Episode 2877 (21st March 2001)

==Plot==
Robert is being questioned in court. He says he got back to the farm at 6:30pm and could see straight away that the barn was on fire. Jack told him to ring 999, and Jack went down to the barn as he could hear noises in there. Robert said he got a sinking feeling when he saw Richie coming out of the barn and he realised that his mother would be there too. Robert says that Richie was coughing and grabbed his father and said what have you done. Jack had no idea what he meant. Robert says it was like a bad dream. Richie wanted to go back in the barn, but he was in no fit start so Jack went in instead. Robert admits to never ringing 999 as he was so worried about his mother and father. Nicola arrives at Jack's house to see Emily. Ed is playing with Emily. Nicola goes into the kitchen and tells Ed how much trouble he has caused, she says he is like the Scarlet Pimpernel. Nicola asks if Ed saw their ad but Emily says she met Ed at the bus stop. Nicola says it is all to do with fate. Robert is questioned about the stage at which he saw his father. Robert said that Andy definitely came from the house. Robert said that he had been to Kathy's house, he is asked why he was there. Robert said there had been an argument about him going on a school trip. His father didn't have the money so he asked his mother and Richie ended up giving him it. When Andy found out he was very cross, so Robert went to stay at Kathy's for two nights. Robert thought that his father might be cross. Eric goes up to the farm and asks Lisa where the special materials are. Eric explains to Lisa about the money he gave to Zak. Lisa says that he is probably at the merchants right now. Kathy comforts Robert when he comes out of the court room. Robert thinks that the court think he is guilty. Andy is called in. Victoria shows Ed around the farm and Nicola and Emily chat about Ed. Nicola asks Emily if she will introduce him to her family, Emily says she won't as it might hurt the Dingle family. She would feel like a traitor. Andy swears his oath. Mr Hamilton-Jones asks him what happened on the night of the fire. Ed arrives back in the house and says he has had a great time but must go. He won't tell Emily what his interview is for and says that people often laugh at him for turning up early but he thinks it has turned out alright today. Andy says that he saw his father inside, asleep on a chair. Andy went upstairs but did not actually know what his father did when he left the living room. Andy says he did not see his father leave the house. Andy runs away, his father shouts at him not to be stupid and Andy says it is all Jack's fault. Andy goes back into his house followed by Kathy and Robert. Kathy is annoyed with Andy and says that he is going the right way about putting his father in prison. Kathy says that the judge is willing to forget about today, but tells Andy to go in and answer the questions tomorrow. Andy tells Kathy that she doesn't understand anything and to go away and never come back. Kathy says she is only trying to help. Andy tells her she is hopeless at it and there is no wonder that she can't keep a bloke long enough to have any of her own children. Kathy tells him to go to his room. Andy walks out and tells Kathy to drop dead. At the farm, Cain and Zak get out of their van and Lisa and Eric ask where the materials are. Zak produces a screw driver, Eric is not impressed. Zak tells Eric that the contents of the van are vital to all their work. Zak opens the van, it is full of beer. Zak tells Eric that 3 weeks ago yesterday, he had promised Dingle and Kirk General Builders a van load of beer as part of the contract. Eric says he is the wrong man to cross. Lisa congratulates Zak, and says it is for Butch's anniversary. In the pub, Betty talks to Edna and Seth about court proceedings. Betty says she saw a new side of Jack, both his sons seemed scared of him. Betty proclaims Jack innocent. Diane tells them all to be quiet. Andy is at the Dingles, Cain is giving him beer. Andy is saying that he can't go in the witness box again, if he keeps lying then it looks as though his father guilty. Cain says that it is Richie who is trying to put his father down. Andy asks Cain what he should do. Cain says do nothing. Andy says he has to do something because it is his father and he owes it to him. Cain says that if Jack goes down, then in a few weeks Andy and him will break in through Richie's window and Richie won't even know what has hit him. Jack is sitting on the floor in the prison, muttering to himself. Harry tells him to be quiet, and to change his plea if life is that bad. Andy takes a crowbar and breaks in to Richie's house. Diane is sitting in her sitting room, Bernice comes in and apologises for not taking the whole Jack thing seriously. Bernice asks her mother how she thinks it is going. Diane tells her to go home and pours herself another drink. Andy enters Richie's bedroom and threatens to smash Richie's face in. Richie keeps saying he saw Jack start the fire, Andy says he is lying. Richie suddenly realises that it was Andy who started the fire. Andy says that his father was asleep. Richie says that he and Sarah heard footsteps so they hid behind a bale, Sarah said it was Jack and then they smelt the petrol. Richie leaps out of bed and pins Andy on the floor, the boys fight. Richie asks if Andy hate his mum that much but Andy replies that he did it for insurance purposes. Richie tells Andy to ring someone and tell the truth, Andy says he might; it would show what a liar Richie was. Andy then says he won't bother and tells Richie to do as he likes. Andy throws his crowbar onto the bed and leaves.
==Cast==
===Regular cast===
*Robert Sugden - Christopher Smith
*Jack Sugden - Clive Hornby
*Diane Blackstock - Elizabeth Estensen
*Alan Turner - Richard Thorp
*Betty Eagleton - Paula Tilbrook
*Richie Carter - Glenn Lamont
*Angie Reynolds - Freya Copeland
*Emily Dingle - Kate McGregor
*Nicola Blackstock - Nicola Wheeler
*Ed Wills - James Midgley
*Victoria Sugden - Hannah Midgley
*Eric Pollard - Christopher Chittell
*Lisa Dingle - Jane Cox
*Kathy Glover - Malandra Burrows
*Andy Sugden - Kelvin Fletcher
*Zak Dingle - Steve Halliwell
*Cain Dingle - Jeff Hordley
*Edna Birch - Shirley Stelfox
*Seth Armstrong - Stan Richards
*Bernice Thomas - Samantha Giles
===Guest cast===
*Geoffrey Hamilton-Jones QC - Nicholas Blane
*Justice Michael Thornton - Anthony Schaeffer
*Louise Salisbury - Caroline Strong
*Hilary Browning QC - Sarah Parks
*Harry Thompson - Tony Broughton
==Locations==
*Hotten Crown Court - Courtroom and foyer
*Melby Farm - Farmhouse (kitchen and lobby)
*Wishing Well Cottage - Barn
*The Woolpack - Public bar
*Pear Tree Cottage - Richie's room
==Notes==
*Caroline Strong makes a pre-Mel Doland appearance as Louise Salisbury.
*Viewing Figures: UK broadcast - 11,330,000 viewers (9th place).
Category:2001 episodes
Category:Emmerdale episodes