NOOOO David

[missthing]

Oh God, I've been dreading this coming, thought it might be avoided - why why why WHY did David tell her???

I wish they wouldn't drag storylines out quite so much on The Archers. I love it but so often it becomes quite tedious and, when I listen to the Omnibus on a Sunday, it is quite clear that actually NOTHING has happened all week and it feels quite tedious sometimes (the build-up to Matt Crawford's trial, yawn). And even when it gets exciting, it often seems rather anti-climactic (poor Nigel) and sad. Why do lovely, good things rarely happen in the Archers?

Cos it's real life, innit!!!

I can't help worrying that it might be really important that Oliver didn't get to finish his chat with David last night....

I think the Lizzie/Roy thing won't be an affair, just that Lizzie will come to rely too much on him and expect emotional support as well as him being her business manager. Cue lots of angst from Hayley, all made more tricky as they all work together.

So are we building up to Hayley getting really cross about the Kate/Phoebe thing, so that Roy storms off and does Lizzie, Chatterly-style?

Noooooo Grockle - the whole point of the Archers is that 'nothing happens' for ages and ages and even when something does it's on a very slow burn and interspersed with lots of nothingness... I agree with the omnibus, it is too much to listen to in one go but it's perfect for 14 minute chunks 6 nights a week. Part of it's appeal for me as well is that you can miss a couple and not need a huge 'previously on the Archers' to work out what's going on.

I think I said in the run up to SATTC that I found the whole section devoted to mislabelling yoghurts a welcome respite from the foreshadowing of IMPENDING DOOM that clunked along through the whole of December, that to me was the essence of the Archers and why I love it!

I agree though that good and lovely things so rarely happen, apart from Kenton/Jolene there's precious little of it at the moment - they need to bring back Adam and Ian for a few episodes as they're normally pretty good at gentle, normal happiness...

I think the most 'Archers' moment ever, for me, was poor Freddie, recently bereaved of his father, acting out the despair he was too young properly to articulate by..... asking for some rhubarb, which was not then in season, or failing that, Sussex Pond Pudding.

Excellent!

I like it for the same reasons, too Ace. I just sometimes feel the need for something more... Perhaps I need to discover EastEnders or the like but I'll never leave Ambridge!

Agree with Ace - the whole point of the Archers is its tedium!

I think Tim Bentinck looks pretty close to my idea of David, actually! Look - "He is also an inventor with several patents to his name, a computer programmer, web site designer, guitarist, banjoist, songwriter, author, travel journalist and house renovator." - he'll have plenty to fall back on when Evil Vanessa pushes him under the 9.35 to Felpersham.

me too, reshape. although Ruth (ie Felicity F) only comes up to his armpit, which isn't right

did you know he is also the voice of Mind the Gap on the tube?

\link{http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/img/features/the-archers/anniv/david-and-ruth.jpg\david & ruth}

He is Mr Mind the Gap? That's hilarious. If only he had screamed that to Nigel.

Or alternatively it would be great if he just shouted "Nigel!! Nooooooooo!" whenever someone stepped incautiously from a tube train.

I'm impressed that the Beeb took the trouble to plant them in a real field for that mugshot, rather than just fake it on photoshop

Mr Mind the Gap (Picadilly line) IIRC

they recorded different voices for different lines??? how inefficient!

David is not about to croak. Another grieving widow would be ridiculous - and I find Ruth ridiculous enough already.

He might do a Joe Grundy, though, and shoot all the Herefords followed by Pip - no, sorry, what's the dog's name?

I agree, but then again I thought another grieving widow would have been ridiculous on the heels of Jill and Jolene, and whaddya know......

Yes VW seems to have ignored the fact that Jill Archer now has TWO daughters who have been tragically widowed in accidents. Not to mention the tragic death of John Archer and Grace and Paul Johnson (rotter though he was)

I think Susan's reading of Cranford is more convincing, to be honest.

And doesn't Jennifer know it's usual to refer to 'Elizabeth' Gaskell these days?

I wouldn't give life insurance to anyone in a soap opera

I think Susan's reading of Cranford is more convincing, to be honest.

argh... DH called me out of the kitchen just as Susan was about to start her exposition. I really wanted to hear her take on it! (hopefully will catch lunchtime repeat)

Just caught up on this on iPlayer. This is why I love the Archers. Lots of gentle foreshadowing, slowly played out, but this really could SATTC, nicely done R4 writers.

Other than I am on Ruth's side. Which is unnatural. And wrong. Damn you R4 writers!

After tonight's episode I think an affair between Roy and LL is definitely off. In fact, if I was Roy, I would be discreetly asking Caroline if I could have my old job back. Why on earth has Lizzie employed Roy if she is going to neuter him do his job for him. And she's such a cold fish - sounds like she's talking to a answerphone - why would anyone want to work for her!

Off subject, but I was wondering this today as I listened to the omnibus podcast [middle-aged emoticon]: What is Hayley's job, exactly? She used to be a nanny didn't she, & now she appears to be all over LL.