothing: water off a duck’s back, according to Rex. Pip cannot fathom Josh’s game plan, although he has confided to Rex that he will offer to buy Neil and Hayley out and put the free range hens in with the Fairbrothers’ hens. While Pip appreciates Josh’s vision, Rex feels under fire from all angles: the Grundy’s at Christmas with the competition between geese and turkeys and now flak from Neil over the rival egg businesses. While Toby and Josh relish a challenge, Rex craves a quiet life without rubbing his neighbours up the wrong way. With the egg-mobile finished and Toby nowhere to be seen, Pip again steps in to help move it, along with Rex and Bert. Rex is grateful and compliments Pip – on her driving. Pip tells Rex how much Bert likes having him around – Bert is less effusive about his brother. However, Toby has instructed his web-designer to promote Bert’s garden, which is likely to leave Lynda’s Resurgam garden in the shade, on the day of reckoning. So Toby may yet win Bert over.
• At the hospital, Pat and Tony prepare Henry to see Rob. Pat is convinced that Henry’s desperate need for the toilet is a sign of his nervousness around Rob, but Tony reminds Pat that they must both keep an open mind until the truth emerges. As Rob manoeuvres the conversation with Henry to plant the seed that Ursula, not Pat, will accompany him on future visits, Tony discreetly ushers Henry away to leave Pat to have a moment with Rob. Pat fumbles to say how difficult everything is, and Rob leaves her in no doubt that what he is contending with is far worse than any difficulty she may be experiencing. Feeling guilty, Pat immediately backtracks but then suggests Rob may wish to pass a message to Helen. Before he can respond, Ursula appears, bearing fresh fruit and blunt instructions for Pat to leave and not to return to the ward. After all, Pat should be extremely grateful that Rob has pulled through, otherwise things would be looking bleaker still, for Helen.