That’ll Teach You To Talk To The Press, Neil

Brian Hewlett (Neil Carter)

There is a feeling among some people that journalists are not to be trusted, as they will twist everything you say. This attitude is, of course, totally fallacious, as the vast majority of journalists are honest, hard-working seekers after truth who wouldn’t dream of misrepresenting what they are told. But that’s enough about me – I have to admit that not all scribblers aspire to the same high standards.

Someone who would heartily agree with this point of view is Neil Carter, who was only too pleased to take the opportunity to talk to Rebecca – the reporter from the Echo – about the effect on the village of Phil Moss’s use of slave labour in his building work. In retrospect, perhaps it was unwise to mention that it was Neil who authorised Phil’s work at Berrow Farm, and it was Neil who gave him the job of renovating the church tower, and who grabbed Phil’s hand off when he quoted an absurdly low price for repairing/refurbishing the children’s playground. But what’s the harm?

On Monday, Susan mentions how much she is looking forward to seeing the article in print on Thursday; she thinks that people will be impressed by what she and Neil had to say and – who knows – it might even lead to her getting her Radio Borsetshire afternoon slot back? Even as she says this, Neil gets a call from Brian, who says that he’d like to see Neil at Berrow Farm – now.

Brian is definitely not happy – while it is true that the Echo comes out on Thursday, the content is available on the paper’s website, and Brian has been reading the article detailing the Carters’ interview. It identifies Neil as the pig manager at Berrow and mentions the work Philip’s crew carried out. An apoplectic Brian tells Neil that the article makes the Berrow management look heartless – why on earth did he go to the press? Neil’s explanation that the reporter came to them and said she wanted to write a ‘feel good’ piece about the effect on the village, does nothing to make Brian feel better. Martyn Gibson, Brian tells Neil, is ready to strangle Neil and Brian has been summoned to an emergency BL Board meeting. Brian adds that he will try to defend Neil, but it looks bad.

When Neil returns home, he finds Susan on the phone, threatening to sue the paper. Neil tells her to hang up, and does this for her, saying she’s probably done more harm than good. Susan wails that it is all her fault “and what will people think of us?” Neil’s response is that he is more worried about losing his job.

The following day, Tracy seeks out Susan, who has got cover for her stint in the shop, as she is too ashamed to do it. Neil, who is off to work, tells Tracy that the BL board is meeting to discuss the situation. When he has gone, Susan tells her sister that she has been the target of some extremely nasty comments online – she cannot believe how vile some of the language is and she is frightened. Susan has also told the radio station that she does not want her job back.

A disturbed Tracy seeks out Neil. He is pleased because the board did not sack or suspend him. However, he is less pleased when Tracy tells him how upset his wife is at being trolled and that people think that the Carters were involved in the slave labour racket. Neil is appalled and feels awful, but he resolves that he will not let Susan bear this burden alone.

Neil is feeling the pressure too, and on Thursday he goes to see Alan, but the vicar is away on church business and he is met by Shula. Can she help? Neil says she can pass on a message – he would like to resign as Churchwarden. Shula assures him that people are not judging him, and is he sure that he really wants to do this? Neil replies that he doesn’t want to bring St Stephen’s into disrepute, and Shula invites him in for a chat.

Neil repeats what he said to Brian – that he thought he was doing the right thing in giving the interview – and that the current situation, including Susan’s fears, is all his fault. Shula says that he has done nothing wrong and that he is “a good person; honest, caring, community-minded – an asset to Ambridge.” She admits that she is thinking of discontinuing her ordination process and Neil says she shouldn’t, as what she said about him applies to her as well, as “you’ve always been a special person.” In the end, they agree a deal; he won’t resign as Churchwarden as long as she doesn’t stop training for the priesthood. Says Neil; “Neither of us is ready to give up – not really.”

At the beginning of the week, Alice is in the office with Brian, who asks how will he manage without her when she goes on maternity leave? “Still, it’s only for three or four months, isn’t it?” he says, complacently. Wrong! Alice tells him that she was thinking of having a year off, which makes him sad, as Alice in the office is much more fun than Adam. Never mind – he has a little surprise present for his daughter; a cheque to help with the expenses for the baby. Not only that, but as we learn later when Alice talks to Chris, it is a cheque for £2,500. Just think what might have been, Alice, if you’d said that you wanted two years off. Alice reminds Chris that they are going to Peggy’s for dinner tonight. There is a scream, as Chris has shut his hand in his van door, and Alice later cancels the meal. Come on Chris – you could have just made an excuse not to go.

