Don't blame it on a Grundy, don't blame it on Route B, don't blame it on Sean O'C, blame it on the badgers. Discuss The Archers of Prudhoe here.

[PseudoBadger]

I'm glad some of you appreciated my statistics. It may come as a surprise, but I have a life (and a paid job), so I don't plan to update with any more ages. If someone else wants to note any ages posted after my infographic and write them all in one place in a few days time, I can probably paste into my spreadshit and update. But I assume you've all had enough.

It would be interesting to know if there's anyone out there who is younger than 28 or older than 63 - surely, there must be some of the latter?

I think the listening at university for me showed how I was already hooked - it was always on at home, though it wasn't me who tuned in the radio. I also used to listen to PM to get the news (though never Today as I was never up early enough!) When I first moved to France - before the advent of the internet I used to listen to Radio 4 on long wave. Often it would be the ball by ball cricket commentary instead, but I used to leave it on anyway because it reminded me of being at home with my dad.

Zero OK, replace "stole" with seduced or shagged then, the point being that Ed had carnal relations with his brother's wife and that is a pretty shitty thing to do to a brother and not easily forgiveable.

There were two extras at the shoot -"Jozef"? a very rich Eastern European businessman with an equally exotically-named wife who kept monopolosing either Mrs Justin or Mrs Gibson and "Henders", whom I originally imagined to be Dutch but who turned out to be an incompetent but rich first-timer.

Sorry, "an incompetent but rich British first-timer.

Well, many posts from this morning have brightened my (very early) lunch hour! Thanks to all.

I strongly suspect my son, who appears to be immune to homesickness, would switch R4 off so as not to be reminded of home. He would, sadly, be one of those unfortunates who rush for the off switch as soon as he hears dum de dum de dum....

Mimsy, my 15yo son, too, when he goes away!

I enjoy this thread more than The Archers itself at the moment! Love the infographic and the pleasant pheasant talk.

The Archers has had some implausible plots in the past, though. Does anyone remember how "yokel"(!) George Barford had a total and instant character change to marry "toff" Prissy Chrissy (Christine, who was Phil's sister)? I think they were trying to show love across the Ambridge social chasm, so it was totally plot driven.

thankyou petula. Sadly I have no memory of the golf club incident either

Kathy was bullied by Martyn Gibson over a period of many months. Not pleasant. It was constructive dismissal in the end but she didn't make a claim, just got out and wrote it off to experience. However, it's affected her so badly she's scarcely spoken since (so good did come out of it).

PigletJohn

mink that is hilarious - kok kok kok describes quite a lot of the characters!.. and cheminotte love your typo (or was it?) of the peasants flying the wrong way

Class war in Ambridge would be brilliant. I reckon Soosan would try and join in with the toffs but would then become the yokels' Mockingjay when the toffs brushed her off.

Martyn Gibson was horrible. In his defence, I bet he liked a good spreadsheet.

Jessie AFAICR Emma was very far from the 'victim' in the "shagging 2 brothers" SL if anything she was the instigator.

Emma may have encouraged it but Ed could have resisted her. I didn't suggest that Will shouldn't also blame Emma! However "she led me on" and "true love" do not excuse Ed's betrayal of his brother.

If DDD isn't busy he could trawl through the previous (how many?) threads and give a definitive score for Team Will v Team Ed ...

God I can't keep up with these threads at all!!

Dad I'm 38 if you're still counting. Have been listening for 3 years or so.

Thanks to all who have explained the pheasant drives and procedures.. It may just be me, but how in any universe is this a 'sport'...? Breeding (too many) birds, training them back to food source an en route they get splattered by big brave men with guns...(but not yesterday obvs, not enough dead defenceless birds apparently)... Give me strength...this obviously appeals to the landed gentry but seriously, a sport?

Hello been lurking on this thread, more fun, possibly than listening to the last episode I am about to increase dadx3's over 50 demographic by one
Had a thought, delayed mass food poisoning from dodgy venison pasties?

I question the sense of casting Simon Williams as Justin. Even if he's not irrevocably associated in people's minds as whatsit Bellamy, his voice and accent still come over as quite upper class. And whilst it may well have been appropriate 50 years ago to portray the big cheeses in large City companies as upper class, it isn't really the case now. I originally pictured Justin as some young, dynamic go-getter, and that just doesn't fit the voice we're hearing now.

songbird, hoochy - please see my post at 11:34. I've stopped collecting ages for now. (Trying to stem the flow of "Dad^3 - I'm X years old" as it's starting to make this thread look a bit creepy... ).

I listened again: "Henders" is Stephen Henderson, an investment banker who BL and Damara Capita wanted to get on board. I'm not sure why.

I am sure the shoot episode is of vital importance in some way or other, but I am not sure why.

Yes, agree Ichimoi. Casting famous people is really disappointing. They should be saved for guest appearances... or maybe not at all (And well done on your spooky thread prediction )

Eek. Marking my place then going back to read pages 2 - 13. Thaks Badger for the new thread.

Probably been said before but maybe they're going to rename/rebrand as 'The Grundys'.

Hard to believe my ears listening to Ed and Will co-working together reasonably amicably albeit with inevitable underlying tensions.

May I suggest 'Never mind, Darling. How were the venison pasties?' as a thread title.

However distracted she might be by the séance I do think Jennifer was incredibly insensitive towards Adam.

I wonder if Home Farm could cut loose from BL altogether and just run as a farm but I'm unclear about how they are tied together.
Even Brian must hate being patronised by Justin, Adam certainly does. Brian would still have his shares and he should be thinking about retirement by now but Adam doesn't sound as though he'll put up with the situation much longer.

Thanks to minklundy I think I understand what went wrong with the shoot. Will has complained to his line managers, Adam & Brian, and alerted them to what the problem is but they've ignored him (won't stand up to Charlie on Will's behalf).

unitarian As I understand things Home Farm had been thriving and successful for ages and ages before Brian hooked up with BL. Tbh I've been quite puzzled by Adam saying his livelihood depends on the continuance of the BL contract. I'm sure it makes them all richer - but Home Farm has plenty of its own assets.