We never thought we’d feel sorry for Will. Although of course it should have been Pip! Discuss The Archers here (Titled edited by MNHQ)

[PseudoBadger]

Welcome all! I was really touched by the potential for Ed and Will to reconcile. But wonder if Will can accept Ed’s support.

As ever, no spoilers here (there’s a thread for that) - discussion permitted as soon as the pm episode is broadcast.

Shula was great with Will. I think she got a lot from it as well.

Especially after being told what to do about her marriage by her mother.

I am finding Fallon and Harrison very annoying. I cannot stand it when they get competitive. I presume it is meant to be fun but it just sounds like bickering.
The SW have Rex and Anisha getting competitive, too. Do they think that is how young couples are these days?

From Keir's tweets he was as fed up shoe horning in Sport Relief references as the rest of us are at having to hear them.
And Ambridge seems the most active Sport Relief place in the country.

For the first time since Rob n Helen I'm caught up in real time with both this board and the show.

Like lots of you have found the aftermath of Nic's death very moving but not liking the death bed confession. Am so pleased Will is going to the funeral - am disliking Shula even more than usual but her chat with Will and the resulting change of his mind has redeemed her a little.

Yes, Shula was good with Will.

But Jill did have a point about the marriage vows Francis. It wasn't "Unfair" of her to mention them to an upstanding Christian like Shula.

Good that she helped Will begin to start accepting his grief though.

I thought Jill’s reaction was exactly as expected - I don’t think anyone has seen this coming (apart from us of course because we are privy to everything). It probably seems as out of the blue to Jill as it does or Alistair. What I can’t remember is if Jill knows about Alistair's gambling and Shula’s bailing him out. Who else knows about that? I really agree with Birdsdestiny’s post yesterday about it being a great prortrayal of a marriage disintegrating (tried to copy and paste but iPad won’t let me) with a slow drip drip drip rather than a dramatic event. I would add to that by saying Shula and Alistair’s marriage had to big dramatic event years ago and Shula did her Christian duty then to try and get past that. It looked as if she had, but I feel sure that that is what sowed the seeds for a disenchantment that has only continued to grow. It’s the same with couples who appear to get over an infidelity, but as much as they try to put it behind them, the tear in their relationship continues to pull apart as the years go by because the damage has been done and can’t always be repaired however good the intentions.

I think the marriage disintegrating feels very true to life.

It doesn't always have to be precipitated by a major event, such as an affair.

On the Sports Relief stuff, I'm hoping this becomes a proper part of the plot. Maybe Pip will have a heart attack trying to do her 10,000 steps - we can only hope.

Otherwise it's just blatant advertising. Whatever next, product placement for Massey Ferguson? Or branded Kefir?

Yes bertrand, this Les Dawson stuff is tedious.

No Francis SHULA said that Jill was being unfair. Not me or you.

I think Helen still runs the shop - she's been taking stock deliveries from e.g. Pip lately, and discussing stock of vegetables with (?Susan?). Tom never seems to have much to do with the place beyond the delivery of various things, as he's busy growing vegetables and managing the pigs, and Pat is supposedly already too busy with the diary (which Helen seems to co-manage, based on recent interactions with Susan and Clarrie) plus her goats, so I can't imagine that she also does anything in the shop. This would mean that Helen manages the entire thing (staff, of whom there are a rather sporadic amount...), finances, paperwork, stock, advertising etc, as well as half the dairy - it doesn't sound to me like she's not doing much, even if some of the shop management can be done flexibly.

Pat is busy with the goats and the dairy I suppose Daianira oh and volunteering at the Elms homeless centre.

Ooh missus, Francis😱

Pat is supposed to be more "retired" as is Tony. This got mentioned when the goats turned up as they were compared as Pat's retirement project to Tony's retirement project Herefords.

They must have staff to gather the veg at Bridge Farm. Also to care for them. In the past we’ve had scenes where Tony needed help from Tom, nothing said AFAIK about the arrangement after To ny’s encounter with Otto or when Tom’s been on one of his trips. I’m sure they could train up Henri. Keep it in the family.

I've always thought that Jazzer, Tom and Jonny would be the veg pickers - would they need more than that?

I seem to remember Susan and Clarrie being redeployed to tattie picking one year and being none too pleased about it.

Is it Sport Relief soon by any chance?

Are the SW listening to the thread? Has the editor organised a quick topical insert? Mention of the shop, shop staff and stocktaking!
Happy days.

I'm enjoying the literary aspects. Linda slogging through "The Silmarillion". It made me think about CS Lewis interrupting JRR Tolkien's reading from his book in progress: "Oh no! Not another fucking elf!"

Is it Sport Relief soon by any chance?
As TA is fictional I'm assuming this charity sport event they're going on about is fictional too, and there's no way we can get the app too. Such a shame.