Annette, Sonja, Greg and Helen
9 April 2009

It's over five years since Helen last saw Annette, when Helen was living with Annette's father, the troubled gamekeeper Greg Turner.

Anne-Marie Piazza (Annette)

Greg and Helen got together in August 2001, when she was 22 and he was considerably older. Greg was head keeper at the combined Home Farm/Berrow Estate/Grey Gables shoot.

Initially they kept the relationship secret. Indeed, secrecy was a natural state for Greg. It took him a while to admit to Helen that he was divorced. His ex-wife Michelle lived in France with their two daughters Sonja and Annette (then 12 and 10 years old).

Once it came out, Tony thought Greg was a decent bloke. But Pat was always uneasy about the match, both because of the age difference and because of Greg's moody nature.

Family contact

After many years estranged from his family, Greg was staggered when Annette got in touch in October 2001, initially by letter and then by phone. He decided to visit his family in January (traditionally a quiet period for gamekeepers), upsetting Helen as this clashed with their plans for a holiday together. It was made worse when Helen discovered that Michelle was now single, having split up with her French boyfriend. On his return, Greg had to work hard to assure Helen that he had no feelings for Michelle.

In October 2002, despite Pat's concerns, Helen moved into Greg's tied cottage - what is now Casa Nueva, where Will Grundy and Nic Hanson live.

In May 2003, Greg spent more time with Michelle and the girls, but it was a difficult two weeks. One night, a drunken Sonja was picked up by the police at 2.00am. Michelle blamed Greg's absence and infrequent "disruptive" visits for Sonja's erratic behaviour.

Sonja visits

By July, Sonja disappeared altogether after a party. At Michelle's insistence. Greg flew over, but Sonja returned of her own accord a couple of days later. Needing some respite, Michelle asked Greg to have Sonja and Annette in Ambridge for a summer holiday. Greg thought it impossible because it was such a busy time at the shoot. But Helen persuaded him that if she took time off, and if the girls stayed at Bridge Farm, they could manage.

The visit was arranged, although Annette dropped out at the last minute. Sonja was unhappy for the first few days. She cried in her room, was snubbed by Alice and Amy and disappeared for hours, eventually returning smelling of drink. A furious row with her father ensued.

With Helen's intercession, and a big effort from the naturally dour Greg, they did eventually find common ground with Sonja, who returned to France on warmer terms with them both.

Season of bad will

Encouraged by this, Greg was enthusiastic when Michelle suggested that his daughters could come for two weeks at Christmas. But Helen dreaded the idea, as this is a very busy time at the shop and in the dairy. She couldn't take time off and Pat and Tony would be very stretched.

The auspices weren't good, and the visit had some real low points. Unhappy Annette ate hardly any Christmas dinner. And when insensitive Greg sent Annette with Ed Grundy to beat at the Boxing Day shoot, she was completely freaked out at the sight of the dead birds.

A trip to the ice rink was a rare happy moment that all four could share. But Sonja and her father were soon at odds when Greg embarrassed her on New Year's Eve in the Bull by very publicly dragging her away from a conversation with Jazzer.

As they packed, the girls told Helen how much they would miss her. But it was clear they wouldn't miss Greg at all.

Final chapter

Greg last saw his children in April 2004, when again summoned by Michelle after Sonja had been caught shoplifting. He returned saying that his relationship with them was worse than ever. It deepened his depression, and Helen found him increasingly difficult to live with.

She moved out soon after, which only contributed to Greg's decline. A month later, he committed suicide.

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