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.

I hope Shiv’s appearance doesn’t mean Usha has left the Vicarage in high dudgeon? (Surely not, as we’ve just had Adil running away to stay with his sibling.) It wouldn’t make sense - but then, very little does in Ambridge at the moment.

I wonder if Alan is going to move on or retire?

He and Usha have been in situ for quite a long time now - it would be refreshing to have a new vicar!

And they’ve both been out of the limelight for so long now, it seems not unlikely they’ve been brought back to be written out. But who knows?

Ah, thanks @BoreOfWhabylon , I knew that name was familiar.

Given the timing it’s more likely he’s rocking up to help the vicarage celebrate Diwali (“Alan sees the light”). Maybe they can shoehorn something in about Diwali fireworks also frightening the horses.

Denise will be lodging with Jim and Alistair. Maybe the sniping between Silly Lily and Joshin' Josh will get to her. Hannah will lodge with Stella, which will annoy The World's First Lesbian.
Diwali is on Monday the 13th.

It couldn't be that we're going to have Usha and Shiv meet Azra and Adil, could it? I suppose if Diwali is going to be celebrated, that might be plausible. Do we know if Adil is a Hindu? I will admit to total ignorance about whether other religious groups in India also celebrate Diwali.

For no particular reason I'd vaguely assumed Adil was Muslim, but I don't think it's ever been mentioned, has it? People do tend to celebrate each other's festivals all over the place, though - especially the fun ones.

I'll ask an Indian Muslim tomorrow. Mind you, he probably won't know as he's from France!

@Gonners , I'm not sure if it's been mentioned but that he doesn't drink alcohol has been.
Adil is of pakistani heritage, not indian.
Adil and Azra are muslim names. Pakistan is (mainly) a muslim country and that was probably the main reason why it was created.

Diwali is on Monday the 13th.

Not according to the Times of India.

Thanks for correcting me. It's on the 12th

@WhoppingBigBackside I didn't know (or at least didn't remember) that his family was from Pakistan.

Bearing in mind that there are now between 150 and 200 million Muslims in India, partition didn't work out too efficiently in the long run, did it?

As far as I can make out, Narendra Modi is doing his best to correct that problem.

(But this thought doesn't really belong here; sorry!)

Thanks, Whopping. I thought as soon as I posted that I'd probably got several different things wrong.

Reading that Twitter/X thread of 'Lee's', it’s clear that he’s not making any further appearances (as far as he’s aware, anyway). So if he does keep his promise to take the boys out, we’re only going to hear about it secondhand. It must be weird to play a character with quite a big speaking part and then suddenly be turned into a 'silent', whether you wanted that or not.

I tried to access that thread but I’m no longer on Twitter and what I saw was all out of chronological order. What does he say?

Bit elliptical on his part tbh @TottersBlanklyIntoBimboCore but his opening post was 'Goodbye The Archers' - then various cast members coming on to express their regret/sorrow that he was departing. Lucy Speed saying he would be 'endlessly missed', Susie Riddell and Charlotte Martin chipping in, and Wilf Scolding. So it does look as though he’s gone for good. I didn’t know he was in Coronation Street, though!

Ah, thanks. Yes, I didn’t know about the Corrie connection until last week.

I’m torn - I found him an annoying and unlikely character and won’t miss his whiney voice - but I’m outraged at the merry dance Helen has led him, and it’s not nice to think of a human confronted with sudden separation from yet another family he thought he was part of.

I wonder what the SWs have in store for her, after Rob shuffles.

@TottersBlanklyIntoBimboCore I found him an annoying and unlikely character and won’t miss his whiney voice

This, to the extent that I rather hoped they'd kill two birds with one stone and have Helen beat him to death with a bowling ball, resulting in her permanent silent incarceration.

Well, Jack will always ‘be’ a Titchener … The SWs may let that lie for a few years after Rob dies - but it’s inevitable that at some time in the future either Miles or Jack will want to lay claim to that familial relationship. (And there’s a farm, which Miles already sounds overwhelmed by …)

... unless it's a Very Special kind of treatment that only works for as long as he stays in America.

How many more red flags will Stella ignore? She should be running for the hills.
I liked 'Struth' on the other thread and did wonder what WR was going to ask Stella.
Oh well, we can expect fireworks on Sunday.

Another week, another gang of spoilers:

BBC One-Liners
5 Nov The Bull’s Bonfire Night goes with a bang, and Alan is feeling the pressure.
6 Nov Relationships are tested at Grange Farm, and Jazzer has reservations.
7 Nov Joy attempts to offer advice, and Usha has a brainwave.
8 Nov Emma seeks reassurance, and there’s a difficult balancing act for Helen.
9 Nov It’s all change at Berrow, and George hatches a plan.
10 Nov Helen makes a shocking decision, and Eddie looks for the silver lining.

Credits
Sun 5/11/2023, Mon 6/11/2023, Tue 7/11/2023, Wed 8/11/2023, Thu 9/11/2023, Fri 10/11/2023
Writer, Avin Shah
Director, Peter Leslie Wild
Editor, Jeremy Howe
Helen Archer: Louiza Patikas
Henry Archer: Blayke Darby
Kenton Archer: Richard Attlee
Alan Franks: John Telfer
Usha Franks: Souad Faress
Ed Grundy: Barry Farrimond
Eddie Grundy: Trevor Harrison
Emma Grundy: Emerald O‘Hanrahan
George Grundy: Angus Stobie
Tracy Horrobin: Susie Riddell
Joy Horville: Jackie Lye
Jazzer McCreary: Ryan Kelly
Kirsty Miller: Annabelle Dowler
Hannah Riley: Helen Longworth
Oliver Sterling: Michael Cochrane

Radio Times Ambridge Diary November 5th – 10th November 2023
The spectre of the Grundys having to leave Grange Farm again is haunting the family and this week a shocking development throws them into chaos. Emma tries to keep the peace, Eddie hopes a solution will appear, and George starts plotting.
Helen is having worrying discussions that could lead to a tricky situation; Jazzer is encouraged to go for a new opportunity; and one resident dishes out home truths.

Daily Mail Weekend Magazine Archers Update 5th – 10th November 2023
The Bull's Bonfire Night goes with a bang, and this week there's a shocking development at Grange Farm that threatens to cause chaos.

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I thought the point of one of the storylines was that The Bull's Bonfire Night was going to go without a bang!

And we have yet another new writer: an actor who does Virtual Reality (VR) storytelling as well. I wonder whether he can write scripts that have anything to do with what the listeners know about the characters and geography in Ambridge.

Thanks @AskingQuestionsAllTheTime . A bang doesn't have to be from a firework.