Lynda contrives to get Alistair into her play, by foul means.

Radio Times: Joe aims for a starring role.

Characters: Alistair, Elizabeth, Jill, Joe, Julia, Lynda, Nigel

• The atmosphere in the Lower Loxley office is strained; Julia is hogging the desks, the computer and the printer. If she would just print one copy, the all-singing photocopier will do the rest. When Jill arrives for a belated birthday dinner, Julia cannot resist a snide comment about the portrait of her as a young woman.
• Daniel has come to audition for Tiny Tim but Alistair has only come to bring him; no way is he going to be in the play. Lynda insists that Daniel would be less nervous if Alistair read the part of Bob – but he is not at all nervous.
• Elizabeth is able to let of steam about Julia by having a moan to her mum. Her troubles are but small compared to Pat’s with Helen. Jill has seen Peggy and learned that she had a lovely day helping in the shop. Far away in New Zealand, Kenton is enjoying spending time with Meriel. Julia’s parting shot, as she departs on Lewis’s arm, is that photocopier (which Elizabeth told her to use) is now jammed and out of toner.
• Lynda is able to tell Daniel and Alistair, in the strictest confidence, that Daniel has the part of Tiny Tim – and Alistair has the part of Bob! She is outrageous: Alistair told her he would not be in the play and he meant it. In that case, he had better tell Daniel that he hasn’t got the part because it was the two of them together that was so good. Such blackmail could not fail – but Alistair is not happy. Meanwhile Joe is campaigning hard for the part of Scrooge; with only (the silent) Derek Fletcher for competition, it seems a foregone conclusion.