Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Radio/podcast addicts

Discuss your favourite podcast, radio show or The Archers episode.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

😱 Archers thread #130: The Fall of the House of Aldridge. Discuss The Archers here.

981 replies

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 11/08/2021 21:49

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

Archers 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 look forward to Shula's first sermon, or other unusual things. Grin

Archers 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/4197199--The-Archers-spoilers-thread-6-Cant-wait-for-7-02pm-Join-us-here, where spoilers are positively welcomed!

Archers 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.)

I went for the obvious thread title this time. Poor Ruairi! We've had a good go on the last thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/a4289334--Archers-thread-129-Casey-Macy-Lily-Alice-Decent-types-or-full-of-malice-Discuss-The-Archers-here?msgid=109858475#109858475 at trying to work out where he's going and what he might be studying, as the SWs have not seen fit to tell us. Hmm

Whither now for Alice? Will Jennifer talk to Peggy soon? Good hint from Lilian the other day that at Peggy's age it's not wise to leave feuds bubbling on. Sad

It's been a long time since we last heard from a certain Archer whose name I am not going to mention in case it acts as a summoning charm. Long may she remain unheard in the dairy or out in the fields, or better still somewhere near a sinkhole. That was a storyline that looked promising years ago and wasn't exploited as it could have been. Pah.

Over to you!

OP posts:
Madcats · 23/08/2021 16:40

After the (almost total) combustion of Lynda (who seems to be remarkably active these days), modern slavery, the failure of Kirsty's marriage, a baby in ICU and Alice's inability to stop drinking I suspect the Editor assumed we weren't ready to cope with manic depression storyline.

I still have an an image of Ruth dragging two daggy sheep out of a wet field to present to Steph and spouse.

Taswama · 23/08/2021 17:37

I didn't know what microblading was either. I think it's easier than ever to just consume news that follows your interests, without accidentally reading/ seeing other stuff.

Edmontine · 23/08/2021 19:15

@Darker

Ben. Jamie. Dan.
Well done! Star
Roysnewshirt · 23/08/2021 21:02

Very much looking forward to meeting Stella…she sounds a stellar candidate! But I was sad to hear poor Jenny getting so much joy from hearing Kate and Brian gently bickering again…she’s really having a rough time!

Madcats · 23/08/2021 22:00

I don't care what micro blading is, but I used to sing the praises of microscooters for transporting small children (and sometimes snails) to/from nursery and parks.

Jemand · 23/08/2021 22:33

Wouldn't a ram and an ewe have been more apt for a wedding? Not that it was apt in any way

The wedding photos might not exactly be enhanced by the ram enthusiastically mounting the ewe in the background.

TheSilveryPussycat · 24/08/2021 00:33

@Jemand

Wouldn't a ram and an ewe have been more apt for a wedding? Not that it was apt in any way

The wedding photos might not exactly be enhanced by the ram enthusiastically mounting the ewe in the background.

It would certainly be a USP - perhaps David could take some sample photos for the brochure/website.

I am quite taken by the idea, but am not planning to marry.

WorriedWishingWell · 24/08/2021 08:48

Could the writers be setting up an affair between Brian and Stella? Given his opposition to her in the first place that would seem the obvious route in Soapland. Sad

ILoveTracey · 24/08/2021 08:53

Hallo, finally caught up. Well done all on the thread starting & regrouping.

Was very pleased to hear JD had Martha for a bit. Susan's exhausted martyr business was driving me up the wall when she had the Aldridge clan desperate to help. It seemed unnecessarily cruel to all concerned and ludicrous when you're coping as badly as she was.

Russ and Lily in that hotel room was too much. I knows she a few years passed school now but that was still icky.

Edmontine · 24/08/2021 09:02

Could the writers be setting up an affair between Brian and Stella?

Yeah, but no, but ... He’ll be 78 this year, already has an extra-marital son on his way to university, and surely doesn’t have either the energy or the foolhardiness to go down that road again. Surely?

She might suit Alistair though! Or Shula.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 24/08/2021 09:15

Or Hannah, although I rather hope she's gone silent. Rex, Toby, Josh, Roy, if she's straight, or just possibly Tom?

OP posts:
RandomCatGenerator · 24/08/2021 10:01

@WorriedWishingWell

Could the writers be setting up an affair between Brian and Stella? Given his opposition to her in the first place that would seem the obvious route in Soapland. Sad
Oooh
RandomCatGenerator · 24/08/2021 10:02

I don’t really want more new characters. I miss Johnny and Pat :(

WhoppingBigBackside · 24/08/2021 10:38

I don't want any more new characters either.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 24/08/2021 11:20

No, I want to find out what's happening to the people the SWs seem to have forgotten have been living in Ambridge all our lives. It still annoys me that all through the Helen/Rob saga Pat never had a heart to heart with Kathy, her so called best friend. Even if they'd decided Kathy could be relegated to a silent character, why couldn't she be mentioned?

Also, of course, her son Jamie owns part of the pub. For newer listeners:

Decades ago Peggy Woolley and her first husband Jack Archer owned the Bull. Jack died of alcoholism. Peggy remained the licensee for a long time but installed Sid Perks as manager. Sid married local girl, Polly and they had a daughter, Lucy.

