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.

Ha ha, @TottersBlanklyIntoBimboCore, but I often find I've totally misremembered things or forgotten something a lot more obvious. I'd probably fall flat on my face on MM, not least because I'd be paralysed by nerves.

I don’t think that really counts as a disability

I thought that.

She knew exactly what was going to be on offer, and was happy to turn up there and eat there, before suddenly getting coy about it being Jim's house.

To me there was an underlying push for him to start thinking about moving out and ultimately breaking up the little home.

If she survives, I think she’s actually quite controlling

What happened to Denise? I felt sure that she was rather lovely before she moved away!

With Jim in his 90's, and presumably getting a little infirm, it would be incredibly insensitive of Alistair to move out and leave him to fend for himself. There's the small matter of having minimal funds as well, thanks to his gambling debts (I don't recall Shula giving him a share of the stables/home when they split up) so where is he going to magic £1/2m+ from?

Still, if it means that Fiona Lloyd joins the cast to look after Jim.... I seem to remember that she had a good radio voice and she might have been the younger child.

Alistair moved into his father's house, rather than getting a flat of his own as he had intended when he left Shula, because Jim was in a bad state about the abuse that he suffered when he was ten or so, and Alistair and sister Fiona were concerned for him.

I think the abuse story came out because they insisted on Jim having a surprise birthday party – probably for his seventy-fifth birthday: it was a "significant" one, anyway – that he absolutely did not want, and his wheel-chair-bound, much older abuser cadged a lift from a hundred or more miles away to attend it. The way people in their late eighties do in order to see someone who has had nothing to do with them for sixty-five years at least. Jim was seriously upset by seeing him again (and recognised him on sight, also the way you do with people you haven't seen since they were in their adolescence/early twenties) and had something of a breakdown.

I'd think that Jim not living alone five years later remains something Alistair would feel better about, really.

@RegimentalSturgeon , was that supposed to be humorous?

Right, updates. I've repeated what's left of this week as it looks like things kick off tomorrow. Big gap in three weeks and that week directed by Jeremy Howe - could indicate high drama. [Ever the optimist.]

2.5 Jakob finds himself on the spot and Will attempts to keep the peace.
3.5 One family face devastation and George struggles to pay the price.

Writer: Caroline Jester
Director: Rosemary Watts and Pip Swallow
Brian Aldridge…. Charles Collingwood
Lilian Bellamy…. Sunny Ormonde
Alice Carter…. Hollie Chapman
Eddie Grundy…. Trevor Harrison
Emma Grundy…. Emerald O’Hanrahan
George Grundy…. Angus Stobie
Will Grundy…. Philip Molloy
Miranda Elliott…. Lucy Fleming
Jakob Hakansson…. Paul Venables
Chelsea Horrobin…. Madeleine Leslay
Joy Horville…. Jackie Lye
Alistair Lloyd…. Michael Lumsden
Jim Lloyd…. John Rowe
Kate Madikane…. Perdita Avery
Dr Azra Malik…. Yasmin Wilde
Denise Metcalf…. Clare Perkins
Lynda Snell…. Carole Boyd
Robert Snell…. Michael Bertenshaw
Mick…. Martin Barrass

Radio Times Ambridge Diary April 28th-May 3rd
There’s high drama when Jakob makes a shocking discovery about a fellow resident, who is desperate to keep him quiet. Meanwhile, Bartleby, the talking horse proves problematic, as George and Eddie clash over their plans for him, with Lynda a surprisingly influential factor. Alice keeps up the pretence all is fine, but dinner with Brian and Miranda makes it tricky.

4.5 Brian’s words cut deep, and someone makes a terrible mistake with earth-shattering consequences.
5.5 There’s a race against time in Ambridge, and one resident faces a nightmare situation.
6.5 There’s life-changing news at the hospital, and Kate fears the worst.
7.5 Alan provides a sympathetic ear, and Will is left confused.
8.5 There’s heartbreak in store for Chris, while suspicions are raised about recent events.
9.5 Tensions boil over for one family, and Harrison takes shocking action.

Brian Aldridge…. Charles Collingwood
Harrison Burns…. James Cartwright
Alice Carter…. Hollie Chapman
Chris Carter…. Wilf Scolding
Alan Franks…. John Telfer
George Grundy…. Angus Stobie
Will Grundy…. Philip Malloy
Jakob Hakansson…. Paul Venables
Joy Horville…. Jackie Lye
Alistair Lloyd…. Michael Lumsden
Paul Mack…. Joshua Riley
Adam Macy…. Andrew Wincott
Kate Madikane…. Perdita Avery
Jazzer McCreary…. Ryan Kelly
Denise Metcalf…. Clare Perkins
Fallon Rogers…. Joanna Van Kampen
Mick…. Martin Barrass
Dr Ghanam…. Philip Ardetti

Writer: Naylah Ahmed

Radio Times Ambridge Diary 5-10 May:
As the village celebrates May Day, Alice finds herself in a bad place and the actions of a seemingly Good Samaritan turn out to have terrible consequences. Alistair and Denise make plans to finally spend the night together, Will is worried about George's out-of-character behaviour and others find themselves on an emotional rollercoaster they may not be able to get off.

