🏏Archers thread #136: Howzat! Oliver’s bowled a googly, Kathy’s out, Grey Gables left with nightwatchman. Tracy knocked for six. Is Ambridge on a sticky wicket? 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 are entranced by new character Adil, 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/4197199--The-Archers-spoilers-thread-6-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.)

Apologies if anybody made a thread title suggestion and I missed it. I decided to mark the start of the cricket season in the hope that things will take a turn for the better for poor Tracy.

It feels like months since the last new thread, which was just after Phoebe departed for Scotland. Has she been mentioned since? I can't recall. Not greatly missed, by me, at any rate. Her fish gifts didn't last long.

I can't shake off the feeling that The Archers is going through a long dull patch. I don't feel greatly engaged by anything that's happening at the moment other than Tracy's plight. Such a good actor, which helps, of course.

What's keeping you listening? Habit? Genuinely enjoying it? Over to you!

(PS In the process of starting this thread, I've discovered that our custom-made Archers emoji has gone. You used to get it by typing . Not any more.)

That was a bit weird. What's going on with Ruairi?

The sugar mummy SL is ridiculous

I don't really understand what she's getting from it. I got the impression that Ruari was off talking to different people than she was at the event, and he was in a different room from her in the hotel. She clearly expects him to be at her beck and call (even when his father has had a serious medical event,) and is paying well for it, but then she mostly doesn't seem to be with him, and they weren't in the same room, which I know doesn't definitely mean no sex, but...

I were paying for a young escort, it would be for their energy and recovery time in bed. (But there's a whole Tinder full of blokes who will fuck for free, if that's what you want.) If I wanted an actual escort for their conversation and social acceptability in public, I'd want someone my own age.

Yes, I'd already said she'd be seen as a laughing stock or a creep. I'm not sure these days even if it were a man that he wouldn't be seen as similar.

I'm sure that would depend on the circles you move in
I think it's only BBC squeamishness that has stopped any sexual involvement

What I don't understand is why Brian isn't in hospital. Bloody hell, he's 78. In RL surely they'd keep him in until they'd done the tests.

Me professionally , legal and financial services and property, including having to occasionally attend the sort of event Ruari and Julianne were at. Eyebrows would be raised and backs talked behind. The idea that a professional business woman would take her paid for toy boy along is ludicrous.

Julianne sounds bonkers and nasty.

Gosh sorry @KimikosNightmare I hadn't noticed you had already made my point about status symbols! Apologies, I'll have to catch up with the thread next time as well as the episodes.

Why was Ruari haring off again at her beck and call? What do people think: guilt about not being there for his father; debts so big he can't afford to get the elbow from Julianne?

There is an agricultural advisor - it's a pity they don't have a living in the real word advisor.

He shouldn't have debts , unless he's been spending in anticipation of getting his "allowance"

Presumably Brian and Jenny are providing financial support too? Or do they now think he's self funding from his alleged crypto currency deals? It's such a weird storyline.

Agreed @KimikosNightmare It's such a weird storyline that it feels like there's an issue looming. But I can't believe we're supposed to think there's huge numbers of sinister predatory 40-something women taking advantage of poor ickle rich boys at university. It's ludicrous.

And yes, @echt, even in the current climate Brian would have been admitted straight to the cath lab with prolonged, clearly-cardiac pain. He'd most likely have had his stent already, not be waiting for an appointment at the chest pain clinic (which is where we'd refer if he'd turned up in surgery with a few episodes of chest pain ?angina, not a full-on emergency).

Oh, and I can't believe we didn't hear anything about the puddings after all that ridiculousness about the judging. What exactly was the point of that then???

Won't the puddings be today (in retrospect) or tomorrow?

Of course in the real world people don't actually have loud notifications on their phones and he could just check it whenever he goes to the loo, no need to turn it off, but in radio land phones are always on super loud otherwise they couldn't be a plot point

The ONLY reason a woman like julianne would pay a teenager for company is for sex. It's disgusting and abusive but the idea that he's being a sugar baby for company only is absurd

CloseYourEyesAndSee Yes, exactly. And as well as the 'conditions' around his phone being turned off we now learn that 'discussing family isn’t part of our arrangement'.

Does Julianne have no actual friends to take to the food festival and gallery opening? Why does she have to pay Ruairi an allowance to tote him round, and for whose benefit? It’s all beyond ridiculous.

I think it's only BBC squeamishness that has stopped any sexual involvement - I wondered if her demanding a kiss at breakfast was hinting at there being more to it despite them having separate rooms. I agree it's a strange storyline - I thought its main purpose was to bring Ruairi into line with Alice in terms of unreasonable behaviour so he would no longer have anything over her.

It sounded to me last night as though Alice is going to rescue Ruairi. She's previously been suspicious about his money and I think that somehow she'll work it out.

Yes me too. I think Ruari will try to end things and Julianne will demand he repays the money. Alice will either find out or Ruari might even confide in her. Alice tell Julianne she's a sad, pervy old bag and to get lost.

Ben knows, doesn't he?

Yes, Ben knows.

If it was a male colleague aged approx 45 and a 19 yr old woman, I'd think yuk. 45 yr old woman and 19 yr old man, I'd probably think she was his mother. Although, if Julianne is very rich she might look much younger than her real age and Ruairi might look a little older

A catamite arrangement would have been more plausible

On top of all that we’re supposed to believe that a teenager wouldn’t have checked his phone before going to bed.

Ha! Good point @PlantSpider!

The only reason for not checking his phone before bed would be the one the SWs are pretending doesn’t exist.

It’s so absurd!

On the up side (upside? whatever) Brian lives.

On the down side, we haven't yet had the Pudding Competition. Bugger.

The Ruairi storyline is so ludicrous I can't summon up the energy to discuss it. I want it to go away.

I assume Brian will be fast-tracked for an angiogram and the stent will go in immediately if that's what's indicated. If the production team has done its research on this <hollow laugh>, they should know that cardiac care is one thing the NHS does a lot better now than it did a generation ago. Very clear and effective treatment pathway, which we experienced first-hand a few years ago when my husband had a heart attack.

She sounds like his mother. It’s creepy.

I’m also so bored of the ‘man with heart issue being ‘mithered’ to take it easy and eat well by the pesky women in their lives’ trope.

She sounds like his mother. It’s creepy

Yes, I agree. She sounded a bit like a maiden aunt when she asked for a kiss over breakfast. The dynamic just doesn’t work at all- no chemistry- surprised she’s not asking for a refund.

I meant to say earlier that I was sad to see Webster go. She has real stage presence.