All we hear is Radio Carter - come and gossip about The Archers here

[PseudoBadger]

Hides in laundry rooms

Brenda and Chalky?

Tom is a bit thick

You can say that again. o

Brenda and Chalky.

Brenda Tucker is Roy's sister. She used to live with Tom and work for Amside (i.e. for Matt and Lilian). This was a touch awkward as she had previously gone off with Lilian's toyboy Scott. Matt thought Brenda was great, Lilian was less impressed.

Stephen Chalkman was a friend of Matt's. He and Matt both ended up in prison for fraud (nothing to do with Amside, it was before that). Brenda had worked Matt back then too, while she was a student.

I can't remember the ins and outs of what happened, but have a dim memory that when he got out of prison Chalky made threats against Brenda and Matt. Can anyone else remember in more detail?

Ruth: Daveed, have we been such bad parents?
YES!

Tonight's episode - the Dopies suggesting Josh's not telling them sooner about his decision not to go to uni was not just on a par with Pip's lies about IBR but actually worse because he wasn't showing remorse. Horrible.
Then they made comments about Pip having to miss the cricket, and Josh could have given up his place instead to help out on the farm. It's not Josh who put them in the financial doodah you dopey Dopeys!
Then Pip makes a snide remark about Freddie sulking - no Pip he's not sulking he's quietly reminiscing about Bonnie and the best night of his life and plotting how to get away from all the hideous Archer clan for ever.

It's very telling that Josh couldn't sit down with his parents when he made his decision and discuss it properly - eg whether the farm could support a salary for his labour, rent, use of workshop etc.

Not 'woohoo, a million quid, think of all the kimchee I can make with that' Mmmmm. kimchi. I've just finished a massive jar of that (not all at once) and will need to stock up on some more.

Back to business. I agree Josh is remarkably insouciant about costs, as do Ruth and David. Don't they have a spreadsheet?

The remarks about being bad parents is confirmation, should we need it, that the SWs trawl this thread for their ideas. And was that an introduction to Ben? Surely he'll be tragically damaged by his neglected upbringing and come trailing destruction in his wake?

Ruth: Daveed, have we been such bad parents?
YES!

• so I wasn't the only one shouting at the radio then?

And the astonishing comment "wouldn't it be awful if Ben turns out to be the same?"!!!! Yes, bad bad parents.

Thanks Bore for the Patrick info miles upthread

Glad I'm not the only one growling at the suggestion that Josh deciding not to go to university is worse than costing the farm tens of thousands of pounds and trashing its reputation.

His crime is having his own plans and dreams outside of Brookfield.

Despite his parents going on and on about the farm not being able to support them all financially.

They really are awful parents

I'm not a huge fan of Josh but given his parents I hope he breaks away - becomes much nicer (he has it in him) and makes a success of himself. In20 years pip will be begging to borrow money because she's cocked up on the farm

Just spotted June Spencer is getting a CBE! (Peggy)

I've been thinking about which Archers and Aldridges I actually like:- Ben, Phoebe, Freddy and Lily - that's it. And Josh, because I think he has to be so self-centred because his parents don't give a toss.
Pip I absolutely loathe. The Bridge Farm Archers are turning out to be incredibly stupid. Can't forget Brian for his philandering past, or Jenny for putting up with it - but quite like their characters. David and Ruth are awful in their child-favouriting. Jill is mildly irritating.
Why do I keep listening? I was probably have given up if it wasn't for this thread/mutual support group

Poor perfect Pip the Precious First Born, wearing herself out by giving loans and letting out stock, can do no wrong.
Josh is 18 and has decided to not go to yooni.
Ben has been missing for about 8 years, last seen riding his bike.
Yes, they're shit parents.
Can you imagine what Ruth's AIBU would be like?

Actually the really shit parents are Pat and Tony.

I am awayaway from U.K. At the moment so unable to listen but.....there is not even a pocket handkerchief of land round home on the edge of borsetshire, that would be sold without an overage/ uplift, as described up thread, solicitors would be right on it advising the sellers.

Place marking!

Isn't Tom a brilliant negotiator.
How come he was allowed to go on his own to represent the whole family without having a family-agreed strategy.
He really should have called Justin on his ridiculous stance of "I called bagsy first, how dare you talk to other parties".

I want it to be that Ben is absolutely fine after the benign neglect of the last few years. His parents would only have caused harm if they had been involved. He might turn out to be the okay one of that household. I found myself actually wondering if the Dopeys were right/reasonable in their response to Josh's decision about yooni. I don't actually think a tertiary education is the be all and end all of life, especially where Josh is actually using his time usefully - and profitability. It was/is such bizarre scripting.

What's the ref to Brenda and Chalky? I thought I'd listened o all parts I missed over my weekend away but must have missed that.

Well they've not bothered to get to know their son and actually work through with him how he sees his future and what he should do to try and achieve his goals. They've just blindly gone down the 'must get a degree' route which tbf on them seems to be a bit of a disease at the moment

I found myself actually wondering if the Dopeys were right/reasonable in their response to Josh's decision about yooni.

I didn't! They were bizarre - treating him as if he was a school-refuser rather than an adult making a decision about his own life. I could understand them saying "we don't think it's a good idea, can we talk through your reasoning" but they were treating it as some personal outrage against them. The degree is for the benefit of the student, not the parents!

Lilian is a disgrace. Can't deal with her own child and tries to fob him off on her sister. Would sell her brother and his family down the river to benefit her lover. Vile woman.