As justice is finally served in ‘The Archers’, Matthew Steeples suggests it is time the series returned to its roots
During the past months listeners to BBC Radio 4’s The Archers have had to put up with the torture of a story of domestic abuse of one character, Helen Titchener, at the hands of her outwardly respectable, inwardly bullying husband, Rob.
Yesterday, in an extended hour long feature length episode in which a jury consisting of amongst others Dame Eileen Atkins, Nigel Havers, Graham Seed and Catherine Tate, came to the conclusion Helen Titchener was not guilty of attempted murder, and not guilty of wounding with intent.
In opting for this outcome, the show’s producers did the right thing. They showed that domestic abuse is not just about visible bruises on the surface and through how they laid out this plot, they illustrated how control can take other forms. They showed prejudice in the jury room can be overcome and they ended with Helen Titchener standing up for herself against the monster who had destroyed her self-esteem. They gave hope to victims of domestic abuse everywhere and they sent out a message that this should not be tolerated anymore.
Now, hopefully, normality can resume in Ambridge. Can we please return to stories of everyday rural existence and can Rob please ‘rod off’?
Listen to the full episode by clicking here.
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