🤐 The Archers spoilers thread #6: 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 (hence the zipped mouth on the emoji!). Last thread here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3853783--The-Archers-spoilers-thread-5-Cant-wait-for-7-02pm-Join-us-here

Thanks, Asking! I wonder if Joy will strip off for the life drawing.

Massive meltdown from Alice at the christening? I must try to listen live to that one, but frankly my expectations aren't high.

It's been being predicted ever since the thing was mooted in the first place. There will be alcohol at the Christening party, won't there. Brian will probably bring champagne.

Thanks @AskingQuestionsAllTheTime.

The champagne will be flowing.
I hope that Emma will say something.

I do hope that all that happens with the life class is that Lee turns up and calmly tells them he's not going to strip off for anyone. And whoever's running the class says "Oh, OK then, no problem" and that's the end of it.

Good prophetic skills there, Nith! That's not a million miles of what actually happened, which I see I also half-predicted, and then totally forgot what I'd said. Still an idiotic storyline.

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

Thanks, Asking! I wonder if Joy will strip off for the life drawing.

Massive meltdown from Alice at the christening? I must try to listen live to that one, but frankly my expectations aren't high.

Oh Gasp0de and Nith, what good predicting!

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

Thanks, Asking! I wonder if Joy will strip off for the life drawing.

Massive meltdown from Alice at the christening? I must try to listen live to that one, but frankly my expectations aren't high.

Good call !

Once more the elliptical and strangely unconvincing one-liners are revealed, the cast and crew made available for examination and the Radio Times brought under the microscope:

BBC One-Liners
10 May Susan attempts to pick up the pieces but Jennifer’s feeling helpless.
11 May Chris pulls no punches and Joy lets Elizabeth in on a secret.
12 May Fallon wants tongues to stop wagging but Emma can’t hold hers any longer.
13 May Josh and Rex walk on eggshells and Ruairi offers an olive branch.

Credits
Mon 10/5/2021, Tue 11/5/2021, Wed 12/5/2021, Thu 13/5/2021
Writers: Helen Aitken and Sarah Hehir
Director: Rosemary Watts
Editor: Jeremy Howe
Brian Aldridge: Charles Collingwood
Jennifer Aldridge: Angela Piper
Josh Archer: Angus Imrie
Alice Carter: Hollie Chapman
Chris Carter: Wilf Scolding
Neil Carter: Brian Hewlett
Susan Carter: Charlotte Martin
Vince Casey: Tony Turner
Ruairi Donovan: Arthur Hughes
Rex Fairbrother: Nick Barber
Emma Grundy: Emerald O’Hanrahan
Joy Horville: Jackie Lye
Kate Madikane: Perdita Avery
Elizabeth Pargetter: Alison Dowling
Fallon Rogers: Joanna Van Kampen

Radio Times Ambridge Diary 10th - 13th May 2021
This is Aftermath Week, as we chart the fallout from Martha’s christening: Susan is attempting to pick up the pieces, a frazzled Christopher is trying to carve out a clear future for himself and Jennifer is faced with some horrifying home truths. Brian, though, is doing his best ostrich impression by burying his head in the sand. And Fallon and Harrison are once again dragged into the Aldridge drama as a pugilistic Emma - who, let’s face it, is no stranger to a slanging match - is on the warpath.
Elsewhere, Elizabeth and Joy bond over a shared experience, there’s a confrontation coming for Kate, and Ruairi proves that he has an old head on young shoulders.

Thanks Asking. I'll look forward to a week with Brine'n'JD in it, and No Pip.

Have a good weekend

There is also the weekend Mail's prognostications:

Daily Mail Weekend Magazine Archers Update 10th - 13th May 2021
The freezers of Ambridge are stuffed full of the savouries and dainties from Martha’s doomed christening, but the villagers have little appetite for such fare. They shuffle around - hardly able to look each other in the eye - and try as best they can to forget what they saw and heard.
Jennifer, after many years of practice, has managed to avoid facing the facts up till now, but can no longer avoid confronting some horrible home truths, while Brian sticks his head in the sand.
The low murmur of gossip gains in volume as the week progresses, dragging Fallon and Harrison into the Aldridge mess and putting Emma on the warpath.

Thanks Asking. Must admit I'm quite looking forward to the fall out.

Thanks Asking. I might pop into The Ambridge Tea Room to hear the conversation between Emma and Fallon.

Thanks, Asking! I'm very much looking forward to the soulsearching this week.

And here we go again; probably more of the same in some respects, so I hope for a bit of variety in others.

BBC One-Liners
17 May Tensions rise at Berrow Farm and Susan makes a costly error.
18 May Peggy begins to wonder if she has done the right thing and Helen comes to the rescue.
19 May Jim finds himself caught in the crossfire and Kirsty offers a solution.
20 May Alice faces the consequences of her actions and Jazzer offers support.

