Archers thread #158: Te Rum? You numpty, numpty, Tom! Empty tearoom follows. Christmas coming, farmers’ stand up, will it make us LOL? No! 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, and of course we are always delighted to welcome back former or occasional listeners/posters. We don't all agree on all points, although we do mostly try to be civil about it. Most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you think Tom Archer is a great businessman, 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/4636789-the-archers-spoilers-thread-7-cant-wait-for-702pm-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.)

Thanks to @LillianGish for the title idea, which may plant an earworm if my scansion just about holds up. @BeatriceBatchelor wanted 'plebby coffee' inserted in reference to my Bolivian coffee anecdote on the last thread, so I'll mention it here instead. Here's hoping Fallon and Emma decamp to the charging station or Grey Gables, or both, to run the type of coffee shop/tearoom people actually enjoy spending time in. Tom's cauliflower eclairs and kale criossants approach sounds more likely to drive the casual trade away from the farm shop and cheese window as well as the Google Translate-named Te Rum.

Feeling very uninspired by TA at the moment, so I have nothing more to say for now. Over to you!

I remember the racism stuff as a few years earlier than that?

The Telegraph (somewhat echoing what @nameoftheday said above).

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/12/23/the-archers-ian-pepperell-dies-aged-53-dead/

@ILoveShula yes, I think you're right that New Tony has now become Tony (and also about Tom), but initially I thought the vocal discrepancy took some acclimatising to, whereas that seemed less with Clarrie but has somehow endured.

Anyway, the thing I was wondering about was whether Roy, given his unique social place in the village, as @bakedpotatoforlunch also notes, would be replaced rather than written out, as has happened with Tony et al.

EARS not years. Said I was upset.

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g , this thread is likely to fill quickly now. Disregard my previous rather lame suggestion, and please maybe name the thread in honour of, and to reflect our recognition of, Ian Pepperell's long and valued contribution to TA.

I'd quite like Roy and Robert to be recast. Not that anyone could replace them, but because they were good characters.

Roy Tucker was being played by Ian Pepperell in 1995, or at least that's the name in the cast lists from the Radio Times of that year. The character doesn't seem to have appeared before then.

The ammonia attack on Usha was in 1995. Roy was then seventeen and at college rather than school. This makes Ian Pepperell's time in The Archers twenty-eight years not twenty-two.

Another vote in favour of re casting Roy. The character's absence is now sadly explained. But given a decent period I feel we ought to hear Roy again, not least to keep the Tucker line going.

Such sad news about Ian P. As a character, Roy had great potential.

If they can re-cast Kate, Clarrie, Tony, Tom.... there is a lot to be said for recasting Roy after an appropriate time. They could even have Abi and Phoebe come back to Ambridge with Hayley for good measure!

Maybe 2024 is the year in which we hear from the Gills and the owner if Grey Gables.

I'm in two minds really. On the one hand I would very much like the Roy character to continue. As I say he occupies a unique role in the village. To my mind he was - I was hoping - on a bit of a life journey to somewhere a bit happier. He always seemed slightly forlorn after Hayley left and Phoebe had moved on into adulthood. I rather hoped that he would eventually meet someone else and have a happy long-term relationship. And with the new look Grey Gables there appeared to be a whole new role opening up.

Also, as already by others Roy represents the sole Tucker Ambridge resident.

On the other hand Ian Pepperell (and to his very great credit) so much MADE the character of Roy - described so well by @nameoftheday and the Daily Telegraph article above - that I find it difficult to imagine anyone being to emulate that. Tony and Clarrie (and for that matter Emma) are in certain ways more straightforward and the mantles of their characters have been taken on fairly successfully by other actors. I'm not sure there could be another "Roy".

I'm genuinely saddened about Ian Pepperell aka Roy. Definitely agree our next title should be a tribute to him @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

Get well soon @AngryBirdsNoMore rotten feeling poorly so close to Christmas

Really sad news about Ian.

I have gone back to my previous user name in his honour.

Perhaps the Archers storyline could be that he and Hayley unexpectedly get back together and he moves out of Ambridge to be with them.

Wishful thinking.

May be he will move to Bulgaria

The replacing of Emma was fairly smooth. She sounded a bit like her predecessor and she does sound like she could be Susan's daughter.
Tony and Tom definitely sound related.
Kate had absences from TA, so not as noticeable, or maybe didn't actively p*ss me off.
New Pip - said it all before.

Ian P made Roy his own, but he definitely had a place in the village. He was a father of an Aldridge child, Kirsty's friend and landlord, Tom's friend and the best man at the wedding that wasn't, a key GG employee, and a much-liked friend and neighbour.

I'm sure others have said similar far more eloquently.

I was genuinely sad to read of Ians death. I was only thinking the other day that Roy missing from the GG storyline was a huge oversight. Now its even worse..the SLs should have explained it in some way rather that just omit Roy completely. I hope they do recast since it’s too late for a storylined exit now. That would be a fitting tribute.

OK, I've started the new thread. https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/radio_addicts/4969048-archers-thread-159-sad-news-as-2023-draws-to-a-close-rip-ian-pepperell-roy-tucker-discuss-the-archers-here

Thanks for the new thread.

Although I much preferred her predecessor's articles, I did laugh at the description of Harry in Charlotte Higgins on The Archers: farewell, Evil Rob, venomous to the end | The Archers | The Guardian

Isn't it strange how the thread has meandered from kale croissants and cauliflower eclairs to today's sad news.

But has a character ever been revoiced due to actor death? It seems a bit inappropriate somehow.

Dan Archer, repeatedly. Tom Forrest. Joe Grundy. Clarrie Grundy.

RIP Ian Pepperell 💐
These characters become part of our lives like an extended family.
I'm sure you're aware, but for those who aren't, YouTube has past episodes of The Archers sometimes a whole year's worth 2009 & 2010.
It's lovely to hear Jenny's and Nigel's voices again and now Roy's.

I think Freddie is playing the long game, pretending he's treating it as banter but it is clear from what David said about the dressing down he gave them, that he is management and he can handle them. A good move, i feel, and I'm interested to see how it plays out-

Sad news about Roy's actor.

There's a new thread: Archers thread #159: Sad news as 2023 draws to a close - RIP Ian Pepperell (Roy Tucker). Discuss The Archers here. | Mumsnet

ISTR it didn't end well in Gone with the Wind.

I think I was the first to suggest that Harry was not all he seems to be and I'm pleased that Kate is also thinks there's something a bit off with him.

Ali-stair and Denise make me nauseous.

There's a new thread: Archers thread #159: Sad news as 2023 draws to a close - RIP Ian Pepperell (Roy Tucker). Discuss The Archers here. | Mumsnet

Er, yes, that is probably what Regimental Sturgeon was getting at. Especially since the child in A Handful of Dust also dies in a pony accident.