👑 Archers thread #139: Who’s the Daddy? No ceremonial required to join us – 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 like the sound of Lilian’s Cinnamon Chicken, 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.)

I'm often struck by the time a thread ends how irrelevant the previous title has become to what's currently going on in The Archers. The Queen's death has only been mentioned very briefly in TA, of course, but I suppose that was to be expected in a time of budget constraints. In a few weeks when this thread fills up I wonder if we will still be thinking that, and about Chelsea and her pregnancy. That depends on what she decides to do, which at the time of writing is still up in the air.

As usual, I asked for title ideas and for various reasons then didn't use them. Sorry. Lillian Gish's was very witty - Will Chelsea stay mum about dad? Muddler made a more controversial one - Horrobins thread #139. As a new Great House of Ambridge emerges, come swear your allegiance here.

That's about all I can face saying about TA at the moment. I am expecting to have to travel north soon as my Dad is in hospital and I have to be with my Mum. (They're the same sort of age as Jill Archer, and up to now have been like her and Peggy, very active, managing very well with no help, but this may all be about to change ). So apologies if I'm more absent than present for a while. Will pop in when I can.

Chelsea isn't a child. I don't think of anyone over 16 as a child. Chelsea has every right to confide in Alastair and to ask him not to tell Tracey.

Jazzer is her mother's fairly recent boyfriend- he has no right whatsoever to be told.

Very few people have an issue with abortion. Really? On what basis are you making that statement?

Or because adoption is now the most frowned on choice?
It's probably the most complicated.

there has to be an archer involved in the pregnancy.
so either it's one of the young'uns or she gets together with one (dan?)

What exactly would Alistair divulge? That he strongly suspects the father is from Ambridge. I would keep that to myself on Chelsea's wishes. It doesn't actually help Tracey at all. Hunting down the dad isn't important at the moment.

I do understand her reaction to Russ of course, that's different and Chelsea was missing at the time.

I also hate the way Chelsea has morphed into teenage Kevin. She sounds like a 30 year old playing a teenager in am dram.

Ok - so the hints are being dropped, the SWs clearly expect us all to speculate about who the father is (much like when Michelle Fowler got pregnant in EE many, many years ago and it turned out to be Dirty Den - her best friend's father!) If they are going down the EE route, then I don't think anyone can be ruled out. I do however think we can rule out those who already know about the pregnancy and haven't at least twitched. So we know it's not Russ (by Chelsea's denial), which also rules out Freddie (as he knows). It's not Harrison, Alistair or Jazzer (I know - but I'm going on the Dirty Den principle) - though I think @BoreOfWhabylon is correct and someone might jump to the conclusion that it is Alistair if they stumble on his research. This way the news can leak out to more and more people until eventual the culprit gets wind of it and we see some kind of reaction. We need to draw up a list of candidates - does Ruari know? He'd be up there on my list for causing maximum disruption and also in terms of being a chip off the old block. Though working on the Dirty Den principle it could just as likely be Brian himself. Just to be clear - I hate this storyline. I don't think the drama needs to be ramped up to this extent and as a PP on a previous thread pointed out, there's never been any suggestion up to this point that Chelsea was in any kind of romantic relationship (though from memory I think Michelle Fowler was similar and her liaison with Dirty Den was one-off).

@Pobblebonk , one of my acquaintances from childhood had at least one termination, and 'had to get married'. She and the father had several children, but I do wonder if there was any regret.

Is there an orangery employee we are overlooking? That's where she's spent the summer.

Trent? Lewis?

Fair enough not necessarily Jazzer I said Jazzer as obviously Alastair has links to him. Chelsea is still (just) under 18 I think and vulnerable. I wouldn't want my teen confiding in an older man.

Jazzer (I know - but I'm going on the Dirty Den principle)

i can't stand Jazzer. In real life the mother's recent, over-sexed, sex pest boyfriend who creepily bangs on about being "mates" with a teenaged girl would be a strong contender.