Polly was killed off in a car crash (long before I started listening). Sid brought Lucy up on his own. In the early 1980s Sid started going out with Kathy, who was a teacher at Lucy's school - Lucy didn't like this at all. Sid and Kathy got married; there was an uneasy truce between Lucy and Kathy. Lucy went off to Nottingham University, met a chap there, emigrated to NZ with him, has never returned to Ambridge.

Somewhere along the way, Peggy decided to sell The Bull. Sid and Kathy couldn't get the money together to buy her out but Guy Pemberton, wealthy owner of the Berrow estate at the time, agreed to put money in and be a silent partner. Guy then died very suddenly and left his share in the pub to his widow, Caroline (who later married Oliver Sterling). Caroline later sold her share to Lilian to raise money to guy Grey Gables with Oliver.

Sid and Kathy had their ups and downs. Kathy had an affair with Dave Barry, local policeman, and Sid publicly threw her out of the pub. They got over that Hmm and Kathy had an unplanned pregnancy, resulting in the birth of their son Jamie, who eventually became a tree surgeon and so far as we know is still living in Ambridge, only nobody ever mentions him.

Then Sid had an affair with Jolene. 🚿 Kathy found out, divorced Sid, got enough money out of the settlement to buy April Cottage on the outskirts of the village. Jolene (and Fallon) moved in with Sid and Jolene took to the role of landlady like a duck to water. Unfortunately, Sid died from a heart attack while they were in NZ visiting Lucy.

I can't remember the full details of Sid's will - did Lucy get anything? She may have done. I am, though, quite sure that Jamie got a part-share in The Bull. Jolene got the other part-share.

Jolene didn't cope well with widowhood and within a year had taken up with Kenton Archer, who had previously been living with Kathy (and Jamie), but this time Kathy's ex was already an ex before getting involved with Jolene. From the way Kenton behaves, one would think he was the landlord, but if Jolene has made over part of her share to him, or transferred it into joint names, this has never been mentioned on air. They are married now, but that wouldn't affect the ownership unless Jolene had decided that was what she wanted. I'm not entirely sure the SWs have ever realised this.

We haven't heard from Archers for a long, long time. Kenton and Jolene are on the list of the missing.

OP posts:
Edmontine · 24/08/2021 11:46
Grin

Do you feel better now you’ve got all that off your chest, Gasp0? Excellent recollecting.

I still remember Polly’s car accident. Was very shocking. Hard to believe that was only 1982, it seems like deep history in my memory.

Toothmouse · 24/08/2021 11:58

Sid and Jolene’s shower scene is hard to bleach from the memory!

theThreeofWeevils · 24/08/2021 12:33

her son Jamie owns part of the pub
Approx 4.8 barstools.

Madcats · 24/08/2021 13:17

Doesn't Lillian still have a share of the Bull?
I can't remember what prompted her to invest, but it led to that see trendy consultant rebranding it The Bee.

Did Kathy date Kenton at some point?

It's a shame they don't have a tree surgeon. Old trees have a habit of falling down/losing branches in storms...then there is Elm die back etc.

MereDintofPandiculation · 24/08/2021 13:43

Not much “elm die back”. It’s ash die back which is the concern now. We got rid of nearly all our elms through Dutch elm disease when I was still a teenager.

stilldumdedumming · 24/08/2021 15:14

What is the full list of the missing please? I had completely forgotten about Johnny til his dyslexia was mentioned

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 24/08/2021 15:21

@Edmontine

Grin

Do you feel better now you’ve got all that off your chest, Gasp0? Excellent recollecting.

I still remember Polly’s car accident. Was very shocking. Hard to believe that was only 1982, it seems like deep history in my memory.

Much, thanks! Only 1982? I was listening then, on and off. That week must have been off.
OP posts:
Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 24/08/2021 15:36

Kathy didn't just date Kenton, they co-habited for quite a while. She was driven to distraction by his feckless ways. The listeners were meanwhile driven to distraction by her endless whinging.

A full list of the missing?

Jill, Leonard, Peggy (almost, very understandable given June Spencer is 101), Christine
Kathy, Jamie
Bert Fry
Kenton, Jolene
Pat, Tony, Natasha, Tom, Johnnie
Hannah
Carol Tregorran
Robert Snell
James Bellamy, Leonie ?Bellamy, Mungo (I haven't imagined their child is called that, have I?)
Toby Fairbrother, Robin Fairbrother (I still want him to take up residence in the village) - we hear very little of Rex but I don't think we can say he's missing
A person who I won't name in case it acts as a summoning charm - but her return is inevitable, given we've heard most of the rest of her family this week Sad

There are bound to be lots more.

OP posts:
Edmontine · 24/08/2021 16:14

Yes, Mungo - hope of the future.

Mo-reece ... 😍 I know we’ll never hear from him again, but I loved that man.

Lewis. Surely he’s dead by now? (Did I miss it?) They can’t have him locked in an attic?

It’s always annoying when they introduce an institution purely for plot, then drop it afterwards. The food bank / homeless shelter (?) Pat decided to Lady Bountiful at for about three days would have been a useful addition to the hinterland.

Let’s hope Ben’s training supplies a new source of interesting stories.

RandomCatGenerator · 24/08/2021 16:32

Bravo @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

Dan is missing. Clarrie hasn’t been heard from in a few months I think?