Archers thread #159: Sad news as 2023 draws to a close - RIP Ian Pepperell (Roy Tucker). 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'd like more of Gagriculture, 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.)

We start this thread with the very sad news that Ian Pepperell, who played Roy Tucker from 1995 without a break, has died at the age of 53. There's a lovely tribute to him in this article from Jeremy Howe, the current Editor. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/dec/23/the-archers-actor-ian-pepperell-dies-aged-53-roy-archer-eastenders

Graham Blockey, who played Robert Snell, died just over a year ago, also far too young (66). https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/much-loved-surrey-gp-archers-25524449 As yet, Robert survives in Ambridge.

I do hope they don't re-cast Robert, but it might work for Roy, I suppose, after a suitable interval. They've re-cast Tony, Tom, Kate, Pip, Clarrie and Emma, mostly successfully. I still wish Tom and Pip hadn't been re-cast. New Tom is a good actor but so was Old Tom.

Meanwhile, several very elderly members of the cast survive, and long may that continue, although not necessarily on air. I think most of us would say that the time has come for Jill to become a silent character, following the precedent of Peggy and Christine.

So! Christmas next week - will it be the best Christmas ever at either Brookfield or The Stables, or both? Then it's 2024. What does the New Year hold for The Archers? Over to you!

Ooh hoo - is it a Titchener?

It can't be a titchener! That would be bizarre !!!!!

At the moment, she’s just a 2 year 9 month 27 day old child who got freaked out by an “undressed” pantomime horse which put her off riding her own pony.

Medically speaking, it would be unusual not to be affected by the amount of alcohol she was exposed to in utero but who knows what they’ll do with that storyline. As a PP said, it’s possible any developmental delays wouldn’t be seen til she was a little older anyway, or the demands on her life (e.g learning to read) get more complex. We shall see.

Just wondering who 'her' could refer to ? Peggy? Helen? Kirsty?

oh my god Joy , just spit it out already. I’m starting to lose interest.

And has Helen swallowed a self help book?

that whole episode with the build up to the big reveal was painful and the big reveal itself was beyond pathetic. As if Oliver didn’t know who he was selling to when signing the documentation. The sw are really starting to lose me.

Oh gosh it is the titcheners!

Surely Oliver had to sign documents??????

Totally ridiculous. As we heard months ago, Miles can barely manage their own farm, never mind taking on more acres in a completely different locality. Never heard anything so silly.

Though it does look as if Jack is now the likely heir to another bit of Ambridge. Which might mean Henry angling for pole position at Bridge Farm eventually. (Wasn’t he assisting his grandpa with Montbeliarde milking the other day?)

Goodness. In the ten days before his ultimate death – in the five days before he became so unwell he couldn't leave his bed – Rob found out about the sale of land and barn and somehow convinced his family members, who live nowhere near Ambridge, that they should buy ten acres and a barn in a village none of them has the least reason to want to spend time in. For him, whom his father despised and his brother disliked.

The shark has now been jumped.

Ridiculous - but it’s good fun, isn’t it?

Now realise I’ve lost all sense of TA being about a real place and real people.

I know swearing is generally eschewed on this thread, but FFS.

My earlier thoughts that TA was improving in dialogue and plausibility of plot - all reversed in the space of a minute

I don't think I can take any more of the Titcheners.

And thus does TA become a soap again - the horrid sort than doesn't even make a proper lather

It's as if nobody who writes this has ever bought a house, or knows anyone who has ever bought a house or has ever met a solicitor.

It's even more nonsense given the demographic of the audience , who as one, will have been shouting "it doesn't work like that"

It’s just so pathetic and the sw clearly thinks the listeners are all idiots. Do they expect us to believe Oliver is the type of person who would just sign without reading? He was keen to find out who the buyers were so would have immediately checked.

the whole joy SL is also starting to piss me off because I can sense they are going to jump the shark there too

oh blimey do i have to stop listening again?

What total, utter twaddle. And even if - EVEN IF - Rob had somehow orchestrated the land purchase without Oliver noticing what possibly is there for Helen to fear? He is dead and gone. It's a bit of land for goodness' sake.

Miles isn't Rob and the horrendous father has given every indication of never wanting to step foot in Ambridge or see Helen ever again. Jack may/may not inherit it at some point, but so what? This is the sort of nonsense which makes me wonder if I need to find something better to do at 7.02pm each evening.

"@SequentialAnalyst , TA is not a soap. Nothing like a soap. Just a docudrama that goes out several times a week. A sort of dramatised Farming Today for those who aren't larks."

You seem to have a short memory.

@MerryChristmasToYou I'm well aware of our previous posts And the attempts from others to offer a less soapy name.

My opinion literally changed at the end of tonight's episode. You were right, I admit it. Be kind

the last time I stopped listening it was because of nics death scenes which I thought was ludicrously overdramatic for a SL that didn’t need that

it seems it is no longer the archers but the Helen show

And last year she appeared in almost twice as many episodes as the next nearest character, Brian. You're right.

Interesting. I’d much prefer the Brian show!!

Oh dear. I totally get that this thread will contain spoilers after the live episode, but I wish I'd have listened before reading today 😅

Why does every property transaction in Ambridge feature a mystery buyer these days? The mystery owners of GG, the Home Farm purchasers and now the sale of the Grange Farm land. The concept has been done to death.

Well, I've listened now.

So have I.

Has Miles got a farming background?