There's a slow hand clap for Knob. Will there be one for Toby? Discuss The Archers here.

[PseudoBadger]

Sorry for the poor title - the end of the last thread has arrived sooner than I thought and I haven't had the benefit of hearing all of the last 2 nights....

Re earlier posts about Helen - I suppose I just don't get as annoyed at Helen as many do on here. I've never said she's not a flawed character and no doubt she was unpleasant to Tony re the IVF. And turned out to be hypocritical by going back to BF. I suppose I've made loads of mistakes in my life, and I've certainly had ups and downs with my family so Helen's actions and personality don't annoy me as much.

As for Susan though, that's smother story, I can't stand how judgemental she is!

I loved the scene where Kirsty was telling Roy to ditch the polyester trousers. The SW must be eavesdropping here.

Poorly researched story today though because despite what Smugula said, frosty mornings do not lead to a good scent for hunting. You need mild weather with a SW wind and a cloudy sky for that.....

Loving Kirsty re-styling Roy !

Tonight's episode has painted a completely new picture of Roy for me, I didn't realise he was that bad!

What is Rob's role in the hunt? I thought that the subject of removing Rob from the position was what Oliver wanted to discuss with Shula. Can't believe she's been asked to take on a position that will cost her thousands each year. Who would do that?

Plenty of people do things that will cost them thousands a year but will give them some sort of superior status in the eyes of people they think count for something. A friend of mine used to work with a lowish-paid woman whose husband was not much better paid. They both came from families with a long tradition of sending their children to prep and public schools. They really, really couldn't afford this but regarded it as an absolute essential. My friend was aghast that her colleague talked openly about doing without food so that they could scrape the fees together.

How my friend forbore from telling her colleague that her own son had got into medical school and then into specialist training and a fellowship from bog standard primary and secondary comprehensive schools, I will never know.

I find it amazing that anyone would take on a voluntary role that could cost them thousands a year. In Shula's place, I would agree to take the job on only on strict condition that it was put on a safe financial footing with those taking part in the hunt paying sufficient membership fees to cover the costs.

I've known people take up things like Chairperson of Rotary (for example) of Hollerton. It's part of the job description that you support fellow Rotarians in Darrington, Little Croxley, etc by attending their annual 'Do' and buying lots of raffle tickets. They return the compliment.
There is an honorarium but no way does it cover costs. We're talking hundreds rather than thousands of pounds but the Hunt crowd are in a different league to Rotary.

I guess it depends if you enjoy it. I'm regularly out of pocket (not by thousands!) for a voluntary committee I'm on who can't really afford to pay expenses so I end up covering my own travel costs, buying the odd bit of food for entertaining, getting a few books, subsidising what we give visiting speakers etc. I don't really notice it as it's never a huge sum all at once it just adds up over the year. I really like the people and support the organisation so I don't begrudge them that but I do frequently wish we had enough in the kitty to cover such things.

If you hunt regularly you'd spend thousands anyway and as joint master who owns the best livery in he area you'd get the hireling business stitched so should be good for business. Btw, who usually field masters?

Has the fabric of Roy's trousers ever been mentioned other than in these threads before? nice to know our suspicions are listened to confirmed.

Hm, Shula's discussion with Alastair about the hunt may catalyse some reaction - his business isn't doing well, is it, so he wont be happy about her forking out thousands for what might be called her hobby, but it pales into insignificance relative to what his gambling cost her.

But presumably Roy is or was attractive ? I'm assuming if he isn't / wasn't neither Kate nor Elizabeth would have had anything to do with him. Carol Tregorran commented favourably too.

I have to say I don't picture him as good looking but that's his voice.

I always think Roy sounds a bit whiny. It's fascinating that Elizabeth found him desirable despite his obviously dodgy dress sense.

Francis I agree, I think Will has the perfect voice to be the "too creepy to be true" obvious suspect in police/murder television programmes, although I have also grown to like the character.

I didn't "believe" the Elizabeth and Roy thing at all. If he gets back together with Kate I shall eat my hat.

I'm expecting Shula to accept the MOH position at the hunt (with a bit of falling out with Alistair on the way) and then have to ignominiously give it up when it all comes out about her having gone to the police to confess to perverting the course of justice by protecting Rob's assault on the hunt sab.

I don't care about Shula and her boring marriage, but losing out on the MFH position - to a woman! - will annoy Rob. Another nail in his coffin. How long before the villagers burn him in effigy?

I think the cost of the hunt (which seemed to come as a surprise to Shula) backs up lengthy discussion some threads back about the unlikelihood of Knob being so involved - especially when he had just given up his job. It may be a surprise to non-hunting types (such as myself) but one would imagine not to the likes of Shula.

Is Kirsty introducing Roy to Tinder?

I think Roy is supposed to be short and hairy - Elizabeth's son described him as a 'hobbit' when raging about the affair. I think it's part of his general prole-iness.

Would it be part of Shula's job as MOH to decline applications for memberships? So it would fall to her to say no to Rob - at which point, he turns nasty about her 'pants on fire' moment with the police. Mmmm...Agree that the cost of being MOH (hunting already an expensive pursuit) could precipitate row with Alistair and chucking his past weaknesses in his face. Have never really been convinced by Shula's pose as a Christian - suspect judgement, rather than forgiveness, comes more naturally to her.

Agree that Kate is generally tiresome, selfish and off the scale in terms of maternal cheek. However, she did come across as fun in that conversation with Roy in Friday's episode, and you could see the attraction she might waft around. Unlike the sainted Hayley who, for all her undoubted merits,
did always trail around rather burdened and carrying a whiff of martyr. No, never said it was fair.

The Pip Presumption Protocol - brilliant