Helen’s starvation takes its toll and she is rushed to hospital.

Radio Times: Helen reaches crisis point.

Characters: Clarrie, David, Helen, Pat, Ruth, Sam, Tom, Tony

• As usual, Pat is treading on eggshells; Helen has not appeared, so should Pat wake her – she will probably be cross if she has overslept. When she appears, she is her usual sharp and rude self, turning the conversation to Tom’s sausage empire at the first opportunity.
• Sam is having his arm twisted to take part in the Christmas play; David advises against it: a little of Lynda Snell goes a long way. How Robert puts up with her is a mystery; incidentally, Robert is organising a coup against Sid – to keep Adam in the Ambridge cricket team. Ruth comes off the phone rather upset: Mick Wilson, a small dairy farmer, has accused her of being a traitor for resigning from the co-op.
• In the dairy, Clarrie tells Pat she has heard from Will and Emma, who will soon be back. George will be glad: he has found it hard on his own. She has also heard from Ed. Tom calls in to say that he is on his way to take Helen to the hospital.
• Helen seems surprised to see Tom. Since Kirsty is still at lunch, they cannot go yet and Helen fills the time by working herself up into a lather about how big a waste of time is this hospital appointment. She collapses and Tom calls for an ambulance.
• Sam tries to reassure Ruth that she has done the right thing about the co-op. Being adventurous enough to try anything once, he agrees to go to salsa this week to make up the foursome; David had hoped it would be just Ruth and Usha! David receives a desperate call from Tony and agrees to do the milking for him, because he and Pat are dashing off to the hospital.