OMG - how exciting new Archers spin off show Archers Extra

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www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8385115/Archers-spin-off-to-follow-characters-outside-Ambridge.html

Just heard this announced on R4 - starts next month, how exciting.

I pad causing daft spellings

good posts SerialComma.

I never understand why Radio 4 feels the need to chase the yoof sector. When was the last time you heard Radio 1 chase the grey sector?

Yes R4 IKWYM it's as if they don't trust 30 and 40 yr. olds to find sensible radio once their hearing starts to fail . IMO it's the yoofful producers they employ trying to earn their salaries.

I don't get it either. I'm mid 30s and listen to BBCs 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7. I know which to choose depending on what mood I'm in. I don't need them messing with the style!

I literally woke up the other night thinking about this and felt quite stressed by it. I know they say you don't need to listen to both to get what's going on but if i don't I feel like I'll be missing out! And the logistics of how they're going to do it - it's witchcraft how they'll have all these other storylines that don't impact the story on R4 and vice versa. Oh my goodness. It's so stressful!

What a tasteless marketing ploy this is. As if the Archers isn't popular enough they have to turn it into another circus. Who will open the village fete? Jordan or Cheryl Cole yuk yuk.
Radio 7 is already struggling with the same old Paul Temple and Morse episodes being repeated for the nth time as well as the many other series. One would have thought that there would have been a huge back catalog for them to call on. All those fine dramas and series that have been made since Radio began.
I suspect the truth is that the bean counters made them re-use the tape and they have been lost forever, which is why 7 has such a limited schedule.

It gets worse. TA is going to 'guest' on GQT?
Or is it the other way round. Whichever it is - it's wrong wrong wrong

I heard that the back catalogue of desert island discs was going to be available on 4extra. I still remember laughing my socks off to Frank Bruno donkeys years ago when it was Sue Lawley, I'd love to hear it again.

They said with Desert Island Discs, they'd do things like rerunning an author's interview and then following it by a dramatisation of one of his/her works.

FER1 - re different storylines etc - On 'Feedback' they said the 'experiment' would have a series of 13 episodes and then a break for the Summer, so it is still a bit 'up in the air' as to whether things are really sorted out as to this being a long-running parallel series, or just something to gain R4 Extra listenership...

Sorry R4 who is TA? I so agree about GQT that ridiculous attempt at 'humour' when the panel is introduced drives me MAAAAD it is totally gratuitous I do listen to the programme though.

I wonder why the GQT panel don't gang up and suggest they strike until that crap 'humour' is removed, I would.

www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/ now has a big ad for Radio 4 Extra

ppeat - I think TA is (go on, kick yourself) 'The Archers' . They seem to be plotting for Ambridge to host GQT - Phil invited them apparently.

If that goes ahead will they have both GQT on the Archers (in abbreviated form as its twice as long) and the cast of the Archers forming the GQT audience?

Griima has it. It was on Tuesday's episode. Who on earth would be in the audience - can you imagine Bert accepting up the advice of the GQT team? Who will issue the invitation - some previously-unheard-of gardening society (full of silent characters) ... the allotmenteers of Lower Locksley ... the Flower & Produce Show committee ... ?

grimma I'm a dope thanks for the clarification i heard TA repeat mentioning GQT and getting Christine out of mothballs (IMO she's one of the worst actors on TA)!i always think RL and TA don't work well.

"always think RL and TA don't work well"

One contestant on a radio quiz show had a question about the opening of an event, by some famous person... I guessed it had been within TA but they were thinking RL and could not answer. That's plain unfair as (however popular TA may be,) not everyone will know plot lines covering months or years.

R4 - the late lamented Phil issued the invitation. GQT is renowned for showing up years after the original invitation!

I half heard that NetworkGuy it WAS unfair i don't remember which quiz show though! I think i'll complain about the pathetic humour on GQT what's the best way anyone?

ppeatfruit - probably a 13:30 Monday quiz, not "Round Britain" but the one with various retired civil servants in several heats...

Thanks NetworkGuy those quizzes annoy me a bit perhaps it's the smugness it seems worse on R4, i like Just a Minute and Sorry i haven't a Clue they work better on radio IYKWIM

Oh I love Round Britain. The utter impenatrability of the questions is very soothing...

I like Round Britain Quiz but I'm sure its easier than it used to be - I actually manage to get the connections sometimes even if not all the elements. And ISIHAC is incomparable.

Which brings me to that quiz question - it was surely Brain of Britain ('the one with various retired civil servants in several heats' indeed ) and while I didn't know the answer (the event was before even I was born), I was able to guess correctly from the information provided - Humphrey Lyttelton.

I listen to Round Britain quiz whilst at work and always find myself cheering on the one panelist who isn't a retired civil servant or teacher.I love it when a bus driver or the like thrashes them.[I don't get out enough.

I haven't listened to TA since the end of Nov and nothing much seems to have happened.A bit annoyed about the GQT storyline though,it seems like self advertising to me.

Another blimmin' annoying thing is on the Making History programme,where every few minutes someone says 'Mr Blah de Blah from Essex contacted us on Making History.co.uk to ask us why xxxxxxx' Then 3 minutes later,we hear 'Mrs Timewaster from London contacted us on Making History.co.uk to comment on last week's piece on 17th century dunnies' Either they are desperate for people to contact them or they have so little to fill the programme out with,that they have to keep giving the site address to pad it out and use up air time.

I feel better for letting that out.

NO - don't say that Round Britain is getting easier! I thought I was getting more intelligent and better educated. [very sad]