Usha gets involved in the Sleepout – hoping that Ashok will too.

Radio Times: Just like old times for Peggy.

Characters: Alice, Hayley, Mike, Peggy, Ruth, Sid, Usha

• Usha is in remarkably good spirits as she meets Ruth for a drink at the Bull. It might have more than a little to do with Ashok, though Usha is not giving any interesting details away. But it puts her in generous mood as she sponsors Alice for the Sleepout.
• In the Bull, Peggy is looking forward taking over from Sid while he goes to New Zealand, but she does seem to be getting unnecessarily flustered over changing the Lager barrel, much to Mike’s annoyance. Usha is intrigued to know how Lucy will view Jolene, since she treated Kathy as the archetypal Wicked Step Mother.
• Interest in the Sleepout is growing. Hayley is keen to take part – a night in the church can’t be worse than a night at Willow Farm – and Usha thinks that she and Ashok just might occupy adjoining sleeping bags. Ruth is distinctly cynical about the whole idea – almost as cynical as Mike.
• Cynicism seems to be growing, too. Ashok has decided to join Nigel’s cruck barn project and, of course, Usha will sign up too, giving Ruth another opportunity for a laugh at Usha’s expense. But maybe Ruth won’t be laughing tomorrow, when the TB test results arrive.