Alistair is being attentive to Shula. There are huge disappointments for Ed, Lilian and Justin.

Radio Times: Lilian’s plans are scuppered, and Ed feels upstaged.

Characters: Alistair, Ed, Justin, Kate, Lilian, Shula

• Alistair is being supportive to Shula in her role of hunt master elect, having arranged an appointment at a hunt outfitters as her Christmas present. He is also helpful today, bringing her coffee and charity fundraising for air ambulance at the Boxing Day meet. He also has a relaxing evening planned for the two of them and waits on Shula when she returns home.
• Kate is under pressure to complete costumes for tomorrow’s dress rehearsal. Despite assistance from Jennifer, Chris and Peggy, she is still short handed and asks Lilian, who is unable to help as she is off to the Boxing Day meet and then seeing ‘a friend’. Kate berates Lilian for continuing to partake in the archaic and cruel activity and they bicker mildly.
• Will has stolen Ed’s thunder by giving George a quad bike for Christmas. Ed and Emma have given him a push bike, in which he has shown little interest next to the quad. Ed gets it off his chest to Alistair, who treats him to a pint at The Bull. Ed and Emma have struggled to save for the bike and there are so many other pulls on the purse strings at the moment.
• At the start of the hunt, Justin and Lilian are reunited after the Christmas break. They exchange pleasantries with Shula, while excitedly whispering their plans for the coming days. However, these are soon thwarted when Justin receives a message from Miranda. Her New Year skiing trip with friends in Val d’Isere is cancelled so she is making her way to Ambridge to join him. With her hopes for the week dashed and no partner for the New Year’s Eve ball, Lilian returns home and offers her needlework services to Kate.