Am I the only person under 40 who listens to the Archers?

[Emsiewill]

Feeling inspired tonight (nothing too deep, though!). Anyway, I often wonder, on a Sunday morning when listening to the omnibus edition of the Archers, if I am the only one of my generation (30-ish) who listens. I love it, and have been listening for 15 years, since I lived in France, and was missing Corrie, Eastenders etc. It was the only soap available to me (well, in English, anyway!). My mum used to listen, but now she's gone, I have no-one to gossip about it with, and that's half the fun of soaps - talking about them at work the next day. I think if I went into work and said "Ruth's pregnant, isn't it great!" I'd get some funny looks.
I'm hoping to find someone here who listens.

[Scummymummy]

No, you're not alone! I love the Archers (in the face of ridicule from all my friends!). My Mum used to be addicted too and I feel like I grew up to the sound of the Archers.
Do you think Ed Grundy will go to jail?!

[Bells2]

I too am a devoted Archers fan!. The rule in our house is that everyone has to leave the kitchen between 7.02 and 7.15 to leave me in peace which to be honest, is a large part of the ongoing attraction of the programme for me.... Really don't know about Eddie - suspect he won't end up in prison.

[Sid]

I'm a fan too (and 30-ish!), although I never get a chance to listen at 7.02 (upstairs doing bath, stories etc) - I always catch up by going into the Archers website and reading the message board - LOL. It is tough being a fan, I feel as if I'm definitely in a minority.

[Rosy]

I've been listening to it since I was a child (my Dad always had Radio 4 on in the kitchen, so I've also been listening to I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, and Just a Minute and things for years too. I'm now turning into my father.) If the theme tune comes on and dh & dd are still around I shoo them off to the bath and shut the kitchen door to get tea ready. I thought the storyline about the Archers inheritance was a good one, as it happens in alot of families. The ones I really love to hate are Lizzy & Kate - it's not so good now she's gone.

[Emsiewill]

Hurrah! I knew mumsnetters wouldn't let me down. I, too love to hate Kate and Lizzie. I don't think Ed Grundy will go to jail - it would kill Clarrie. Haven't ever checked out the website, but you've inspired me.
I also love "I'm sorry I haven't a clue" - especially the round where they sing one song's lyrics to another's tune. LOL

[Winnie]

I am an Archers fan too and 30ish. It is the only soap I am into and sometimes I vow I am never going to listen again but somehow find myself taken over. It is compulsive! Don't get me on the subjects of Helen or Susan Carter! I'd rather Linda Snail any day!

[Janh]

sid mentioned the website and the message boards. you would all love them! the homepage is:

www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/archers/index.shtml

and the message board page is best reached via the archers homepage or the BBC home page (www.bbc.co.uk).

there are 18-yr-old contributors and a lot are in their 20s. as well as kate and lizzie we all hate shula and jennifer and susan (although she has been nicer this last week!)

[Tusky]

I adore the Archers - always listen to the Sunday morning omnibus and if I'm working at home I listen to it in the afternoons. I can't be doing with Shula, miserable Neil & self righteous Susan Carter and Peggy Woolly though I am fond of Mr Woolly and Clarrie.

[Bossykate]

Me too! Me too! Although, reading this thread realise just how many of the characters really irritate me! IMHO, Dead Ringers has been the best programme on R4 recently - although I haven't heard a single one since ds born!

[Faith]

Please may I contribute...I am 41! But I was brought up with the Archers, and love it, and my mother has a wealth of historical ( should that be Hysterical?) knowledge. I loathe susan, but quite like Shula (we're similar ages!) and Elizabeth ( we both have twins!). Peggy is so smug and irritating. Whatever has happened to smarmy Simon? I really miss Nelson.

[Scummymummy]

Hi Faith. I miss Nelson too! (Jack May, who played him, was also Theoden in the Radio 4 production of The Lord of the Rings which I listened to as a kid and loved.) I also have twins and like Elizabeth. She is ornery and not boring- I think there are too many dullish characters getting airtime on it at the moment; Greg, Helen, Mike, Neil to name but a few. It's a shame Kate's not around to liven things up and provoke Hayley into temper tantrums. I also wish Janet and Tim had got it together- they sounded so right for each other!

