Archers thread #116: Pandemic fears, markets crash but it's BOOM 💥 time for Ambridge. Discuss The Archers here.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

All views on The Archers welcome here! New blood welcomed. We don't all agree on all points and most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you'd like to employ Philip Moss & Son to fix your soil pipe, or other unusual views.

Spoilers: not on this thread, please. We don't wait for the omnibus to discuss the weeknight episodes, but we do try our best to avoid cross-contamination from www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3439443-keep-it-to-yourself-the-archers-spoilers-thread-4, where spoilers are positively welcomed! (New thread likely to be replacing that one very soon, in the current circumstances.)

For newer listeners, lurkers or those who just have no idea what we're talking about, @DadDadDad has created this useful thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3557323-For-Archers-fans-a-guide-to-acronyms-on-the-long-running-discussion-threads-and-any-other-meta-thread-questions-you-may-have - BOOP point for him! (See thread for explanation.)

Thanks to @SurpriseSparDay for the thread title idea, which I tweaked, and @springydaff for the 💥 emoticon, which I hope is in the title! (Can't preview the title). Welcome, lurkers and lapsed listeners, drawn out of the shadows by the current crisis in Ambridge. In the OP of the last thread I said I didn't think we'd get to Easter on that thread. We certainly didn't!

I am very worried indeed about Lynda and concerned about Oliver too. Don't care about Gavin unless it means Kirsty is cheated out of yet another wedding. Freddie's redemption is now assured, though, surely? Roll on the return of the Lower Loxley crew.

The car is orange like a Cheesey Wotsit.

Shocking product placement. It sounds ok to me.
Shame it's not yellow.

Pip was bloody insufferable going on about the cheesy wotsit car - even though I think she was meant to be annoying, she was insufferably extra annoying

I reckon Lynda will ride to the rescue after overhearing Philip and Blake in hospital, or perhaps Blake will unburden himself to her, and she'll tell Kirsty who will go totally apeshit and run to Roy.

If it's coronavirus I hope you are one of the vast majority who have it mildly, @AlexCabot.

I’ve noticed funeral director ads popping up here when I’m reading the CV thread. @AlexCabot, I hope you feel much better soon.

A more general point - it occurred to me that prior to the explosion the GG breakfasts were being served and prepared in the dining room. We heard Tracy salivating. But how much worse was it for poor Blake. I still don’t know what he was doing/intending to do under the grill. The kitchen must have been out of use - I don’t imagine food hygiene rules would let them store food there either?

They were storing food in the staff-room; changing his shoes in a place with food stored in it was what Lynda had a go at Freddie for before going to have a go at Blake for making a noise -- Blake was a builder, Lynda, they are rarely silent.

How is Lynda?

They're not saying. Philip is using her condition as another stick to beat Blake with, but without any actual information.

And somebody else - Pip I think? - mentioned Lynda ‘recovering’. Ha, I thought, that’s what you think!

Did I hear correctly? Pip bought Ben a scratch card for his 18th birthday?

And it was the main/ only present- not just a jokey extra present?

Does that mean that Neil is in trouble, too? I hope not.

Wasn’t Neil going to do the outdoor pigs while Hannah was going to do the indoor ones, R4?

If there are going to be problems, let’s hope Hannah is held responsible. She is horrible to Neil.

Neil and Hannah have nothing to do with Philip's workers being at Berrow. They are only employees.

It's their employer who is liable. The owners of Berrow farm are the ones who should have taken care.

Do you reckon Darrell will be one of the 'horses'?

No! Don’t mention the D-name!!

They couldn’t be that cruel to us.

And as the SWs won’t want to produce another Helen it’s inevitable that he’ll be unmasked and ... disposed of

Yes I've been surprised at another coercive control story so soon, albeit in the slavery guise. Not sure I can face another year long "Rob'n'Helen" at the moment.

Justin was very obviously not going to have Philip back, I wonder if he suspects some of Philip's actual business practices.

I wondered about Justin too. I could well believe he'd had a little look at the workers used on the job and decided it was a bit "iffy". When Philip started in Lilian's bathroom it was just him. Actually I think with examination I could tell the difference between Philip's workforce and the lot we used to get doing my new kitchen.

Justin’s not a particularly caring person - he’s all about the $. He would probably turn a blind eye to irregularity or cruelty as long as it was well hidden; it’s the bad publicity attached to Philip now that he objects to.

I'm just so glad that (presumably) it will come out and Kirsty can escape her depressing Stepford wife existence at Beechwood. Yes it means more relationship disappointment but that's better than marrying Philip (before or after the revelations!).

Apologies upthread, Mum, I muddled up my farms.

It won't happen, but wouldn't it be great if the SW's were able to have a massive rethink/rewrite of the next two months and replaced it with something cheerful. They could bung the rest on R4 Extra and call them "The Lost Plots".

I'm off for my daily exercise with DH - we're going to pick plenty of wild garlic to keep us topped up with pesto etc.!

I think Justin would be careful to stay well clear of possibly "illegal" practises. He probably wouldn't report suspicions of modern slavery but he also wouldn't want them on his land. His brands would be massively devalued if he seemed to condone the practice.

Isn't "daily exercise with DH" more of an indoor pursuit?

I think it's a little hard to be invested in the Philip kirsty storyline as kirsty has clearly never been in love with Philip.

Thank you for the kind thoughts, while I obviously do have a mild case, it has absolutely knocked me sideways. Stay inside if you can!

My late grandmother could spot a wrong 'un from a mile away and she didn't like Phillip from the beginning, particularly his pursuit of Kirsty. She's giving us a rousing rendition of the I told you so chorus from somewhere!

I must have missed this somewhere upthread, but are TA deliberately ignoring the pandemic as an attempt to give us some kind of distraction? Or will it be introduced at some point?

Did I hear correctly? Pip bought Ben a scratch card for his 18th birthday? And it was the main/ only present- not just a jokey extra present?

No, much as I dislike Pip, I have to admit that it seemed pretty clear that it was the jokey present as she said she was going to get a proper one. Mind you, they haven't explained quite why she couldn't have got herself to the shops or spent a few minutes ordering something online.