Ben Edwards

Having created a solid set of characters, Ruth Jones has bravely loaned them to other writers for the odd episode. This week, Ben Edwards and Simon Ludders step in to deliver big developments and fantastic comic set-pieces. Sweet, stupid Karl is on top form painting Emma and Sunny's nursery, while Big Alan's crazed admirer Nancy corners him during a persistently weird meal.

Funniest of all is Dai's court appearance: moving our beloved gang of earthy eccentrics to somewhere august creates hysteria.