🐴 Archers thread 124: And they're off! Pip on a high horse, Kirsty champing at the bit to find the lost ‘horses’, Alice on the wagon (or is she riding for a fall?). 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 think Shula would make a brilliant vicar, 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/3853783--The-Archers-spoilers-thread-5-Cant-wait-for-7-02pm-Join-us-here, where spoilers are positively welcomed!

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 @PoulePouletteEternellement for the equine theme to the new thread title. I wanted to work in Rex being a dark horse and lots of others too, but (you may feel fortunately) there's a character limit for the title.

I wonder if this thread will see us through to the end of February. The last one filled up in under a month, which was like old times. All depends on what delights are in store for us in the coming weeks, I suppose. I'm hoping that Gavin has spilled the beans on Victoria, she's also arrested, and the lads are found. Having said that, I'm not confident that in the real world they would get the support and care they need to turn their lives around and get proper jobs. It was good to hear on the last thread from @Trickyboy, who has professional experience of investigating this vile crime. Any comments on how things turn out in the long run for those rescued?

Or Latif Hussain - the racehorse owner who has never been back since Anisha left.

Tom's interference - it was a case of him doing the right thing for the wrong reason
Tom is a spineless, whining little shite and anything he does cannot, by definition, be the 'right' thing. Similarly, any endeavour of Kirsty's is, also by definition, 'a fool's errand'.

No, @theThreeofWeevils, don't hold back now....

What i'm not wearing today.

Go Lynda!

How splendid was Lynda? I love the way it went from her slight preening at the prospect of the interview, to her fears about the photo and then her splendid dismissal of the reporter.

I am absolutely sure no mention of Philip Moss doing any work on The Bull happened on air. The first lot of work they had done, after the flood, happened at least a year before he was ever heard of in Ambridge, and the (possible) second lot, the proposed refurb at the Bull on the advice of Angus the Sandals, happened if it happened at all during the first two months of 2020 and was not mentioned apart from the abortive renaming as the B@Ambridge and some free cocktails to celebrate it.

Shame the SWs had to take the predictable swipe at journalists. I know it’s fashionable to trash the media at every opportunity but as a former local reporter, I would love to see a break with tradition and the cliched portrayal of all hacks as lying scavengers challenged.

When I worked for the Oxford Mail, our patch extended deep into the Cotswolds and I was sent to do a profile piece on Norman Painting. It must have been in about 2001- I wasn’t a listener then but my Mum filled me in on the back story and I had a lovely morning interviewing him at the kitchen table in his gorgeous cottage in Warmington. He was generous with both his time and biscuits I seem to remember and I hope he liked the piece I wrote.

Not all reporters are out to dig for dirt and it’s a shame that soap-writers have yet to learn this.

@Roysnewshirt, how utterly lovely. I miss Phil, but as my Mum sends me an Archers calendar every Christmas, this month he and Jill are presiding over our kitchen. Takes me aback every time I glance in that direction.

Brenda was a journalist for a long time and attempted to be principled, as I recall. Didn't she clash with Brian over something dodgy he was doing? Can't remember the details but he complained and she was reined in, and was seething.

Oh my goodness Roy. I don't remember you mentioning that before! How do you restrain yourself from mentioning it every other post. What a wonderful memory to have.

She will get together with Oliver to save GG (or she will help Oliver save GG and they will get together in the process) - what was it Tracy said last night? "You and me Oliver - we're gonna to save Grey Gables." It's happening.

Shame the SWs had to take the predictable swipe at journalists. I know it’s fashionable to trash the media at every opportunity but as a former local reporter, I would love to see a break with tradition and the cliched portrayal of all hacks as lying scavengers challenged. I completely agree. The Borchester Echo would have been much more likely to do the profile on Lynda to make a good contact and then talk to her after the trial if Philip is convicted at some point in the future. They couldn't write much about him now anyway for fear of prejudicing future proceedings.

Indeed!

Although I raised an eyebrow yesterday at Tracy uncovering potential GG savings in a spare moment. What, exactly, have Kathy and Roy been doing at work? It's inconceivable that the place could have managers and long-standing senior staff - but need to rely on a recently appointed receptionist to save them.

It's inconceivable that the place could have managers and long-standing senior staff - but need to rely on a recently appointed receptionist to save them. - Quite! Which makes it all the more likely that it is happening like this for one reason only.

It's inconceivable that the place could have managers and long-standing senior staff - but need to rely on a recently appointed receptionist to save them.

ime conceivable if the managers are 'cushy' and there is a lack of oversight by board/audits. I havd worked in many a place like that.

Oliver may have been refusing to lay off staff. He only listens to Tracey!

IIRC, Jack Woolley self-made loads of money but somehow became an incapable idiot when managing GG. The SW seem to be writing Oliver in the same mould. (I don't know if Oliver made his money but he hung on to it to a good old age. Don't know why he's suddenly financially illiterate now)

In my fantasyland Archers, I would have Brenda Tucker swopping back down to Ambridge to buy up Grey Gables (if they can't afford to have her fiancé on the acting payroll, they can pretend she married and then had a massive divorce settlement). Then the rest of the Tuckers could come back from Birmingham (Bethany has just turned 8, I notice).

I'm trying to imagine what Caroline would have made of Tracy Horrobin turning in to the driving force at GG.

Madcats, I nearly posted a "Where is Brenda?" comment this morning, but was conscious of having said the same thing a hundred times here. I can't remember if Lilian or Adam were so completely written out of memory during the years they lived away from Ambridge.

But if I were the producers I wouldn't be able to resist the thrill of lifting a Horrobin to the top of the Ambridge tree. (In preference to a Tucker.) It really would be magnificent.

Eventually Oliver will retire or shuffle, leaving Tracy as chatelaine of GG and Queen of the village. Just imagine the inside of Susan's head! (Particularly as she'll probably be coming to terms with no longer being an Aldridge in-law.)

If Lynda and Robert became part of the renewal plan and downsized to a GG suite - Brenda could do her swooping in and buy Ambridge Hall.

I can't remember if Lilian or Adam were so completely written out of memory during the years they lived away from Ambridge.

They were mentioned fairly regularly.

Oliver may have been refusing to lay off staff. He only listens to Tracey!

Yes I find this weird - where are Kathy and Roy in the process? We could have had some interesting coverage of the issues in hospitality at the moment. Instead its all "woe is me" from Oliver and "Tracey'll fix it". They could still position Tracey for moving upward at GG without covering it so poorly.

IIRC, Jack Woolley self-made loads of money but somehow became an incapable idiot when managing GG. The SW seem to be writing Oliver in the same mould. (I don't know if Oliver made his money but he hung on to it to a good old age. Don't know why he's suddenly financially illiterate now)

Do the LSWs actually interact with people running businesses? I sometimes wonder.

Brenda was a journalist for a long time and attempted to be principled, as I recall. Didn't she clash with Brian over something dodgy he was doing? Can't remember the details but he complained and she was reined in, and was seething.

I remember her falling out with Brian over something dodgy - I can't remember what it was either. Brian has done plenty of dodgy stuff over the years, Brenda and Kirsty have both fallen foul of him when challenging ethically dubious behaviour.

Do the LSWs actually interact with people running businesses? I sometimes wonder.
I continuously wonder!