18/12/2023

Alan and Usha are impressed by how many people have turned up for the Gagricultural Show rehearsal, after Jakob agreed to Brookfield’s suggestion. Sykesy arrives, wanting to know who his competition is, then ambles off with his silent assistant, Bernard. When Jakob joins Alan and Usha he complains that everybody wants to go on first. Despite Lynda’s insistence that she should be given the honour, as promised, they draw names out of a hat to decide the running order - and Lynda’s comes out first anyway! Chaos then ensues once the rehearsal is underway, before Jakob imposes a three-minute limit on each act. He’ll use a bell and a hooter to let people know if they overrun or the content of their act is inappropriate. Later, Jakob is in his element as MC, timing Lynda out and warning Sykesy that his joke is unacceptable when he’s barely said a word. But come the middle of the night Alan and Usha can’t sleep – the run-through was desperately dull. What might just save it is a compere to pull it all together and Jakob is their best bet. When Emma gets an invite to Christmas drinks with her fellow Literature students George offers to look after Keira so Emma can go. When Emma finally gets back at two in the morning she’s considerably the worse for wear and witters on about a hilarious game they played. It’s the funniest thing she’s ever seen. Or the most embarrassing, George suggests. His mum is so going to regret this in the morning.