A busy Eddie is exhausted and the news of the Grundys misfortune is slowly seeping out.

Radio Times: Neil needs reinforcements.

Characters: Debbie, Eddie, Neil, Phil, Roy, Simon, Tommy

• Debbie only got two hours sleep – thanks to a late night lambing and an early start to make it to Oxford for the farming conference. She’s concerned about the lambs in her absence, but Simon’s sure that Neil, Eddie and he will cope.
• Neil and Tommy are checking on the farrowings sows and are worried about the recent small litters, Roy’s out getting a breath of fresh air (he’s off college because Phoebe’s not well) and mentions that Mike’s had some fox problems. It’s unusual, but a hungry fox could well try to take young piglets. Tommy and Roy, but mostly Roy, have a strangely awkward conversation about their respective New Year’s Eves.
• Debbie and Phil bump into each other at the conference, they’re both finding the experience stimulating and exciting – not least because of the splendid surroundings of Blenheim Palace.
• Eddie’s helping Neil with the lambing at Home Farm and tries to dig to get at Neil’s inside knowledge of Borchester Mills. Neil, without knowing the full details, doesn’t say that genuine sob stories get ignored, but points out that if the sum is large enough then even genuine reasons often weren’t enough. Eddie’s putting so much time in on his contract work that he’s dead on his feet, or rather, asleep in a corner, when Debbie returns. But she’s been warned by Phil that times are especially hard for the Grundys and is happy enough to let him sleep awhile.