Rustic harmony is in short supply at the Ambridge fete

Radio Times: Jill makes an announcement and Brian is in full voice

Characters: Brian, Ed, Emma, Harrison, Jazzer, Jill, Lulu Duxford

• At the Ambridge fete, rural peace is in short supply. Emma is stressed as she tries to get ready for her refreshments, and argues with Jazzer. Jill has been asked for a photo call with the Duxfords, but is still full of righteous anger at their waste of food. Alistair has forgotten to obtain a raffle prize, which upsets Emma, since Keira had set her heart on it. When Jill announces that she has bought a book for Justin on the book stall about preserving the rural landscape, Emma can take no more.
• Brian arrives to demonstrate his dulcet tones, only to find that has to wear a town crier’s outfit and ring a bell. Apparently the PA system has failed. This somewhat cramps his style as he attempts to charm Lulu Duxford. She orders him to ‘get on with it’ and steps forward to open the fete and promote the new restaurant, which, she claims, will offer training to the unemployed.
• Militant Jill is relentless in her efforts to make public the Duxfords’ waste of food, which serves only to make Lulu even more unpleasant. Brian then accuses Jazzer of making babies cry; Jazzer maintains it was Brian’s bell. The choral society have spent rather too long in the beer tent, and to crown the day, the zip on Brian’s costume seems to have stuck, despite the best efforts of Jazzer to free him.
• At least Emma has had an enjoyable and successful afternoon, and Jazzer enjoys regaling people with Brian’s predicament, but the fete reaches a climax when a fight breaks out between the pickers and the local youth. Ed does his best to sort it out, assisted by Jazzer, and, predictably, Harrison arrives when the last punch has been thrown. What is happening to this village, asks Jazzer.