Phil is buried.

Radio Times: Ambridge says goodbye to Phil.

Characters: Alan, Christine, David, Elizabeth, Heather, Jill, Kenton, Ruth, Shula

• At Brookfield and at Glebe Cottage, the Archers prepare themselves for Phil’s funeral. Eddie will hold the fort at Brookfield but the rest of his family will be there. Josh threatens to go against his father’s seating plan to sit with Jamie but probably won’t.
• Of course, his children all support each other as they say goodbye to their father; there is no hint of conflict today. Elizabeth overcomes her nerves and executes her reading without a hitch.
• Afterwards in The Bull, there are plenty of laughs as the assembled mourners recall memories of Phil. Jill slips away, almost unnoticed. Ruth observes that Pip was very upset and doesn’t share David’s criticism of Pip’s frequent calls to Jude; David sees a sinister motive in Jude’s attention but Ruth would be more worried if he didn’t care.
• Ruth finds Jill in the churchyard. She is fine; she just didn’t like to think of Phil all on his own. But of course she cannot bring him in to join the company; life without Phil starts here.