Credits
Writers: Liz John & Nick Warburton
Director: Marina Caldarone
Editor: Jeremy Howe
Brian Aldridge: Charles Collingwood
Jennifer Aldridge: Angela Piper
Helen Archer: Louiza Patikas
Alice Carter: Hollie Chapman
Chris Carter: Wilf Scolding
Neil Carter: Brian Hewlett
Susan Carter: Charlotte Martin
Emma Grundy: Emerald O’Hanrahan
Shula Hebden Lloyd: Judy Bennett
Jim Lloyd: John Rowe
Jazzer McCreary: Ryan Kelly
Kirsty Miller: Annabelle Dowler
Peggy Woolley: June Spencer

Radio Times Ambridge Diary 17th - 20th May 2021
It’s all out war in Ambridge, as the animosity between the Carter and Aldridge clans starts to infect workplaces. Susan, for one, is feeling overwhelmed and a mistake at the shop soon finds her reaching the end of her tether.
Berrow Farm is also a scene of friction, with Neil and Brian finding it difficult to work together. Chuck in a belligerent Emma, and it seems there’s little chance of the peace being kept. Alice, meanwhile, is set to make a shocking mistake.
Elsewhere, Jim is mired in problems, with Jazzer’s attempts to help set to backfire. And Kirsty finds a new opportunity staring her in the face.

Daily Mail Weekend Magazine Archers Update 17th - 20th May 2021
The alliance of the Carters and Aldridges has always been an uneasy one. There was a feeling that Alice married beneath her when she wed handsome farrier Chris Carter, the farrier who has tainted Horrobin blood flowing through his veins. Now, with wild child Alice falling off the wagon, and Chris exhausted from mopping up the damage, roles have been reversed.
The whole village is feeling the strain, and even the pigs up at Berrow are affected as Neil and Brian struggle to remain civil. Susan is down to the wires with worry, causing problems at the village shop, while Jennifer - usually blessed with an enviable ability to ignore unpleasant reality - starts to crack.
And then, Alice makes another terrible mistake.

Thanks Asking

Pleased to see Peggy making an appearance. Hopefully to dish out some home truths.

Less pleased to see Smugula, who will no doubt make it All About Her as she sets out to save Alice from the demon drink.

Thanks, Asking! I'm also delighted to see Peggy at last. Gobsmacked by Asking's revelation on the other thread that Pat hasn't been in an episode for nearly 18 months. Ludicrous, even allowing for COVID - unless the actor is ill. Very much hope not.

Thanks Asking.
I hope that the shocking really is shocking.

And we have the wonderful Shula making an appearance, something to look forward to.

Why do people find Shula smug? I don't find her smug at all. Pip I fid smug, but not Shula.

I don't like Pip.

Thank you Asking, though I can't say that the spoilers sound promising. I don't inflict 7pm listening on the family these days because it is so grim (and I usually have a glass of wine on the go)!

We've not heard about Alice's horse for a while, but I can't help feeling that the storyline would have been far better if Alice had had a riding accident in early pregnancy.

Thanks, Asking!

In the following week (iirc from reading ahead) 'The siblings assemble for Jennifer' - and there's no mention of Alice (after her 'shocking mistake'.

Is it possible we might be in for actual Doom Music soon?

Apparently Keri Davies has said on Twitter that he's going to be writing two weeks of five episodes, all by himself. Not when they will be broadcast, though.

"Re #TheArchers I can’t comment beyond what I know which is my booking for two weeks of five episodes."

I can't actually find where he said it or what the context was, but I expect someone who actually uses Twitter might be able to...

Here is the actual tweet from Keri Davies:

twitter.com/keridavies/status/1393957167909244936?s=21

He replied to a listener who thought the BBC had decided to stick with 4 episodes.

Another listener asked if he would be writing them on his own! He said yes, which would be more satisfying:

twitter.com/keridavies/status/1394196554689433606?s=21

Quite excited to have been able to find the tweets, Asking as I am always benefiting from your encyclopaedic knowledge!

oh hell, what is Alice's terrible mistake? Surely they aren't going to let her harm Martha when drunk?

"no mention of Alice (after her 'shocking mistake)" - surely if she ends up dead it's unlikely to be referred to as a shocking mistake. A shocking mistake would be more like trying it on with yet another married man, or walking in and picking up Martha while drunk and then falling asleep next to her on a park bench?

Well ...(checking this is the spoilers thread) I had another look and she does seem to be in the cast list after Jenny's siblings assemble, so perhaps she doesn't murder herself through electrocution.

Very curious about why Tony and Lilian might need to be providing Avengers level support to their sister, though ... (Is it her birthday soon?)

@nettie434

Here is the actual tweet from Keri Davies:

twitter.com/keridavies/status/1393957167909244936?s=21

He replied to a listener who thought the BBC had decided to stick with 4 episodes.

Another listener asked if he would be writing them on his own! He said yes, which would be more satisfying:

twitter.com/keridavies/status/1394196554689433606?s=21

Quite excited to have been able to find the tweets, Asking as I am always benefiting from your encyclopaedic knowledge!

Thank you very much!