[Faith]

Absolutely.. I had high hopes for Siobhan when she arrived, and I thought the storyline around her miscarriage was handled well, but then she rapidly degenerated into the village harridan, hurling herself humiliatingly at Greg.That Janet.. missed her chance to become a much more interesting character.

[Bells2]

Agree that Greg, Helen et al are dull but don't you think their dullness pales into insignificance when compared with the tedium of the Bert Fry / Joe Grundy ongoing rivalry??.

I really enjoyed the inheritance storyline but have found my overall interest flagging a bit in recent months. Dead Ringers is definitely my all time favourite Radio 4 programme - William Hague will be sorely missed!.

[Emsiewill]

I'm sooo glad I started this - after 15 years, I know I'm not alone. Dh is very tolerant of my obsession, but it's not the same as talking to someone who's actually interested.
Watching/listening to Corrie as I write this, does anyone else think that Dev's mother is the woman who plays Usha Gupta? (and isn't she a lot older than you would have thought?) Am I the only one who watches TV, hears a voice and knows that it's someone from the Archers - eg a while ago, there was a headteacher at Brookside Comp, I'm sure it was Nigel Pargeter (sp?). Also, there's recently been some adverts for "Coke" on the TV - one had a girl giving some bloke about 10 telephone numbers - I'm sure the girl is Debbie Aldridge (or whatever her married name is).
Talking of her - what was all that about at Hayley & Roy's (Ahhh)wedding, with Simon and the video - there's a storyline waiting to happen. After many years (two-thirds of my life for Corrie) watching soaps, I know that nothing ever happens except for a reason.

[Scummymummy]

Mmmm. I think you're right Emsiewill- Simon will have some explaining to do in the months to come. Perhaps Brian will biff him when his misdemenour comes to light?
I love spotting Archers on their forays out of Ambridge too- Elizabeth turned up as Mrs Coulter in my recorded book version of Phillip Pullman's "Northern Lights"!

[Bells2]

Oi! WHat's all this about Simon's misdemenour??> I was on hols at the time of the wedding. Please explain!

[Scummymummy]

Well- apparently he is clearly to be seen canoodling with a luscious young lovely on Hayley's wedding video! It really wasn't made much of at all but there was a little segment where Simon asked Hayley about the incriminating evidence. From her reaction- amusement- I'd hazard a guess that his crime was venial rather than divorceable/scalpable but who knows if Debbie would agree...especially in the light of previous allegations!

[Kjlkate]

Hi fellow fans. I've been listening for about - um - just added it up - twenty years! Gulp. I'm 38 so I started young. But then my mother remembers listening in the 50s - maybe it's genetic! The saddest thing was recently hearing the Emma storyline and finding myself saying thoughtfully, 'You know - I remember when she was born ...'!!

[Fordy]

Brilliant - my first look at mumsnet and as if that weren't good enough, Archers fans too! What is happening with Caroline - the Ambridge slapper - these days?

[Janh]

emsiewill - yes, it was debbie on the coke ad. she was also in some of the "people like us" programmes. and hayley was in "the office"(??) and kate will be "me julie" in the ali g movie. it is usha in corrie. they get about, these archers...

and, as far as simon and the wedding vid is concerned; it got back-burnered by the foot and mouth stuff in the summer. hasn't necessarily been abandoned...

[Emsiewill]

Janh, how do you know all this - do you have access to inside information, or are you one of the writers?

[Janh]

emsiewill - none of the above - i am just a dedicated reader of the archers website and message boards!

[Faith]

Oh dear, I think Brian's bitten off rather more than he's expecting with Siobhan the slapper. I predict tears...probably after bedtime.

[Janh]

I think you might be right, Faith - but then again it might just be a tease (which makes a change from cheese.)
And what about that Edward? Don't you just want to slap him?

[Emsiewill]

You've got me intrigued, now - I can't wait for Sunday morning to find out what you're going on about!