🤐 The Archers spoilers thread #6: Can't wait for 7.02pm? Join us here!

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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

No

I think Marner was obsessed by the gold coins he got by his linen-weaving, which were stolen. The girl Eppie had golden hair so in his mind she was a substitute for it.

(Had to read it at O-level time of my life. Put me off Eliot well and truly.)

I can't remember what we had to read. We did Brave New World, I think, and Ten Contemporary Poets. Don't remember any of the poems.

I know we covered something by Ted Hughes but My teenage self wasn't impressed. I just don't get it. I love poetry just not taht sort.

O level Eng Lit: Lord of the Flies, selection of Robert Browning, Romeo and Juliet. By good luck, it didn't put me off any of these great works. My Last Duchess became and remains one of my favourite poems.

My husband had to read LOTF at school. Some bright spark pointed out that William Golding had made a mistake about Piggy's glasses. As he was short-sighted, the lenses couldn't have been used to start a fire. Apparently the English teacher was most put out by this pedantry. I feel the bright spark would fit in very well on our TA threads.

(I see from Google that Julian Barnes has also pointed this out. For the avoidance of doubt, he wasn't the bright spark in my husband's form.)

Belated thanks for this week's spoilers, Asking! Poor Calvin. I expect he ran all the way home and vowed never to set foot in Ambridge again.

Lord of the Flies!
I enjoyed the Shakespeare play as we had a good teacher. Went to the theatre and it had some actors who have since become well-known.

I was painfully shy at that age and in a different class to my friends who were doing different set texts.

For actual O-level we had Lord of the Flies, A High Wind in Jamaica and Kim, with Henry IV part 2 and for poets, Gray and Thomas. The Austen and Eliot and Hardy and other delights were just "background reading", because we only read the set texts in class during the year immediately before the exams. I imagine they (rightly) felt we'd get very fed up indeed with them if we did them for two whole years. Or perhaps they were hoping we'd like them better in contrast with what went before!

I was lucky that way too. Eng Lit O level was a one year course. Before that every year we had several set books we read in class. For A level we spent the full two years on our set texts, but we covered far more than the minimum so we had some choice when it came to the exams.

When I did the S-level there had been reasons (like I wasn't able to sign up for the class at the beginning of the relevant year) I was not in any of the classes, so I simply did it from what I had read over the previous five years in and out of classes in three different schools. I got the highest mark awarded in that board that year for S-level, and scraped an A-level E by about two marks. The board asked awkward questions and I had to go along and explain myself!

I shan't wait for tomorrow's Mail to put these up; it can go separately later.

BBC One-Liners
07 June The situation becomes overwhelming for Jennifer while Harrison makes plans.
08 June Brian eats humble pie and Jazzer finds himself caught in the middle.
09 June Peggy has a confession to make and Fallon is left torn.
10 June The Aldridge family face an uphill battle and Chris struggles to accept his new situation.

Credits
Writer: Keri Davies
Director: Peter Leslie Wild
Editor: Jeremy Howe
Brian Aldridge: Charles Collingwood
Jennifer Aldridge: Angela Piper
Harrison Burns: James Cartwright
Alice Carter: Hollie Chapman
Chris Carter: Wilf Scolding
Neil Carter: Brian Hewlett
Ed Grundy: Barry Farrimond
Emma Grundy: Emerald O’Hanrahan
Jazzer McCreary: Ryan Kelly
Fallon Rogers: Joanna Van Kampen
Peggy Woolley: June Spencer

Radio Times Ambridge Diary 7th - 10th June 2021
Humble pie isn't often to be found on Brian's menu, but he's forced to eat a large slice this week, as the Aldridges remain in the Ambridge spotlight. He thinks he's found a solution that could help his daughter, but with an alcoholic Alice unwilling to engage and Jennifer at breaking point thanks to an unsympathetic response from a fellow visitor, he faces a tough job. And all that's before Peggy ends up making a startling admission to the family.
Chris, too, is continuing to struggle and is finding life without Alice difficult to deal with. Hence Harrison and Emma hatching a plan to cheer him up. But will Fallon play her part after finding her loyalties torn?

#####################################################################

At long last we are getting back to only one writer per week, it seems. And Keri Davies has said on Twitter that he has been writing a five-day week's-worth of episodes, so that should come soon.

As for "Humble pie isn't often to be found on Brian's menu" -- he's had nothing but since 2018, when Adam and Jennifer forced his retirement and then the move to Willow Cottage.

And here we are. I can't think why I called it "tomorrow's"; I knew perfectly well that it would be out today. Ah well.

Daily Mail Weekend Magazine Archers Update 7th - 10th June 2021
Once upon a time, the Archers used to talk so loud and walk so proud; now, the way things are going, they’ll soon be queuing up at the Elms for a free meal of Pat’s vegetarian slop. Alice continues to wreak destruction, causing her family to collapse under the strain and the shame. Jennifer finally cracks up when one Ambridger is unsympathetic and then, Brian has to eat a great big portion of humble pie as he searches for a solution to her problems. Proud Alice refuses to face up to things, and Peggy adds to the turmoil when she makes a startling confession.
Meanwhile, Chris is faced with a dilemma: is life more difficult with his wanton wife than without her?

==========================================================

I think they mean Aldridges rather than Archers at the beginning.

