Lies and subterfuge in Ambridge - from a policeman? That's just not cricket! Discuss The Archers here.

[PseudoBadger]

Thank you R4 for the title.

Whatwhatwhat

The cow storyline ( technical agricultural terminology) is brilliant but Lillian and Justin are really irritating me. Are we supposed to believe that one minute she is completely unsure of her feelings but is now completely besotted due to a few days of justin playing hard to get. I will admit in my youth I may have fallen for that type of tactic but even I lasted longer than one week.

We used to have frequent storylines of livestock escaping. I don't know why they have blown this one up to be such a big thing.
Did you notice how Tom twisted it from 'the cows didn't have a certificate' to 'infected cows'. Tom is showing his nasty side - one minute laying into Johnny, next minute David.

Tom reverted to old Tom. Nasty.

I believe in Lilian's reaction. She has been needed about about abominably by Matt. Don't believe Justin would be so impetuous or dense TBH.

Desperate for Pip to be found out though. Will be so frustrated if she isn't. Bet she'll get away with it.

Needed??? Messed!!

Argh, I went on iPlayer to catch up with today's, only to find they've only got four scattered episodes on there, the most recent being the 26th. What's happened? How can I cope?

I managed to hear it on radio iplayer . Can't imagine Pip, coming clean when she hears about Tom n Brian's visit.

Just read a Guardian article. Robert Snell is a Surrey GP in real life!

www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/mar/31/surrey-gp-reveals-archers-character-robert-snell-graham-blockey?CMP=fb_gu

To be fair, I believe it has been widely known for years that the actor is also a GP, although he's obviously been discreet about it. It's just news this week because of his retirement. He was interviewed about it on Today this morning.

Thanks for the article, although klaxon includes a picture of the actor.
I can't believe more of his patients didn't know though - he's got a very recognisable voice. I remember annoying my husband once by immediately recognising Tim Bentinck in the first episode of The Thick Of It because he walks into the building talking.

Can't wait for Pip's denouement now. I think it must be Ed who's going to spill the beans. I can just hear him saying "I'm so sorry Adam, I had to come and apologise because I feel awful that it was my fault". And Ruth and David will be fuming because they've been swearing to anyone that'll listen that no cows have been off the farm. Bring it on

Hugh is starting to impress me. Yes we have sat through pip being an annoying twat for rather too long but I'm hoping the payoff will be epic!!

Me too Anti

I am so hoping to hear Pip's comeuppance!

I'm a bit puzzled by the IBR storyline. It seems too convenient that, if the Brookfield cows are carrying the disease, that they have a massive outbreak just after escaping and mixing with the only other two herds of cattle in Ambridge. I think Ibr can lurk at low levels without showing major clinical signs, which seems more likely given the cattle joined the herd 12 months ago.

It's set up nicely to blow apart the three farmers in the village though, isn't it? I didn't buy Brian asking Ruth and David to cough up for the vet bills - he is too much of a gentleman for that. And David and Brian seem to get on usually. I could understand Tom getting more irate, he is, perhaps misguidedly, trying to fight the corner of his fairly elderly father. But still not very neighbourly, given that they have no reason to think David and Ruth would lie about their cattle getting out.

That had occurred to me dfw - if Brookfield have had uncertified cattle for over a year why have they all developed symptoms just at the worst possible moment?! I don't mind though. Am in favour of artistic licence here as long as we witness Pip's fall from grace!

I saw the article about the Robert Snell actor too, but he doesn't look like that really in my head

IBR is part of the herpes family and can lie dormant, with the infection, like cold sores, coming back to life during periods of stress or when there's a wedding coming up.

I probably shouldn't be at the idea of cows becoming sick if there's a wedding in the offing.

Maybe running around the roads of Ambridge was stressful and that triggered the virus into action?

I'm just getting more and more irate at the thought of the odious Pip keeping her trap shut - with the encouragement of the equally odious Toebee - when she must surely, surely know that her own extended family will be in major trouble thanks to something that could very likely be her fault.

Even if there is a small element of doubt (which Toebee is expertly playing on), hearing the Dopeys so vehemently insisting that their cows have NEVER left the farm in order to cause the outbreak is just painful.

And to think they try to portray Pip as being intelligent, someone who's capable of taking over the farm one day Right now she's coming across as not having two brain cells to rub together.

The only thing keeping me going is the joyful prospect of her finally having to come clean. Bring it on....

I wondered if it could be the stress of calving that brought the virus to life? Can't remember the timing though.

Maybe there was a cow wedding that we just didn't hear about? Bring back AmbEx I say.

And you're right cheminotte - Robert Snell doesn't look anything like his actor

Presumably it's all going to come out when Ed says something casuually to someone- it probably hasn't crossed his mind that Pip would still be keeping it secret. He'll say something in the pub to someone about "if only I'd known- I'd never have put those Brookfield cows in with Adam's. But who'd have thought David would have uncertified cows in the herd?Shocking, isn't it?"

Listening again, Toby's argument is pretty weak. It's bound to come out that the cattle escaped. Ruth and David might even look like liars, people might think the whole thing is a cover up.

Well, I'd probably assume they were liars. More credible than Pip's behaviour...........

Has she forgotten ed knows? She's an idiot if she thinks he will keep shtum

I too would assume David and Ruth were lying and I guess the only way out of that for them would be to pay the vet bills