Brenda offers a listening ear about strained relations – to Emma about Kenton and to Adam about Brian.

Radio Times: Emma takes on extra responsibility

Characters: Adam, Brenda, David, Elizabeth, Emma, George, William

• George comes across William cleaning and dismantling the rearing pens. It’s the hearing about the pole barn tomorrow, in Borchester, and George has offered to give Joe a lift. After all, he can scarcely ask Lynda!
• At Jaxx, Brenda and Emma swap moans about having to live at home with parents, and with their fathers in particular. Brenda thinks Kenton puts upon Emma, leaving her to lock up and bank the takings, but Emma much prefers Kenton’s approach to that of his control-freak sister Elizabeth, who just happens to come looking for him.
• The atmosphere between Adam and David is still frosty following the barley harvesting contretemps, and they exchange differing views on the remaining harvest. To add to David’s problems, there are fresh badger prints and droppings near the food store; he just can’t seem to keep them away from the cattle. Then there’s the other Ambridge control-freak, Lynda Snell, who seems to think that he’s got time to consider every trifling complaint that hits the message board.
• Adam tells Brenda about his bad day over a coffee at Jaxx. On top of his spat with David, the rain seems set to ruin his strawberry crop, Lynda seems determined to make him take part in the pantomime and to make matters worse, Brian won’t discuss Adam’s sexuality, just when they seemed to be getting on so well.
• Birthdays are in the air again. Shula and Kenton have sent out the invitations for their joint 50’s evening, and Will has a special surprise planned for Emma.