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Since Jim’s unexpected departure from his birthday tribute night, Ambridge residents speculated as to what could have caused Jim’s sudden attitude change. They saw him become withdrawn, hostile and unpredictable. After Shula persistently but gently encouraged Jim to open up, he finally felt able to reveal that, as a child, he had been sexually abused by a trusted family friend – the same man who had appeared uninvited on his birthday.

With his long-kept secret finally revealed to Alistair, Jazzer and Shula, Jim now faces the painful challenge of coming to terms with his past.

How the storyline was researched

Throughout the creation of the storyline, Archers Producer Dave Payne worked closely with SurvivorsUK, an organisation that offers support to male survivors of sexual abuse and assault. Rape Crisis were also key to the development of the storyline. While other continuing dramas have explored this issue before, Dave felt that a character like Jim, an educated man of a certain generation who’d buried his story for so long, could offer a unique perspective. Knowing what a huge undertaking this story would be, and the responsibility that came with it, the team consulted SurvivorsUK every step of the way.

The importance of the storyline

Depictions of sexual abuse in continuing dramas can help empower survivors of assault and abuse to open up. Katherine Cox, Supervisor, Counsellor and Groupwork Co-ordinator at SurvivorsUK says: “Hearing one’s own story reflected in drama can give people the words to describe their experience and help to make what feels unsayable more sayable. In a drama, a survivor can also use the reactions of others to reflect on possible reactions of people in their own life. People also use speaking about a storyline as a gateway into saying, ‘that happened to me too.’” Director of SurvivorsUK, Andy Connolly, explains: “In a world where [a survivor] might feel invisible or ignored, a high-profile story such as this can really help a survivor feel that their needs and experiences are represented in the public realm.”

Dave Payne explains how the story came about:

“I absolutely love Jim, Jazzer and Alistair in that bungalow and think they have each given the others a new lease of life. The actors are all fantastic and so adept at comedy, but I really wanted to challenge them and felt that they were perfectly primed to be tested with something different. One of our writers, Sarah McDonald Hughes, was keen to explore the issue of historic sexual abuse and the two things seemed to click into place. I’d always been interested in Jim’s back story and what made him so buttoned up and unemotional, and I thought it was such an interesting and emotional issue to explore from the point of view of an older man. Once I started writing the pitch it all just seemed to fall into place. Suddenly I understood Jim a lot more.”

As an “almost lifelong” listener to The Archers, Katherine provided a unique insight when advising on the story. “I know the world of Ambridge as well as I know my own. Thinking how particular characters would react in any given situation was like asking me how a friend would react to something.” The process has even persuaded Andy to become a regular Ambridge visitor: “Although I wasn’t a listener before advising on these scripts, I did start listening to get to know the characters and context to inform the work. I am now a fan! I have been so impressed with the emotional depth of the show, and listening has definitely helped me recalibrate what might be possible through this storyline, to aim for as realistic and nuanced a representation as possible. SurvivorsUK is so grateful to everyone at The Archers for bringing this issue to light and for their thought and care in getting it right. We tried to think about the script through the eyes and experiences of the people we work with, to try to represent their voices for social good in an empowering way. I hope that we have done them proud.”

If you have been affected by Jim’s storyline, details of organisations offering information and support are available at 大象传媒 Action Line.