The Archers spoilers thread #8: Can't wait for 7.02pm? Join us here!

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Spoilers thread for The Archers. Please keep all spoiler-related discussion in this thread and do not spill the beans on the main Archers Thread. Last spoilers thread here: www.mumsnet.com/talk/radio_addicts/4197199--The-Archers-spoilers-thread-7-Cant-wait-for-7-02pm-Join-us-here

Current main Archers thread here: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/radio_addicts/4887688-archers-thread-153-total-absolute-rubbish-but-we-keep-on-listening-hoping-for-better-things-its-the-hope-that-kills-you-discuss-the-archers-here?latest=1 The main thread tends to last a few weeks. The spoiler thread runs for around a year, but I strongly suspect it gets read about as much as the main thread.

To join her there and live happily every after. I hope so.

That's a lovely idea.

Or goodbye to Martha's new pony....

It's goodbye to the Texels

Was I right?

You were indeed, @WhoppingBigBackside

So is the "goodbye" to Helen's temporary sanity or (in my dreams) to Helen herself, as she packs up and leaves Ambridge for good, not wishing to live in the same county as the Rob Titchener Memorial Whatever?

Haven't heard tonight's yet, but it looks from the other thread as if TA has finally jumped the shark. Sigh.

Anyway, here are some teasers. I don't think we have this week's on the thread, so here they are for completeness. This is everything I can see on the BBC website and I've shamelessly C&P from Mustardland. Apparently the Radio Times and the Daily Mail had no previews for this week because of Christmas.

31st Dec 2023 Resolutions are made at The Bull, and Lilian has a favour to ask.
1st Jan 2024 Henry has reservations, and Kate faces a difficult start to the new year.
2nd Jan Helen makes the effort, and Jakob struggles to put things right.
3rd Jan Brad is on a mission, and there’s concern for Chris.
4th Jan Kenton puts his foot down and Alice faces a challenge.
5th Jan The nightmare isn’t over for Helen, and Jolene comes up trumps.

Writer: Sarah Hehir
Director: Dave Payne
Brian Aldridge…. Charles Collingwood
Helen Archer …. Louiza Patikas
Henry Archer …. Blayke Darby
Jolene Archer …. Buffy Davis
Kenton Archer …. Richard Attlee
Tony Archer …. David Troughton
Lilian Bellamy …. Sunny Ormonde
Alice Carter …. Hollie Chapman
Chris Carter …. Wilf Scolding
Eddie Grundy …. Trevor Harrison
Jakob Hakansson …. Paul Venables
Brad Horrobin …. Taylor Uttley
Chelsea Horrobin …. Madeleine Leslay
Tracy Horrobin …. Susie Riddell
Joy Horville …. Jackie Lye
Kate Madikane …. Perdita Avery
Oliver Sterling …. Michael Cochrane

7th Jan Helen faces a dilemma, and Brad seeks a new opportunity.
8th Jan Relations deteriorate at the vets, and Natasha sparks controversy.
9th Jan A problem presents itself for Elizabeth, and Lilian is given the hard sell.
10th Jan Henry takes a big step, and Lily makes a deal with the enemy.
11th Jan Momentum gathers for Tom, and there’s an awkward encounter for Alistair.
12th Jan Emotions run high at Bridge Farm, and Brad gets the wrong end of the stick.

Writer, Tim Stimpson
Director, Rosemary Watts
Editor, Jeremy Howe
Helen Archer ….. Louiza Patikas
Henry Archer ….. Blayke Darby
Natasha Archer ….. Mali Harries
Pat Archer ….. Patricia Gallimore
Tom Archer ….. William Troughton
Tony Archer ….. David Troughton
Lilian Bellamy ….. Sunny Ormonde
Brad Horrobin ….. Taylor Uttley
Chelsea Horrobin ….. Madeleine Leslay
Alistair Lloyd ….. Michael Lumsden
Paul Mack ….. Joshua Riley
Denise Metcalfe ….. Clare Perkins
Elizabeth Pargetter ….. Alison Dowling
Lily Pargetter ….. Katie Redford
Mr Reed ….. Dan Hagley
Oliver Sterling ….. Michael Cochrane

Radio Times Ambridge Diary January 7th-12th
It's a new year but it seems it's still all problems for Helen. She's reeling from last week's bombshell, so Henry takes matters into his own hands.
Brad seeks a new opportunity that may cause problems for Elizabeth, and Chelsea takes advantage of the situation.
The vets deal with the latest promotional initiative, Lilian is given the hard sell, and a Latin dance class at the church does not go as expected.

14th Jan The cat is put among the pigeons for Brian and there’s tension at the Tearoom.
15th Jan The pressure mounts on Ed, and Lilian stirs the pot.
16th Jan Natasha comes to the rescue, and new horizons beckon for Brad.
17th Jan There’s a sad goodbye in Ambridge, and things go from bad to worse for the Grundys.
18th Jan Eddie has a shocking idea, and Fallon makes an unexpected friend.
19th Jan Helen finds herself on the spot and there’s a big surprise for Mia.

