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While Rob presents himself as a charming and capable family man to the outside world, he has other traits that only appear in private.

He arrived in Ambridge to take up the role of herd manager at Berrow Farm, Borchester Land's 'mega dairy'. He had experience in similar set-ups in the USA and Canada. At the time, Rob was married to but a passionate affair led to becoming Mrs Titchener.

Rob’s controlling behaviour initially appeared as persuading Helen to cut her hair a certain way and wear clothes that he liked on her. After quitting at Berrow Farm he muscled in on her job at the Bridge Farm Shop. Rob justified his choices for his, now pregnant, wife as providing the care she needed in her fragile state. While Rob’s coercion of Helen was unseen by the rest of Ambridge, Helen’s best friend had concerns but she couldn’t find a way to raise the alarm.

When Helen told Rob she wanted to leave, he reacted angrily and their argument led to Helen stabbing him in front of her 5-year-old son . Rob’s injuries were almost fatal but he recovered. Helen was charged with attempted murder but was found not guilty. While on remand she gave birth to their son. Helen named him Jack Anthony Archer but Rob wanted to call him Gideon Robert Titchener.

Rob left Ambridge after being fired by and failing in his attempt to kidnap his and Helen's son.

• Likes - Good wine and food, being in control, playing cricket – and winning!
• Dislikes - Inefficiency, people who don't follow his orders
• Highs - Saving Shula, Alistair and Christine in the 2015 flood and being proclaimed a hero
• Lows - Helen being found not guilty; being ostracised by Ambridge

• (Mother)
• Bruce Titchener (Father)
• Miles Titchener (Brother)
• Jack Archer aka Gideon Titchener (Son)

• (Wife)
• (Mother-in-law) Any warmth Pat felt for Rob disappeared during Helen's trial
• (Foe)
• (Employer)

Rob’s arrival in Ambridge – and the reason for it – was not universally appreciated. I’m enjoying playing his process of navigating through the controversy.

He’s a man determined to look for the positives, despite not wanting to have left Canada. He is keen to become part of the community and is skilled at deflecting any criticism of the Borchester Land dairy project

Timothy was born in Berkshire, enjoyed a happy childhood growing up in Hertfordshire and moved to London aged 17 to train as an actor at The Central School of Speech and Drama. Since then, he has been fortunate to have worked steadily in theatre, television, film and on radio.

On stage he has appeared regularly in the West End, toured the length and breadth of the country countless times, and acted in over fifty productions in repertory and other theatres. He has also toured, and taught, in Philadelphia and across the US.

He has made numerous appearances on TV and film, including series regular Mr Perez, Maitre d’ of the Palm Court Restaurant in Mr Selfridge. In 2013 he appeared in the feature film Silent Hours.

Timothy has always been particularly fond of radio drama. He first appeared in The Daughters of Venice, written and directed by Don Taylor, in the early 1990s. Since then he has been heard in many an afternoon play or classic serial. A particular favourite was playing Damon Wildeve in The Return of The Native for Rosemary Watts.

Timothy is also a busy voice-over artist. He has narrated nearly a hundred documentaries, has lent his voice to a wide range of advertising and has recorded multiple voices in over thirty video games. He voiced both James Bond and Auric Goldfinger for the Bond ‘Legends’ game, released in 2012.

Timothy lives in beautiful rural Hampshire, with his wife (actress and writer Helen Grace) and their two children.

I’ve been listening to The Archers since childhood and to join the cast is, truly, an ambition fulfilled.

Recording a two handed scene with Carole Boyd early on was a great thrill. To be on the receiving end of Linda Snell’s withering view of Rob’s stance on the badger issue was quite something and marked the point when I felt I’d truly arrived in Ambridge!

I can’t deny really enjoying Rob’s win at the Single-Wicket cricket. Mostly because it would never happen in real life.

Filming in Paris with Anthony Hopkins was memorable. It was a Graham Greene story, The Tenth Man, directed by Jack Gold. I had many scenes with him. I was young and inexperienced, but he was kind and patient (and a tiny bit scary) – and I learned a lot.

Playing The Actor in The Woman in Black in over a thousand performances taught me about the discipline of long runs. I am a huge fan of the show.

Playing The Elephant Man in my first job, at The Royal Theatre Northampton, was quite an experience and a memory that I treasure.

Actor - I was a huge fan of Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em as a child. And seeing Michael Crawford as Billy in the musical of Billy Liar at Drury Lane made a big impression. So, him.

Book - Any novel by Ian McEwan, but if I was left with just one book, Thomas Hardy’s The Woodlanders. I studied The Mayor of Casterbridge at school and was hooked on Hardy from that point. Of all the great 19th century novelists, it was his world that captivated me. The Woodlanders was, I believe, his favourite – and you can see why. His story-telling ability was crystalized to perfection. There’s no finer evocation of rural life and love in an age long gone.

Film - The English Patient. Heart-stoppingly beautiful, moving, immaculately acted. Epic. Everything real cinema should be.

...play Sweeney Todd.