Tony does some counselling. The Boxing Day shoot goes well.

Radio Times: Will’s shoot goes with a bang.

Characters: Lilian, Matt, Mike, Nigel, Pat, Tony, Will

• It’s the Boxing Day shoot, and Lilian’s feeling the effects of too much champagne. She can’t hit anything, and her expectations of a lunch which, for once, doesn’t consist of Home Farm venison casserole, are dashed when she hears that Ian’s varied it ever so slightly by calling the dish daube of venison.
• Will’s in cheerful mood after the best Christmas Day he can remember, with George staying over and his mum’s cooking. Even Matt manages to be pleasant, saying he’s doing a good job, though he does remark to Lilian that he hopes Will remembers his place.
• Pat calls at Willow Farm with some ice-cream, and tells Tony that she’s worried about Mike. With his history of depression, she’s worried that he might slip back into it. Tony offers to go over and have a chat while Pat makes Bubble and Squeak, Tony’s favourite.
• Tony finds Mike cleaning out the cold store; he can’t bear sitting in the house. After an awkward start, he opens up to Tony, and tells him how they all tried to pull together and remember the good times, but he feels as though there’s a huge weight pressing him down. Tony says that at least they had a week together after Betty’s heart attack; with John there was no time to say all the things they should have. Mike acknowledges that he did have that time, and that seems to comfort him. Yes, he says, she did know that I loved her.