Writer: Naylah Ahmed
Director: Pip Swallow
Brian Aldridge…. Charles Collingwood
Helen Archer …. Louiza Patikas
Natasha Archer ….. Mali Harries
Tony Archer ….. David Troughton
Lilian Bellamy ….. Sunny Ormonde
Clarrie Grundy …. Heather Bell
Ed Grundy …. Barry Farrimond
Eddie Grundy …. Trevor Harrison
Emma Grundy…. Emerald O‘Hanrahan
Mia Grundy …. Molly Pipe
Brad Horrobin …. Taylor Uttley
Joy Horville …. Jackie Lye
Alistair Lloyd ….. Michael Lumsden
Azra Malik …. Yasmin Wilde
Rebecca Price…. Rose Robinson
Fallon Rogers …. Joanna Van Kampen
Adil Shah …. Ronny Jhutti
Lynda Snell …. Carole Boyd

21st Jan Helen takes a big step, and confusion rages at The Bull.
22nd Jan Alice faces a dilemma, and Adam makes his presence felt.
23rd Jan There’s surprising news for Harry, and Chelsea turns detective.
24th Jan There’s concern for Brian, while Eddie finds life a drag.
25th Jan There’s light at the end of the tunnel for the Grundys, and Susan stirs the pot.
26th Jan Tension mounts at The Bull, and Tony makes an enemy.

WRITER: Caroline Jester
DIRECTOR: Kim Greengrass
Brian Aldridge… Charles Collingwood
Helen Archer … Louiza Patikas
Jolene Archer … Buffy Davis
Kenton Archer … Richard Attlee
Natasha Archer … Mali Harries
Tony Archer … David Troughton
Lilian Bellamy … Sunny Ormonde
Alice Carter … Hollie Chapman
Susan Carter … Charlotte Martin
Harry Chilcott … Jack Ashton
Clarrie Grundy … Heather Bell
Ed Grundy … Barry Farrimond
Eddie Grundy … Trevor Harrison
Emma Grundy … Emerald O‘Hanrahan
Brad Horrobin … Taylor Uttley
Chelsea Horrobin … Madeleine Leslay
Adam Macey … Andrew Wincott
Azra Malik … Yasmin Wilde
Rebecca Price … Rose Robinson

The sleuths of Mustardland say that Rebecca Price is the reporter who was sniffing around at Bridge Farm on the last Open Farm Sunday, or whatever it was, and offended David by not knowing who he was. She made the connection between Helen and Rob.

There’s a lot of pot stirring going on

can I bear to listen? Not sure.

Mr Reed is the one whose name we dare not speak.
BBC Radio 4 - The Archers - Darrell Makepeace

He had a very distinctive voice, so it’s an odd choice if they’re just reusing the actor. The alternative Mr Reed is Darrell’s secret identity, which would be ….. also an odd choice. I’m find g myself very irritated by most of the storylines at the moment. Those teasers aren’t easing my mind about what’s coming up!

I have no memory whatsoever of Darrell.

Married to Elona, who looked after Jack at The Laurels; was in prison when Elona first started to talk. Peggy paid towards their rent in Ambridge so Elona would be able to live there and go on looking after Jack. Darrell turned out to be the sort of person who steals from his employer (Brian/Jennifer) and facilitates organised dog-fighting in that employer's out-of-earshot barn. Had a nervous breakdown, sponged off Shula, caused Daniel unhappiness by demanding Shula's attention when she'd just told Daniel that his grandad (Mark's father) had died so that she left Daniel to deal with that himself while she went to help Darrell.

Cured by being given a second-hand jumper as a Christmas present by the Grundys, and never subsequently heard from or of thank goodness.

I’d forgotten his criminal ways, all I remember is him being annoyingly pathetic.

@Gonners do you not remember him as ‘HWMNBN? (He Who Must Not Be Named.)

It was a long running thread joke, used because PseudoBadger (originator of the main thread) couldn’t stand Darrell …

I found him a brilliant presence in the village - he really brought out some uncomfortable truths about various characters’ core societal attitudes.

No, but I've only been on MN for about - er - a year (goodness, how time flies). But also, there are huge gaps in my Archers knowledge because I kept wandering off to live in ghastly foreign parts - worse even than Meyruelle!

Ah! Boarding school and foreign parts were the two main reasons for gaps in my listening, @Gonners. (I particularly remember the joy, at the start of the new millennium, of finally hearing TA online from a ranch in Wyoming.) I pathetically listened all through uni …

Have you thoroughly gutted the BBC Archers site? That should help with gaps. Alongside this and the main thread.

I could be wrong, but I think HWMNBN arrived not long before Vanessa Whitburn finally retired as Editor. I have a dim memory of feeling that the programme was marking time because no new major storyline was likely to get under way until there was a new Editor, which seemed to take an age. It was a great relief when D finally went mute. He was awful, in a way that poor pathetic Blake was not, in more recent times.

Is "Eddie finds life a drag" more likely to be cross dressing or drag racing?

Do they still have drag hunts?

Darrell? - hell, I don't remember him ... marbles must be sliding away quicker than I thought.

Script writers must be a bit desperate to keep the Titchener thread dragging on like this.

Is Jolene's ex also called Darrell and is he still the chef at the pub?

He's called Wayne, isn't he?

@Gonners - of course he is, I wasn't even close! Thank you.😁

Wayne Rogers stage name Wayne Tucson