👩‍🌾 The Archers spoilers thread #5: Can't wait for 7.02pm? Join us here!

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Spoiler thread for The Archers. Please keep all spoiler-related discussion in this thread and do not spill the beans on the main Archers Thread. Last thread here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3439443-keep-it-to-yourself-the-archers-spoilers-thread-4

So a major character change for Philip. Poor Kirstie to be disppointed AGAIN ffs I'm giving up soon, TA is becoming more and more ridiculous.

Why has R4 become a 'drama' infested pit????? I wonder if one of the managers could answer

ppeatfruit! Welcome back.

Never mind ‘drama’. Money and virus will soon turn Radio 4 into a podcast only zone. All that intimate whispering at the microphone and enormous trailers promising earth-shattering material - that turns out to be banal musing on the narrator’s sock collection or whatever ...

There is a rumour they are going to cut the Friday broadcast: did anyone listen to "Today" today? That is where my neighbour says it was said -- but I gave up on Radio 4 apart from the Archers months ago and only listen to the World Service.

Just seen:

metro.co.uk/2020/03/23/archers-reduces-weekly-episodes-amid-coronavirus-pandemic-12441510/

Guess it was expected.

We’ll still have enough to talk about though.

Apart from the pre-recorded Archers lasting for an extra week, I can't see how the BBC benefits: they'll need to make other programmes to fill the gaps, and surely that will be just as hard as making TA?

Not to mention why not make it Sunday evening they miss out?

Archives? Repeats? Podcasts.

Isn’t that what will happen Asking? The Friday night cliffhanger will move to Sunday, and the soporific Sunday episode will be lost?

No - that doesn’t make sense. Or does it? I’m confusing myself ...

They want to attract the yoof audience.

I switch off more and more. If it isn't refugees, it's transpeople. If it isn't Brexit it's CoronaVirus. The more 'to appeal to the younger audience' means a lot of 'eshjary'.

I've been listening for decades.

The Friday night cliffhanger will change every week, if they're fitting a six day schedule into five days.

Has there ever been a time in the last 60 years when you could switch on Radio 4 at 7.03 on a weekday night and not find the Archers? Truly apocalyptic.

The gaps will be filled with repeats.

Thanks for noticing I had gone Spar ! To have it all on a loop of dramas and 'readings' would please the powers that be at the BEEB on 2nd thoughts it would also please the govt. So maybe not.

Well it appears to be Front Row who will be expanding into the empty space.

Boring!

And it is going to play hob with the cast-lists and spoilers, too.

Oh god, I detest front row!

I'd have thought that Front Row would struggle to fill the time slot, given the lack of new plays, concerts, art exhibitions etc etc.

It’ll be fine. Every arts venue that can possibly do so is making at least some of its output available online at the moment. Individual performers seem to be doing the same. Obviously some book launches have been postponed - but it’s not as if the world is short of literature to discuss.

And I daresay Front Row may slightly modify its format.

On Bank Holidays, Front Row normally does a pre-recorded special with a long interview or similar. They can probably repeat a few of those.

They could do that - but given the countless actors, singers, musicians, stand up comedians, spoken word poets, directors, conductors, etc, who will be at home rather than on stage every evening for the duration, it would be good to hear some new interviews or live, phone line performances.

Of course they could just use the extra quarter of an hour to successively interview the Archers cast, writers and production team ...

Front Row is ok, but I'd rather be in Ambridge.

Couldn't they fill the slot with classic TA episodes?

..They could use the extra quarter of an hour to successively interview the Archers cast, writers and production team...

Yes and ask one question WHY????????

12.75 minutes of birdsong would be good. "And now we bring you the sounds from Skipperley" (one of the Brookfield fields).

Maybe a tractor in the far distance. Somewhere a cow moos or a sheep bleats.

Why has TA now become the monotonous misery memoirs ffs.? As if there isn't enough 'drama' (meaning misery) on ALL the telly soaps and often on radio, readings etc. now.

Oh also in anything pleasant, like Walks in the Country, The Repair shop etc. we are now 'treated' to orchestral accompaniment. I can't work out where the benefit is for the audience and (considering the BEEB is supposed to be short of money) the musicians etc. will no doubt be paid for their superfluous efforts.

Apologies for the rant

I dislike Tweet of the Day. It isn't always bad but often it seems about the presenter.

The Mantelpiece. It's chimneypiece. Sniff.

Is it? I've always called them mantelpieces is that non U Mike ? IMO it's just usage not good or bad and it changes, with the time , where we live etc. etc. like pronouncing Bath with a long a or a short one.

I'm not on Twitter, I'm quite pleased actually, there's good and bad everywhere but I don't miss the time NOT spent on it!