The Archers - Freddie is getting OUT: will Russ hop it? Helen is falling DOWN: is Lee still in the frame? Tom is heading UP: will Natasha be the boost his sausage needs? (Thread no. 101

[DadDadDad]

We're still here and still discussing TA (The Archers). We welcome newcomers and old hands, so if you have a question or a point of view, please dive in. No spoilers - if you've seen info on future storylines, there's a separate Radio Addicts thread for that.

I loved all the name changes on the last thread. Don't forget to change back! (If you want to).

Who's going to get Russ out of LL? Freddie? Lily? Elizabeth? Or is it Freddie who will head off?

I liked Frexit!

Heavens! D'you think they wrote the whole drug dealing story just to be able to use 'Frexit' today?

For some reason, this thread dropped off my watch list, so I've had a lot to catch up on, and my post will be disjointed, as I comment on what's happened this week

Natasha owes about £15k, not £8k. Tom found another card bill. The thing is, it was mentioned that she'd only paid the minimum payment on the first card, so at that rate, it will never get paid off, and is a problem debt.
Tom is quite right to be worried about it, and also to cancel the house (it should have been discussed though) as he said they now can't afford it.
I don't understand how they got that loan without her credit cards getting mentioned though. They would have had to declare their finances during the application process.
It's also not great that they never discussed finances with full disclosure, before getting married. Financial incompatibility is one of the biggest causes of divorce, apparently.

The SW definitely seem to be building up to Lizzie and CMR having a fling.

Where did Tim disappear to? Something nefarious going on, or was he just avoiding doing the work, getting Ed to do it all? Is he paying Ed the full going rate, or just a percentage of the job?
Whatever, he's bad news for Ed and Em, and I hope it doesn't stop them getting the house.

I really didn't like the way Pip was railroaded into agreeing to Christening Rosie, nor how Toby has moved in by stealth, and seems very smug about it. I'll be glad when/if Pip finally kicks him out of her life.

I think Leonard is going to see a side of Jill that shocks/surprises him, when she finds out Rosie's middle name. I suspect that will be during the actual ceremony, as Toby won't get round to telling her beforehand. I also suspect that Pip thinks he has told her, and also won't find out until the Christening.

We're obviously not going to hear Freddie finding out that CMR is living at LL (while it happens) which is a shame. Presumably there'll be something about it on Sunday's episode.

Phew, think that's all.

Did anyone else get a Toad of Toad Hall vibe?
I don’t want to think of Freddie as an unrepentant Toad because I luvs him...

Does the flat above the shop have 2 bedrooms? It would be very amusing if Hannah and Johnny got there first.

A belated thank you to DDD for the (now not so) new thread. Haven't read it all yet, as I've a few episodes to catch up on first.

Does the flat above the shop have 2 bedrooms?

Yes - Annette (Greg the gamekeeper's French daughter) lived there for a while with Helen.

I think Leonard is going to see a side of Jill that shocks/surprises him, when she finds out Rosie's middle name. I suspect that will be during the actual ceremony, as Toby won't get round to telling her beforehand. I also suspect that Pip thinks he has told her, and also won't find out until the Christening.

All of this plus Jill being upset with Pip for not having told her - which she'd partly have a point about, as it should be Pip rather than Toby who tells her, though equally, Toby should have done as agreed, or at least told Pip he didn't see the need, which would have given Pip the opportunity to tell Jill herself.

I predict that having moved all his stuff into Rickyard, he will soon be moving out again.

It’s so obviously being set up like this. Unbelievable. There is no way that Pip would genuinely think that it was appropriate to get Toby- a Fairbrother whom Jill openly admitted despising for his relationship to Grace and Robin- to break the news. Unless the depth of Jill’s antipathy is only clear to us because we “hear” everything, such as the convo with Peggy about smashing the memorial window, but she’s actually played it down with her immediate family? Pip is agonisingly self absorbed and unobservant.

I suppose that, after an initial shock and probably a falling out with Pip, Leonard might bring enough impartial perspective to be the one who finally convinces her to let it go.

Not agonisingly- astonishingly. Agonisingly would suggest a deliciously annoying character. She’s just an annoying character.

Yes I suspect it will be Leonard's role to act as peacemaker. I think Jill will be furious, possibly walk out or confront pip, and it will be Leonard who sorts it all out thus cementing his place in the family.

I wonder if Leonard will point out that Jill might now see it differently having herself lost a spouse and embarked on a new relationship.

Yes that's a good point. I haven't warmed to Leonard as a character at all, early days I suppose.

Anyone else thinking of Toad of Toad Hall. Parp Parp! Wait until he finds out there's a weasel in residence.

Did anyone else get a Toad of Toad Hall vibe? Absolutely - and I was coming on here to post just that, but you beat me to it I also think they are over-egging Lily’s love for CMR (You’re my rock etc) in preparation for his making a play for Elizabeth. Agree re Leonard in the whole Jill and Grace debacle - Phil is Leonard’s Grace in their relationship and goodness knows he must be a hard act to live up to. I think Jill will cooingly come to realise this and put the old rivalry to bed.

Perhaps they'll wrongfoot us by having Jill be completely cool about Rosie Grace - while one of the 'children' cuts up rough. Kenton for instance. Or no, Elizabeth would be better - since Pip lived at LL for a while - she could feel properly 'betrayed'.

I’m not sure I follow- why would Elizabeth care, if Jill was fine? I don’t get the sense that the children ever saw Grace as a spectre in their family.

Phil is Leonard's Grace

Phew, it was like solving an equation, unpacking the meaning of that!

Its not logical - but in my experience feeling offended on someone else's behalf can sometimes be a welcome relief from one's own worries.

But it probably won't happen in this instance.

Nah Grace died 110 years ago, her and Phil didn't marry did they? Anyway not really much of a comparison between Jill's forever husband and Grace (even though Jill is a bit over infested in Gr.). Leonard had , has? a wife too I think!!

Hooray Freddie is back, what's the betting he and CMR will clash over the bunny costume and Russ will stalk out to live at the Bull. he seemed very friendly with J'lene last night. Maybe join her on her tour?

They did marry.

My point was exactly that really Ppeat. Leonard has far more reason to feel jealous of Phil than Jill does of Grace. Phil and Grace were only married for a nanosecond in comparison to Jill and Phil. In fact I believe the whole Jill/Grace rivalry was whipped up out of nothing sometime after the event. Hopefully Jill meeting Leonard after the death of Phil will help to SW erase this storyline once and for all.

Liliian Though I was wondering if they met at the Laurels where he visits his wife? Or has she died? I can't remember.

Yes Abraide I remember seeing a TV programme about it now!

I think you might be confusing him with the man Peggy met at The Laurels who was visiting his wife while she was visiting Jeck. Can’t remember Leonard’s family details, but he certainly doesn’t have a living wife.

Didn't his wife the at the laurels and after he continues as a volunteer there and met Jill.