21/01/2025

The Archers

Outside a hotel in Southport nervous Neil prepares to meet the person who found him as a baby. Susan allays his anxiety. He looks lovely and his gift of flowers is perfect. She suggests he goes in, and gives him a kiss. He does so. Nelly declares the flowers her favourites and the ice is broken. She admits she’s wondered about him every day since she found him. Neil fills her in on his life and family, declaring himself lucky. Nelly’s glad, and explains more details about the day she found him. She hadn’t wanted Neil to be taken away from her. They’d visited him at the children’s home, and Neil shares some memories of that time. They laugh that Nelly reading him The Three Little Pigs might be the reason he’s a pig farmer. She was upset but realistic when he was moved away, and pleased things worked out for him in the end.

Meanwhile anxious Emma calls Susan, wondering how it’s going. Susan reports Neil’s coming out of the hotel and seems to be crying – she’d better go. However Neil’s happy, and invites Susan inside to meet Nelly. They each thank one another for their respective roles in caring for Neil. Susan declares Nelly his guardian angel, and Nelly’s touched. She confesses she has no clue who Neil’s mother might have been.

Back at Ambridge View Susan suggests that Nelly seemed to hesitate when asked about knowing who Neil’s birth mother could be. Emma suddenly has the thought that Nelly could be Neil’s mother. Neil reckons that’s daft. She can’t be.