The not guilty verdict in Helen Titchener’s trial on Radio 4’s The Archers prompted thousands of comments on social media, with the show continuing to trend on Twitter for hours after the episode aired.
Along with thousands of members of the public, several celebrities and politicians tweeted about the special hour-long episode, during which listeners heard the jurors deliberate on whether Titchener was guilty of attempted murder for stabbing her abusive husband, Rob.
Actor Tony Robinson tweeted to express his relief, while the shadow justice minister, Jo Stevens, shared her delight at the outcome.
😍🍾💕👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻💃🏻🎉🎈🎊 Oh thank god #thearchers #FreeHelen
— Tony Robinson (@Tony_Robinson) September 11, 2016
Absolute 👏👏👏 to @BBCRadio4 @BBCTheArchers archers for brilliantly scripted/acted story of DV & women in #prison https://t.co/NRwwJ5XTR7
— Jo Stevens MP (@JoStevensLabour) September 11, 2016
Bianca Jagger, the social and human rights advocate and former actress, admitted to not previously being a fan but said that the domestic abuse storyline had inspired her to listen. Along with hundreds of others, former TV star, Anneka Rice voiced her concern for Titchener’s five-year-old son, Henry, who is now subject to a custody battle.
I’ve never listened to #thearchers before, but their decision to address the issue of #domesticviolence made me listen @BBCTheArchers
— Bianca Jagger (@BiancaJagger) September 11, 2016
I buckled. Just caught up. I'm on my way to get Henry #thearchers
— Anneka Rice (@AnnekaRice) September 11, 2016
Jenni Murray, presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, had been filmed listening to the episode for BBC Breakfast along with Polly Neate of Woman’s Aid and several super fans of the show. Cheers erupted as the not guilty verdict was read out. She tweeted her praise for the outgoing editor of the show, Sean O’Connor, who created the storyline and is now working on EastEnders.
Having calmed down, congrats to Sean O'Connor, outgoing editor of brilliant and important #thearchers season.
— Jenni Murray (@whjm) September 11, 2016
The domestic-violence-support charity Refuge, which Archer’s fan Paul Trueman launched a fundraising campaign in support of, took the opportunity to tweet some of the comments about real life abuse that had been posted on the Just Giving Page.
Trueman, who started the fund in February after listening to a particularly harrowing episode, tweeted how thrilled he was that Titchener was free and that his campaign reached its target of £150,000 as the show aired. It has raised another £4,000 since the verdict came in and many people are still donating.
Remember: Helen may be free but so many real women experience similar abuse #TheArchers pic.twitter.com/Uauo9FYCAR
— Refuge (@RefugeCharity) September 11, 2016
Helen is free. Rob is fucked. @RefugeCharity has nearly £200 grand in the bank. I call that a good day. #thearchers
— Paul Trueman (@paultrueman74) September 11, 2016
