Ruth’s birthday party goes with a swing. Monty faces a move. Ian tells Adam he’d like to be a father.

Radio Times: Ian’s hope goes up in smoke.

Characters: Adam, David, Ian, Jill, Josh, Ruth, Sam

• Under Jill’s supervision, David sets to work cooking for Ruth’s birthday barbecue. Ruth enjoys her day, with lots of cards and new clothes.
• Adam’s jealousy of Madds is still smouldering as Ian brings some food up to the farm for him. When Ian says Madds won’t be at the barbecue, Adam is pleased; for once they can be together undisturbed.
• Sam gives Ruth a hand with the display boards for the Royal Show, and tells her Kirsty won’t be well enough to come to the barbecue. Somehow he doesn’t seem too bothered. At the party, Sam fills Ruth’s glass and tells her how gorgeous she looks. He’s sent her flowers, and for a minute or two they seem to be getting close – until David persuades Ian to take over the cooking, and comes to tell Ruth how great she’s looking.
• Adam tries to get Ian to tell him why he and Madds haven’t seen each other all day. Reluctantly, Ian embarks on the story of Madd’s plan for Ian to father a baby, but they are interrupted by Jill, to Adam’s annoyance.
• Monty knocks Josh’s burger out of his hand, and his parents seize the moment. Wouldn’t Monty be better off at the Lower Loxley petting farm? Josh agrees without putting up a single argument.
• At last Adam gets the story out of Ian, and launches into an anti-Madds outburst, but he’s cut short by Ian, who tells Adam he thinks it’s a fantastic idea.