SOC reveals he's a quitter whilst Keri sews up plot holes on Twitter about the wicked wife-sitter! Discuss the Archers here.

[PseudoBadger]

Not long until our thread's 3 year birthday!

Actually, I think johnny should do the budgets module... Let's face it, Ed would have got on a bit better if he'd had a better grounding in managing his money. You don't have to be a high flying manager of a large unit to do budgets. Shearing is something that Ed and Jazzer could teach Johnny at weekends, but if Johnny wants to be a self employed shearer, or join the family business, he needs to learn about managing money. Not that I would ever tell Rob I agreed with him, of course.

Johnny can learn about money later. Hopefully from tony, not rob.

I was holding my breath when Kirsty and Tom were talking

Kirsty and Tom are so going to get back together.

Don't say that Lillian!! Kirsty would lose all credibility.

She gets cheated on, then feels like rebound girlfriend because Tom pines after Brenda, then gets jilted - get some self respect Kirsty!!

By the way ddd psychopaths are quite common. Estimated at 0.5 to 1% of the population. (Other than in prison, they are common in business where they are often quite sucessful)
Going against the tide I think its quite possible he is a psychopath. Most psychopaths - superficially charming, self important but ruthless and self centered.

I think my ex is sociopathic.

Yes, I've heard that statistic before - does seem high, and I wonder how that data was collected?

Of course, he could be a psychopath, but what is annoying is that it doesn't feel that the SW originally mapped his character as psychopathic, they've just alighted on that more recently as a way to ratchet up the behaviour.

Lilian your big day out at the Paris Salon d'agriculture sounds formidable! I used to love the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh but I'd be in 7th heaven if it was all in French!
When you say it featured in TA a while ago, was it Brine and JD who went? That rings a faint bell. Though I also remember Brine and Siobhan having a dirty weekend somewhere in France and am wondering if he used the show as a cover. But that would be much longer ago.

Yeah but no but BYOS - it's a different Tom so it's fine for Krusty to hook up with him, init?

In 2011, Brian, Matt and Lilian went to Paris. I think Brian went to see Siobhan when she was living in Germany - can't remember whether it was before or after she told him she had cancer, though.

What is somewhat difficult to believe is that Johnny should think that Rob's career path is something to aspire to. After all, this is the man who went from running a large farming business to part time shop assistant,and even that job he got through his wife.

World Book Day can actually be a big waste of time if the object is to celebrate books as most of the dressing up seems to involve children Screen character versions of book characters. I had an involvement with it and schools for some years and have a professional interest in the subject, but feel rather jaded.

Much better to pick up some of the bloody litter.

I actually thought that Johnny's business module was quite a good idea. For the reasons mentioned!

Lil'G your Salon d'Agriculture day sounds utterly splendid. What I'd like to know is whether the French farmers were talking about Brexit - they're surely more aware of the issues than Ambridge farmers appear to be.

It's annoying; the SWs have had plenty of time to work it into the chat at the Bull or in the fields at Brookfield. I'd have thought Eddie would have an opinion one way or the other - and I'm surprised there's a single moment at Home Farm when Debbie isn't lecturing Brian over the phone. Although perhaps they're saving that for one of those two character episodes nearer the time ...

Still remember the general shock and awe when Home Farm were considering their first combine harvester - was it 50k? Some absolutely terrifying figure anyway. Does any other farm in the village have one now or do they all still wait for a few hours of Adam's time come harvest?

What's the name of the French Samaritans?

I never understood the whole 'big wedding' for Kirsty.it was just not her. I'm in the get together camp.
We need a suitable end for the Knob era, preferably some kind of public shaming. Does the village green have stocks?

Could Kirsty and Hellin not get together instead?

Or both Tom and Kirsty could go OLD and bring in some new characters.

Joining the 'get together' camp…..

The archers is apolitical so there is never chat about elections/Scottish independence etc. It would be very difficult for the sw to get it right without showing any bias

Stocks? Stocks for his reign of psychological terror? No way. I shall send the SWs the complete works of Sarah Kane. Then they'll know what to do with him.

If Kirsty started a thread in relationships with her back story would any of you actually say 'yeah, he sounds like a keeper, go for it'

Can't we have higher aspirations for her? I find it really sad that after all that Tom put her through that people think it would be nice for her for them to get back together.

In RL I should think it would be very difficult for Kirsty to rebuild the trust and to get over the hurt - regardless of the love felt. In TA maybe K will move out of Ambridge once her time as plot-device-mover-on-er is over. Getting back with Tom and into his sausage obsessed life would be lame.

Just thinking about Rob & Helen. If Helen us a director, would she get a wage? Wouldn't it make more sense for her to work for nothing and get dividends when the shop starts to make money?

Bridge farm finances are a complete mystery. Maybe Johnny should do a business module!!

I actually think Johnny would be better getting the practical modules done - getting confidence and getting work. Once he starts earning money a money module would become useful and practical. He would struggle with it while it is just theory

If Tom came back from Canada as quite literally a different person, Kirsty has come back as herself - not as a bridezilla who wanted a massive bells and whistles wedding and a massive mortgage on a new build house away from Bridge Farm (which is what would have happened if the SW had gone through with the wedding and she would have been stuck in her new persona rather like the wind changing when you pull a face) I think if she and Tom do get back together she will be herself which I think would be acceptable and apart from anything else Knob would absolutely hate it. Pat loves Kirsty and will listen to her without feeling disloyal to her son-in-law once she is back in the fold of the family. They don't even need to get married.

Tom runs a very successful business and so does Pat. Helen did well with the shop before Rob stuck his oar in. Johnny can learn from them.

and apart from anything else Knob would absolutely hate it.

Gosh, yes! I'd forgotten that - when Tom and Kirsty marry their children will be in direct competition with SOK (and Henry) for all the spoils of BF, including Peggy's remaining money. It's going to be hilarious (for Rob to cogitate upon from his prison cell ...)