Kenton’s child- care comes under attack

Radio Times: The heat is on for Matt.

Characters: David, Joe, Jolene, Kathy, Kenton, Lilian, Sid

• Everyone’s having fun at the Ambridge bonfire, until Kathy realises that Meriel is missing. As usual, Kenton is nowhere to be seen, so Kathy goes off in search of the little girl.The first person she meets is Sid, who wastes no time in having a very public go at Kathy for spending more time on Meriel than on Jamie.
• Lilian is waiting for Matt at the Bull, and suggests to Jolene that she might join the sponsored swim now that she’s had such wonderful cosmetic surgery. Other people have commented, too; David and Kenton think she looks sensational.
• Sid scores a cheap point by putting out an announcement over the tannoy, asking the guardian of Meriel Archer to fetch her from the Bull. Kathy is furious, and even more so when Sid tells her that Jamie will be welcome any time at the Bull, since life with Meriel is proving so difficult.
• Meriel is safe with Joe Grundy, and Kenton brushes aside all Kathy’s complaints about his feckless attitude. They have a better attitude to child-rearing in Oz, he says – they’re more relaxed.
• When Matt does make it to the Bull,he tells Sid that life with Yvette is dreadful. But somehow he doesn’t seem too keen to be in Lilian’s company either; he downs several drinks and escapes into the night. Poor Lilian thinks that even Julia Pargeter has more success; she seems to have acquired two beax, and she’s 80!