This week in Letherbridge…
MONDAY
Sid confides in Jimmi about his concerns for Tye going to Borneo – what if it’s a scam? Jimmi convinces him to do a background check into charity running the project to put his mind at rest. His worries only grow when Tye goes on an excessive shopping spree for Borneo supplies.
Meanwhile, at The Mill, things are still frosty between Luca & Scarlett. She complains to Suni about how it’s making living at Emma’s together awkward, so he suggests she stay with him tonight.
TUESDAY
Scarlett can’t look Nina in the eye after being caught in flagrante pleasure in a place Nina would rather she hadn’t. Later she takes out her frustrations on Suni, then realises the real problem is not having her own space while Ruhma fills in Kirsty on the midwife wars, and has a successful day treating pregnant women.
Poorly Dom Easton is given a smoothie by his chef husband Zion Easton who worries about Dom’s mysterious illness before leaving for work. Dom finishes his drink and immediately vomits – he calls Zion in a panic and tells him there’s blood in it. They head to The Mill for a drop in appointment with Zara, who overhears the two arguing in the waiting room. As she examines Dom, Zara notes how tense they seem but Dom waves away her concerns.
Back home, he microwaves a prepared meal by Zion. Zara gets Dom’s blood test results back and finds there are traces of ipecac syrup in his system – Dom is being poisoned. Zara rushes to Dom and Zion’s home where she finds Dom in excruciating pain on the brink of collapsing.
WEDNESDAY
Betty Wheatcroft is 71 and marching down a remote country road. We see Young Betty doing the same thing in a flashback to 1967. Nina and Suni turn up at an antiques shop and Suni implores her not to haggle over pennies, but it’s clear this is the fun for Nina. They enter Montclair Antiques and meet St John Montclair and he and Nina begin haggling over a brooch and Suni decides to exit for coffee. Betty appears outside the window of the shop and sees a vintage record player.
In 1967 we see Betty and Frances Proud excited over a new record Betty has bought.
Present-day, Betty seems slightly manic as she asks about the record player. She sees the brooch, pockets it and leaves while St John calls the police. Nina follows her and joins Betty who is on a mission to get somewhere. Nina realises she’s been in hospital and tries to get her to explain her situation. Suni returns to the shop and St John accuses him of being part of an elaborate theft.
As Nina walks with Betty we get to know her and her story. She is a lesbian and fancied Frances Proud, and tried to kiss her which surprised Frances. In flashback we see this and how she and Betty admit they love each other. They make a plan to run away to London together and agree to meet at their meeting point. Betty gets there, but Frances isn’t there. Instead, she sees her dad and tries to run away from him. She fails and is taken back home.
Betty explains to Nina that she was sent for aversion therapy to cure her of her lesbianism. Nina feels terrible for Betty. At the meeting point Betty sits on a bench and finds a plaque commemorating Frances, who has clearly been visiting the spot. Nina gets Betty back to the antique shop where hospital staff are waiting to take her back to the psychiatric ward where she is an inpatient, and Suni has been charmed into buying some antiques from St John.
THURSDAY
A nervous Jenny doubts her abilities whilst being supervised by Ruhma, but her panic increases into severe breathlessness. Tye visits The Mill to speak to Bear, trying to avoid Sid however Sid turns up at The Mill just as Tye is about to leave, so he’s forced to hide in Bear’s office.
Luca visits Millie who is recovering from a windsurfing injury at her overprotective mother’s house. Millie breaks down whilst Luca changes her dressing, and his red ribbon brooch leads her to admit she just found out she has HIV, but must have had it for two years.
Struggling to come to terms with this, Millie hasn’t spoken to the specialist or reached out to the helpline. Luca urges her to seek treatment and tell Alison. He also tells her about The Ribbons – An AIDS and HIV memorial sculpture in Birmingham.
Doctors, Monday to Thursday at 1.45 pm on BBC One and the iPlayer.
