Kathy is cast in the role of cake tutor, with two secretive students. Ruth decides to reveal her big secret.

Radio Times: Jill returns to her old domain.

Characters: Alistair, Bert, David, Jill, Joe, Kathy, Ruth

• The human Archers may be happy with their moves but the cats are not; Jill returns two homing-cats to their new home at the Stables. Sadly Harry has not reappeared. Alistair thinks he may have become a snack for a fox or, but don’t tell Daniel this, the cats!
• What are neighbours for if not to help out. Joe thinks so anyway and has a favour to ask of Kathy. He wants to enter the Flower & Produce Show in the Victoria sandwich cake, men only class; Bert Fry thinks he will be the only entrant. Clarrie won’t help, because she says it would be cheating, but if Kathy helped, that would be tuition. He wants an opinion on his first attempt which, as Kathy observes straight away, is in one piece. Her enquiry about its ingredients is interrupted by the doorbell. Bert has called and it is as much as Kathy can do not to spill the beans, especially when Bert declines to divulge the reason for his call right now. Tea and sponge cake anyone?
• The Brookfield kitchen has acquired the feel of an art gallery with the collected works of Pip and Josh. Jill thinks they look nice and she assures the new generation that she is delighted to pass on Brookfield to them and is sure that it will mean as much to them as it has to herself and Phil.
• Kathy presides over an uneasy stand-off as Bert and Joe trade insults. Joe saves the situation by leaving, with a promise to return later. That allows Bert to confide in Kathy about the purpose of his visit; he cannot understand what she finds so funny.
• Jill reports to David and Ruth that Phil has settled in well and already feels at home; she is less positive about herself. Although she dislikes the phrase, she tells them that she will always be there for them, which of course she always has been. When she has gone, Ruth admits she was dying to cheer Jill up by announcing her pregnancy but she had not agreed that with David. Why keep it a secret any longer; tell the world, starting right now with a phone call to Ruth’s own Mum.