We love Charlie. But we want Adam and Ian to get married. What will happen in Ambridge in the pre-Christmas thread?

[PseudoBadger]

Just listened to Friday - we are 2 weeks from Christmas and David didn't even ask whether Ruth will be back by then?

selsigfach, you need a good therapist.

Oh, I'm listening to this properly now - didn't properly hear Ian giving Hellon the cold shoulder yesterday! Surely she'll catch on at some point?

I thought last night's episode was brilliant (in a hideous way, obviously). Clever little bits that could have been missed, but not by our sharp-eared crew (like Knob's slip up about the village hall refit - missed by JD) etc. The way he has now alienated Ian from Hellin is super chilling. And as for the food comment when he knows her history…. I agree he is desperate for her to start displaying unhinged behaviour so it is easier for him to justify keeping her under house arrest. Gripping, can't deny that. So I guess that merits a load of BOOP points. Bring on 7:03pm

We actually heard her fork clatter as soon as he said that, didn't we...

4/5 Helens are blonde IRL DDD

in my real life obviously! not trying to pass that off as a general statistic

Of the Helens I know it is 50/50

I keep remembering people I know called Helen now!!

Gruach

Off topic, but certainly, unreasonable behaviour covers infidelity, or perhaps even thoughts of infidelity as well as a multitude of other faults/wrongdoing. Not my intention to suggest that marriage has any moral high ground over CP, simply that there is a legal distinction between the grounds on which a marriage can be ended as opposed to those on which a CP can be dissolved. It raises an interesting point as to whether partners in same-sex marriage can now cite adultery in divorce proceedings whereas those in CPs can't.

It's interesting (to me anyway) why Adam and Ian decided to convert their CP into a marriage. The same legal protection is provided by both, though marriage offers slightly more pension rights. Perhaps they wanted to make a public statement of their continuing love for each other, rather ironically - or perhaps just give JD the opportunity to buy a new hat?

BYOS - I sincerely hope you don't mean you know 50 Helens and all 50 are blonde?

Me: 1/5
TTSF: 4/5
BYOS: 50%
We're split right down the middle. Anyone else got some data?

Hardly know any Helens which makes things tricky. But what about Helen on 'The Affair'? she is brunette. And the only one in I know in RL is brunette.

What about celebrity Helens? Starting off with Mirren in the blonde corner….

Helen baxendale is brunette

The more I think about it the more likely I am to get to 100 ddd!!

I just visited the page on the name Helen on the Wikipedia page, and clicked on each famous Helen listed. Where there was a picture, I made it about 2 non-blondes to every blonde.

I was amused to see "Helen" means bright, so you might expect it to be bestowed on the fair-headed!

The only Helen I know is Helen Mirren (I don't actually know her obviously) and I assume her hair is blonde though I think she advertises hair dye -so that is absolutely no help whatsoever

One thing I noticed on Wikipedia is a few Helens who were black or Asian, so naturally did not have fair hair. On the other, there appear to be a few Scandinavian Helens who I assume will tip the balance the other way...

and xpost

Yes, the whole area of conversion to marriage is interesting (and new to me ...) I've been avoiding mummytime's troublesome ( ) point about adultery mostly because I know pretty much nothing about matrimonial law and am afraid of digging an even deeper hole than I did typing after midnight and skimming over complexities.

mummytime You're right of course - but I can't comment on whether that effectively makes the divorce process slower, through having to prove unreasonable behaviour, or not. I gather from a quick consultation with google that the preferred direction is towards generalised no fault divorce for all rather than striving to squeeze "equalising" amendments into outmoded law.

I had a very horrid thought at about 3 am: perhaps they really are going to pursue an incredibly tedious divorce story with Ian unable to cite unfaithfulness because by deadpanning Rob he's indicated he knew about Pavel ages ago. Thus condoning it by continuing to live with Adam for more than six months. And on the other hand he can't claim unreasonable behaviour via Charlie and the NYE snog because it's hardly compelling as sexual infidelity. So he might be rather stuck if Adam prefers not to be hastily thrown over. How's Usha going to manage representing both of them?

Tbh I've always been happy to imagine TA Helen as looking like the dark haired actress who plays her. Perhaps I lack imagination. The Rob look just right for the part too.

What colour hair did Helen of Troy have?

In my head Archers Helen has very pale skin and auburn/red hair.

I'm a Helen and I'm dark (and guess what my husband's name is.......)

Helen Archer is fair. In my mind she looks a bit like Zara Phillips

One of my nieces is Helen & she's a redhead (just to mix things up a bit more )

I have always seen Helen Archer as blonde & slender with her hair in a French pleat (always. Never lets it down!)

Never been able to picture Helen at all, although I have images in my mind of everyone else.

I only know 2 Helen's - one is brunette and the other is grey!

Oh dear what have I started, I was being whimsical people.
On the other hand I imagine Rob to be a bit like Edward Fox in day of the Jackal. Such is imagination.

Only in the Archers do men do mass-cooing at weddings.

(Just listening again now I know it's all ok!)