Emma is at The Lodge, talking to Peggy. Emma reveals that, since the revelations about Philip, the playground has hardly been used. Peggy thinks that this is ridiculous – the children shouldn’t be punished. Peg also talks about Chris and Alice – how are they? Emma feels a pang of remorse, as she has had no contact with them for ages. On Friday, she goes to see her brother at his forge. 

She sympathises with his hand injury (fortunately it’s not that serious) and tells him that Peggy said that Chris needs the support of his family because of the baby and Emma is family. She says that the four of them (including Alice and Ed) have always been close. Emma has an idea to ‘rehabilitate’ the playground – she suggests that they should make it into an assault course, charge people to enter and donate takings to an anti-trafficking charity.

Chris says that it sounds like a great idea. Emma then tells him that she would like to talk to Alice and why doesn’t she come to the Tearoom later for a chat, and complimentary tea and cake? Chris is not so sure that this is a good idea, but then goes on to ask “what sort of cake?”

Alice does indeed go to see Emma, who says she knows the two of them never really got on, but Emma is sorry for the things she said about Alice. For her part, Alice is sorry for the message she left on Emma’s phone (Alice was off her face at the time). Emma replies that they both said things they regret, so why not put it all behind them? Alice agrees, and tells Emma that she is prioritising the baby in everything. 

The talk turns to pregnancies and babies and Alice asks if childbirth is as painful and horrific as everybody says? Now I wanted Emma to say that it’s a piece of cake, as long as you refuse gas and air or an epidural, but she let me down when she says “it’s agony”, but she qualifies this by saying that she wouldn’t have missed it for the world and it is amazing and extraordinary. They both start crying and it seems that the rift is well and truly healed.

A digression here as Justin turns up at Bridge Farm to see Tony – he has been told to go by Lilian to look at Tony’s model railway. Justin makes it plain that he doesn’t want to be there (Lilian thinks he needs a hobby) and after a (very) few words, he says that he’s done what Lilian wanted, so he’ll go now. In the end, Tony gets him to look at the layout (Hollerton Junction in the 1960s) and reveals how he built it from scratch and painted each individual brick and building. Justin is appalled and says that he wishes that he was so easy to please. Having said that, he thinks that a new, joint business venture could be just the thing that he and Lilian need to rekindle their interest and zest for life. Railways, he tells Tony, are not his scene, and he is not ready to retire just yet, but “I admire your ability to settle in the slow lane.” Tony starts to protest, but then stops while he works out if he has been insulted or not.

Let us end with Shula, who has been sought out by Kirsty. Kirsty tells her that the police have told her that “she’s no longer a person of interest”, which seems a little harsh; she’s quite pleasant, really, although a massive relief. Kirsty turns the conversation round to Philip and Shula admits that she went to see him in prison, but she realised that it was a terrible mistake, as Philip would not admit that he had done anything wrong. Kirsty asks her if she will be going back to visit Philip again? “Absolutely not” the trainee priest answers.

Kirsty then asks if she would return if she thought she could do some good? She goes on to explain that she cannot sleep at night for thinking about the lads and the only person who knows where they are is Philip. If Shula could go and see him often enough, then she could win his confidence and he might reveal who he sold them to. Once they have this information, Kirsty the masked avenger could swoop and rescue them. Good plan, huh?

Shula is aghast; “You want me to use my clerical training to spy on him?” Kirsty counters by saying “I wouldn’t call it spying, exactly.” I suppose Shula should be grateful that Kirsty never asked her to trample on the Crucifix, or hold a Black Mass in Philip’s cell. “Do you realise what you are asking?” Shula asks; “You want me to deliberately gain someone’s confidence, and then betray them?” “In a very good cause” Kirsty answers. Oh, that makes it an awful lot better, and you could always cross your fingers behind your back, Shula. 

Shula informs Kirsty that she could be putting the lads’ lives in danger – if the traffickers got an inkling that Kirsty was on to them, then the boys could simply disappear (again) and then Kirsty would feel as guilty as hell. “Let the police deal with it,” says Shula, adding; “You have to stop this now and concentrate on sorting your life out. You are so close, you can’t see right from wrong.” Kirsty replies sullenly that she’s sorry she asked, but “I know now that I have to find out the truth for myself.” There is another, simpler solution; Kirsty’s body is found floating in the Am. That way, Victoria (slavemaster) is rid of an annoying pest and, as an added bonus, she gets to keep the three lads as slave labour and nobody is still any the wiser as to their whereabouts. Mind how you go, Kirsty - and keep looking behind you.