Why does the Mail describe Alice as wanton (" Lascivious or promiscuous. Used especially of women. Exciting or expressing sexual desire"), twice now, when what she is would be better described as wayward ("Deviating from what is desired, expected, or required, especially in being disobedient or in gratifying one's own inclinations. Difficult or impossible to manage, control, or keep in order")?

Thanks Asking

Looks like PC Plod might be looking to new pastures too

Oh silly me ILoveShula. I was thinking of the Woodlanders I think (I could be wrong again) of course.

Nice scene with Ian/Adam and Ruarhi, the generation difference.

Save me from ridiculous motorbike scenes with Jazz and Trace. I must've missed how Eddie got hold of an old Roller. Doesn't seem in character.

Thanks Asking. People don't pay enough attention to word meanings.
Alice is hardly wanton.

I can't remember the last time they had just one writer for a week. Keri has been involved with the Archers for years so hopefully we'll have "true to form" characters.

Presumably Peggy is going to manage to mention that she's known that Alice is an alcoholic since New Year, but didn't think it worth asking somebody whether that might be a problem for a heavily pregnant woman?

Madcats
I can't remember the last time they had just one writer for a week.

Just before they started the repeats, as far as I can tell; Liz John wrote the week of Sunday 26/4/2020 to Thursday 30/4/2020.

Has the EE style barney with Alice's neighbours (Chris and Susan) happened yet? I noticed that it was purposely pointed out that they are just across the field from Jen and Bri's . There must be some reason for the proximity of Alice.

Well done for forecasting the drunkenly 'bringing back a bloke to Mum's' scene Poor Calvin.

It's been interesting to see Fallon emerge as the linchpin of Aldridge / Carter negotiations - but I'll be glad to move on to other things in the next couple of weeks.

Unless someone has it from the Radio Times I can't give the credits for next week, because they are not up at the BBC website, but here is what I do have for next week:

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.

Radio Times Ambridge Diary 14th - 17th June 2021
Brian has quite a history of worming his way out of trouble (remember the poisoning of the Am?), so it’s no surprise to find that after making a shock discovery, he tries to pin the blame on an innocent bystander. But with the Aldridge clan already on shaky ground, will Brian’s ruse result in their standing in the village plummeting even further?
At Beechwood, Joy is babysitting Henry and Jack to give Lee and Helen a rare night out. But you can expect Joy to be left mortified when she makes an unfortunate error - all of which leads to her and Helen having to cover up the mishap. Let’s hope it’s nothing to do with Lee’s precious superhero figures, eh?

Daily Mail Weekend Magazine Archers Update 14th - 17th June 2021
Brace yourselves: another shocking discovery is heading Ambridge’s way this week. Just how much more of this can we - and that cursed clan - take? No sooner have the empty bottles, the broken glass and the emotional damage been cleared away from one Aldridge disaster, than another one rears its ugly head. Make sure to stay out of Brian’s way as he looks to pin the blame on anyone not called Aldridge in sight. You have been warned.
Over at Beechwood, the unconvincing alliance between Helen and Lee is put under strain when Joy does a spot of babysitting and makes a mistake.
Meanwhile, Phoebe digs in her heels when things get a bit out of hand at the rewilding site, and another Ambridger - already in trouble - digs an even bigger hole.

=====================================================

If losing your house and several million pounds, as well as being ousted from your farm, is "worming your way out of trouble", I can't feel that is what Brian did over the Am having been poisoned because of something which did not happen in the programme.

Thanks!

If the mortifying mistake at Beechwood isn't Joy taking Lee's blessed superhero toys out of their boxes to entertain the boys - I'll eat my radio ...

It does seem likely, doesn't it.

Thanks, Asking! These spoilers seem to fill the lacuna.

14 June Brian is on the warpath and Joy makes an unfortunate mistake.
15 June Adam struggles with the consequences of his actions and Lynda does some digging.
16 June Lilian attempts to build bridges and Helen comes clean.
17 June Tension mounts at Home Farm and Phoebe faces a crisis.
[No cast list, writer, director info available that I can see on the BBC website]

21 June Lee struggles to keep a secret and Shula faces a potentially tricky situation
22 June Brian attempts to keep the peace and the Grundy’s [stet] hatch a plan
23 June Rex issues a warning and Neil comes to an arrangement
24 June Alistair raises concerns and Justin digs for dirt

Writers, Sarah McDonald- Hughes & Nick Warburton [so this week has two writers, hmm]
Director, Kim Greengrass
Editor, Jeremy Howe

Brian Aldridge … Charles Collingwood
Lee Bryce … Ryan Early
Alice Carter … Hollie Chapman
Neil Carter … Brian Hewlett
Susan Carter … Charlotte Martin
Ian Craig … Stephen Kennedy
Justin Elliott … Simon Williams
Rex Fairbother … Nick Barber
Clarrie Grundy … Heather Bell
Eddie Grundy … Trevor Harrison
Shula Hebden- Lloyd … Judy Bennett
Alistair Lloyd … Michael Lumsden
Adam Macy … Andrew Wincott
Lynda Snell … Carole Boyd

I think that is the cast and writers for the week of 21st-24th, unless there is an identical set of credits for two weeks running.

Yes, that's right. As stated above, there are none shown for the week before.

Which is a bore. I wonder why not: some very exciting unexpected guest appearance or (more likely) someone forgot to do it, in which case we may never know. When they forget to put up a summary, sometimes it appears a couple of weeks later and sometimes it never appears at all.

Human error is my guess.