American sites?

we can rule out those who already know about the pregnancy and haven't at least twitched

Excellent starting point!

I was mulling it over yesterday and wondered about Toby, then opened the thread and saw he had been mentioned already. It seems unlikely, age and personality -wise, but he was somewhat restive recently. And now he’s leaving, if he hasn’t already left. He certainly wouldn’t know Chelsea was pregnant and she wouldn’t know his plans. The ‘kicking off’ would be because he already has a child in Ambridge. It would be different if it were Rex - no one would worry about his reaction.

The clues rule out Vince, Sol, the kitchen builders, as they don’t live in Ambridge. But not Jakob, Will, Lee, Adil, Martyn, Roy …

It can’t be Ed, because I love him.

It can’t be First Cousin Christopher.

Hate the thought of George but agree he’s someone whose reaction might worry her a lot.

Reviewing the case since Gasp0de’s helpful deep history post yesterday - Johnny also seems a strong contender. We’ve heard nothing from him for ages, he’s more likely in terms of age, but still … He’s generally sweet natured, they would have a chat. Not like George who has very deliberately been painted as the Daemon of Ambridge (only less handsome).

Some of the results I got were American- the answer was still No. It's such an obvious plot device.

Well to name a couple- every public opinion poll in recent years in the UK?

Or the support given by Holyrood and Westminster to continue with telemedicine for abortion?

I was mulling it over yesterday and wondered about Toby, then opened the thread and saw he had been mentioned already. It seems unlikely, age and personality -wise, but he was somewhat restive recently. And now he’s leaving, if he hasn’t already left. He certainly wouldn’t know Chelsea was pregnant and she wouldn’t know his plans. The ‘kicking off’ would be because he already has a child in Ambridge.

And it would tie her to Archers by having Rosie's half-sibling.

It's not enough for purposes of dynasty and inheritance though. Chelsea's child would have no Archer blood and no Archer relatives other than Rosie.

@TheLassWiADelicateAir , you still haven't substantiated your claim, but don't bother on my account. You have a point but you are labouring it a bit.

@EBearhug , a half-sibling for the Fat Fairchild sounds like the icing on the cake.

It is perfectly obvious from the threads on MN in general and this thread in particular that far more posters have no issue with abortion than are opposed to abortion. It's not a great leap to assume the posters on MN are a reasonable indicator of the general view on abortion.

As for labouring matters, I suggest you read your own posts.

I think we can also rule out relatives - Ambridge has never done in-breeding (though that is obviously a thing in some places in RL). So not Neil or Christopher and also not George (who is Susan's grandson). If they are following the EE pattern, Dirty Den was someone much older, who Michelle knew well, but who also seemed an unlikely candidate because he had an adopted daughter and was therefore presumed to be unable to have a child of his own. Does anyone in TA fit this kind of profile - someone off the radar, but who has had contact with Chelsea and who she might like and be flattered by? She was adamant it was consensual (which I also think also rules out George in his current incarnation). What were Chelsea's questions to Alistair? What is she worried about? That the father might want/not want her to have an abortion? Might want to pay/not pay maintenance? Who might that apply to? It brings me back to Ruairi - someone who announced his sexuality was fairly fluid, now in this ridiculous arrangement with Julianne, did he once give Chelsea some exam coaching or have I just made that up?

I'm wasting far too much time on this - which presumably is exactly what the SWs were hoping for

Yawn.

Was Ruarhi at the rave? All roads appear to lead back to the rave (as that is where Chelsea encountered so many of the potential candidates) but may be it’s a red herring.

How old is Russ? He's supposed to be much older than Lily, and Lily is nearly 23. As a 17 yr old, I'd have thought a 22 yr old a lot older than me, so CMR would have seemed ancient, I suppose, but if Chelsea could have a crush on someone nearly her mother's age...

Think Ruairi was helping Mia with Maths at one point - and she had a crush on him.

It’s true Chelsea seems to go for men rather than boys - so it could well be someone a similar age to Russ.

Toe B has form for ONSs.