12.5 One resident makes a horrifying discovery, and Tracy is on a mission to bring the community together.
13.5 Adam lays down his conditions and Kirsty overpromises.
14.5 Alice presses self destruct, and tensions mount at the vet surgery.
15.5 A familiar face returns to Ambridge, and Jolene offers a shoulder to cry on.
16.5 Emotions run high for one family, and Alistair has to think on his feet.
17.5 There’s a sad goodbye for Chris, and Chelsea gets carried away.

WRITER: Sarah Hehir
DIRECTOR: Rosemary Watts

Jolene Archer…. Buffy Davies
Kenton Archer…. Richard Attlee
Pip Archer…. Daisy Badger
Harrison Burns…. James Cartwright
Alice Carter…. Hollie Chapman
Chris Carter…. Wilf Scolding
Ruairi Donovan…. Arthur Hughes
George Grundy…. Angus Stobie
Jakob Hakannson…. Paul Venables
Chelsea Horrobin…. Madeleine Leslay
Tracy Horrobin…. Susie Riddell
Alistair Lloyd…. Michael Lumsden
Paul Mack…. Joshua Riley
Adam Macy…. Andrew Wincott
Kirsty Miller…. Annabelle Dowler
Freddie Pargetter…. Toby Laurence
Fallon Rogers…. Joanna Van Kampen
Mick…. Martin Barrass
Lisa…. Rhiannon Neads [I think this is Alice's AA sponsor]

[Sunday and Monday following that not up yet, but the rest of the week is.]
21/05 Neil offers support to a friend, and Kirsty has a secret weapon.
22/5 Harrison has the rug pulled from under him, and Ben launches a surprise.
23/5 Emotions run high for Tom, and Vince finds himself cornered.
24/5 Fallon reaches the end of her tether, and there’s a shock for Joy.

Writer: Liz John
Director: Jeremy Howe
Editor: Jeremy Howe
Ben Archer…. Ben Norris
David Archer…. Timothy Bentinck
Tom Archer…. William Troughton
Pat Archer…. Patricia Gallimore
Harrison Burns…. James Cartwright
Neil Carter…. Brian Hewlett
Vince Casey…. Tony Turner
Mick Fadmoor…. Martin Barrass
George Grundy…. Angus Stobie
Joy Horville…. Jackie Lye
Alistair Lloyd…. Michael Lumsden
Jazzer McCreary…. Ryan Kelly
Kirsty Miller…. Annabelle Dowler
Elizabeth Pargetter…. Alison Dowling
Freddie Pargetter…. Toby Laurence
Lily Pargetter…. Katie Redford
Fallon Rogers…. Joanna Van Kampen
Inspector Norris…. Bharti Patel

They are all very high drama sounding but I suspect will end up pretty tame. Eg Vince finding himself cornered will turn out to him just being blocked in the pub car park and being late to meet elizabeth

No Alice in that final week. No Brian next week or the following week. Hmm. No Denise after this week either, but Paul speaks next week. All manner of things are possible.

I think it could be that Jakob is the Good Samaritan trying to stop Alice driving which is why Alice is at the hospital.

I’m starting to think this is more about markie coming back

maybe he will rustle bartleby

Hang on- Harrison’s boss is there. Hmmm

Will is worried about George's out-of-character behaviour

The mind boggles. Is he going to do something kind or generous? And I don't much like the sound of Adam laying down his conditions, unless they involve him never speaking again.

To paraphrase Barthes just a bit, that’s for you to decide.

Author, schmauthor, when do we get death of the character? (No longer care which, with the possible exception of Brian)

I wasn't really listening tonight. Trying to get motivated to go and vote.
It would go against the grain not to, but it's a 2 mile round trip.
The choice of councillors is Party A or Party B. All the candidates are male.
The PCC candidates seem to be all male white middle-aged middle-class.
Not one of them has knocked on my door or popped a flyer through the letterbox.
Needs must, I suppose.

Just heard a SATTC type promo for next week, voiced by Alice as she appears to be getting in to a car

Oooh, where did you hear that?

Final two spoilers from week after next are up now. Must have been a glitch earlier.

Sun 19/5 Tensions rise at the cricket, and Jazzer attempts to lend a hand from afar.
20/5 There’s an emergency at Brookfield, and Freddie relives the past.

Job done. It wasn't a vote for the local council, only the PCC.

Ours too was only a vote for the PCC – which to me means Parochial Church Council and therefore confuses me every single time people talk about voting for it. I wish they had selected a TLA that was not already taken by something we also have a vote for, or at least, a vote for one of.

I had 4 things to vote for!

I'm glad I went. I've never not voted and at least this one had a choice of several candidates. There was no queue, the local elections usually means a long one.
Thanks for the spoiler update.

@WhoppingBigBackside - we live less than 100m across the green from the polling station, and made the very trivial effort for the sole purpose of spoiling our votes for the Police & Crime Commissioner. All three candidates had party political affiliations specified on the ballot, so I wrote NO!, NO! and NO! in each box and added "Party politics has NO place in policing!" Mr G merely voted for all three and wrote in something less polite.

Given the level of interest, I suspect that's 10% of the vote spoiled.

I'm not saying what I actually put on the card.
I have once thrown away a vote by voting for my preferred candidate when living in a safe seat. I no longer live in that constituency but unless they change the boundary one party will hold it.
We had a disgraced MP when I lived there.

Edited because I had inadvertently deleted some text.