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Helen's having a bumpy ride in The Archers
Helen Archer sees in the New Year with a bang - literally - when she hits a pedestrian while driving home from a boozy night out in The Archers on 91Èȱ¬ Radio
4.
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In the episode - broadcast at 7pm on Sunday 31 December 2006 - the pedestrian turns out to be none other than Mike Tucker, father of Brenda,
whose boyfriend Tom is Helen's brother.
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Not that Tom could have foreseen any of this when, while enjoying an evening
at home with his family, he received a text informing him that his wayward
sister was stopping out with her friends.
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The text immediately throws Tom into action: his brotherly protection mode is
more acute than usual, due to the knowledge that his already fragile sister
is even more brittle thanks to being dumped by her erstwhile,
short-term boyfriend, Ross.
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When he sees Helen making a fool of herself in the pub Tom is determined to
get her home, despite the fact that she does not appreciate her brother's
interference.
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His dragging her from her friends on New Year's Eve makes Helen
determined to retain some sort of control and, misguidedly, she insists that
she is capable of driving her own car: he can occupy the passenger seat.
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When she realises that she has run someone over Helen panics - and drives on
- leaving the victim for dead. Tom wants to go back to help whoever it is has
been hit but by this time Helen is hysterical and she admits she's had far
too much to drink.
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Sober Tom immediately decides there's only one thing for
it: he and Helen swap seats and drive to the police station to confess.
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Back at Bridge Farm parents Tony and Pat berate Tom - they
cannot believe he has been so reckless - tonight of all nights, when the
family is gathering together to celebrate the coming New Year.
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When they
manage to catch their collective breath both parents feel that, surely, things
cannot get any worse for Tom. until they receive the phone call from Brenda!
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Addicts of The Archers can enjoy a special treat on New Year's Day when their
usual 15-minute dose of their favourite Radio 4 drama is followed by a
behind-the-scenes documentary, Arena: The Archers on 91Èȱ¬ Four at 9pm, Monday
1 January 2007.
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Notes to Editors
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Helen Archer's woes began when she met and fell in love with the local
gamekeeper, Greg Turner.
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It was a difficult relationship which ended fatally
when, in 2004, in utter despair that Helen had walked out on him, Greg
eventually took his own life. The grief and guilt were almost impossible for
Helen to bear.
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Despite the support of Pat, Tony and Tom, Helen's need for
control manifested itself in a life-threatening eating disorder. She was
lucky to be admitted to a specialist clinic, which was slowly able to turn
tortured Helen around and return her to her grateful family.
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Helen's latest dalliance was with the journalist, Ross. Unfortunately, he
did not reciprocate, considering Helen "old before her time".
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Since she was
unceremoniously dumped Helen has behaved alarmingly: indeed her friend (you
guessed it, Brenda Tucker) was horrified with Helen's drunken behaviour
during the pair's recent holiday in Tenerife.
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Helen Archer is played by Louiza Patikas
Tom Archer - Tom Graham
Tony Archer - Colin Skipp
Pat Archer - Patricia Gallimore
Brenda Tucker - Amy Shindler
Mike Tucker - Terry Molloy.
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The Archers, 91Èȱ¬ Radio 4, Monday-Friday and Sundays, 7-7.15pm; omnibus on
Sundays from 10am; 92-95FM and 198LW
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