Jenny is at her flirtatious best; Alan’s flattery brings Joe round; Fallon spills the beans about Greg and Jazzer.

Radio Times: Alan gets persuasive.

Characters: Alan, Brian, Fallon, Jennifer, Joe, Jolene, Peggy

• Jennifer is entertaining Peggy and Jack to dinner. While Jennifer prepares the vegetables, Peggy tells her all about Marjorie’s delight at receiving a long service medal for thirty years of selling poppies. With passing reference to Betty, Hayley and Roy, and Pat, Helen and Greg, they discuss the age-old problem of Mothers in law, then pass on to the subject of Brian’s ever improving health and the break in luxury Cheshire hotel that Jennifer has planned for his 60th birthday. With a four-poster bed, no less … ! They wonder whether Debbie just might come over for his birthday? (Who’s written the script for that week, I wonder … ?)
• Alan finds Joe in the Bull and joins Jolene in commiserating with him over the pole barn. Joe’s still adamant that it’s not coming down! And as for that Snell woman … !! Fallon reluctantly comes to help in the Ploughman’s, complaining that Will has been winding her up.
• Peggy reports that Greg’s girls are coming over for Christmas after all – and Pat doesn’t waste an opportunity to criticise him and Michelle again!
• Alan goes overboard with compliments to Joe about his acting ability – apparently everyone remembers his bottom, or should that be “Bottom” ?! Joe is still reluctant to be a shepherd but assures Joe that it will be a ‘lad’s together’ thing, nothing to do with Lynda. He, Alan, will be directing the shepherds, and he won’t let her interfere. And Bartleby can be the donkey! Joe agrees with enthusiasm!!
• Fallon is disturbed to see Helen and Greg in the bar, and won’t even go to tell them their table is ready. Jolene starts to wonder why …
• When Peggy and Jack leave, Jenny tenderly persuades Brian that it’s time for bed – far too late for an invalid still to be up …
• Jolene goes to Fallon’s room to find out what has happened between her and Greg Turner. Out comes the full story about him beating up Jazzer. Jolene wishes she’d told her sooner. They should’ve told the Police. But Will said there was no point. They were trespassing – and that was what he and Fallon were arguing about. Jolene doesn’t like the idea of Jazzer trying to get his own back on Greg – and Fallon doesn’t know what he could do anyway …