A not-so everyday country scene in Ambridge

IT IS the moment Archers fans have been looking forward to for months – and such is the anticipation at Rob and Helen Titchener facing each other in court, that the BBC has hired a court artist to sketch the “scene”. Helen goes on trial in tonight’s episode for the attempted murder of her husband.

THIS IS the dramatic moment abusive husband Rob Titchener faces his estranged wife Helen across the court during her trial for attempted murder.

The long-anticipated confrontation was captured by court artist Julia Quenzler as Mr Titchener gave evidence against his wife in a domestic violence case that has gripped the nation.

She is charged with attempted murder and wounding with intent after stabbing him in their kitchen during a heated argument.

Perhaps the most moving moment will come when Helen’s five-year-old son Henry is called to give evidence. This, as listeners of BBC Radio 4’s

The Archers will know, is not the latest case to appear at the Old Bailey, but the culmination of one of the most compelling storylines in the history of the long-running drama series.

To inject further realism into the storyline, which has been both praised and criticised for its handling of the troubling question of domestic abuse, the BBC commissioned Ms Quenzler to make a visual record of the trial.

She has covered some of the most high-profile court cases of recent times, including the trial of Harold Shipman, the Soham murders and General Pinochet’s extradition hearing.

Ms Quenzler will produce sketches of the action in Borchester Crown Court just as she would in a real hearing, documenting a day-by-day account of what is happening. After 60 years on air, it is believed to be the first time The

Archers team has approved a visual depiction of what is happening in Borsetshire, generally preferring to leave the action to listeners’ imaginations.

The first picture, based on the appearance of Timothy Watson and Louiza Patikas, the actors who play Rob and Helen, show the couple in court during the opening of the trial. In the witness box stands Rob, smartly dressed in a suit and blue tie, being led through the evidence by a barrister, while Helen, Rob Titchener in the witness box at the trial of his wife Helen, far right, as imagined by court artist Julia Quenzler, the first ‘official’ visual depiction of events in The Archers gaunt after months in custody awaiting O’Connor promising it will be “both the start of the trial, sits in the dock. shocking and deeply moving”.

Other witnesses due to appear this Listeners who have eavesdropped week include Helen’s mother, Pat over years of sustained coercive control Archer and Rob’s mother, Ursula; Pc and abuse will be on tenterhooks to Harrison Burns; Ian Craig; Neil Carter see whether justice is done. and surgeon Mr Ellis. New sketches by Ms Quenzler will

The trial is expected to include some be published on The Archers website of the most dramatic scenes in the history and on social media after episodes during of The Archers, with editor Sean the trial week.

The artist, who has worked on real cases for 30 years and supplies drawings to the British press, said: “In this case, having to work from a script, I was working from imagination. I was given a few photographs of the actors but I was reminded that obviously many listeners have conjured up their own image of how each character looks. I was also told that the trial would be held in a typical 19th-century court building so I drew the sort of panelling they might have had.”

Having illustrated many real domestic violence cases, she said: “I’m often asked if I make the accused look evil. Generally, murderers don’t look like murderers.”

The trial of Helen Titchener begins at 7pm tonight on BBC Radio 4.