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!

If they do then it'll be another not very believable storyline. Setting up an independent vets practice is wildly cost-prohibitive these days.

(In fact I'm sure we all chatted about this when LJ bought out Alastair)

Fags mags and bags is mint!! I used to work in a newsagents / corner shop and identify with the Wall Of Crisps

Dead Ringers - very funny, especially the Christmas specials.

There's a great bit about how to survive the family on Christmas day.

At one point Denise was rude to both Jakob and Alistair about being a vet nurse and not a receptionist and only answering the phone as a special favour, so I assumed they must have a receptionist because she wasn't it.

Yesterday she seemed happy to take phone calls, which would be the receptionist's job, and give messages to vets, ditto.

And she doesn't even work there yet, does she?

These are great.

Denise is acting like she is in the playground and being horrible to the boy she fancies to get his attention. She seems to forget she is middle-aged and Alis-stare is actually her employer. But this is Ambridge and soon they will fall into each other’s arms and laugh at how silly they were to have been arguing over dog biscuits. But IRL Denise would be playing a dangerous game…it could easily have gone the other way with Lilian quietly saying to A that he really should be looking for another vet nurse.

Lily is such a patronising cow. Balayage is great but it’s really not as sophisticated as she wanted to make it sound. I am sure a good trainee stylist like Chelsea would have nailed it at college and have no problem with it. Chelsea has a nice manner with her clients. I like her but wish she would leave Ambridge and have the glittering career we all want for her.

Actually, thinking about it, last night we witnessed two very contrasting customer service styles…

How could I forget Cabin Pressure?! I’ve been playing Yellow Car for years now.

Also, The Wilsons Save The World and In And Out Of The Kitchen 💕

Clare in the Community is back this evening!
(repeat only, though)

John Finnemore's Souvenir Show was a 6.30 comedy and I haven't seen it mentioned on this discussion yet. That was far and away my favourite. In general, I like the panel & sketch shows (absolutely love ISIHAC) and don't like the sitcoms or stand ups. I make an exception for Just a Minute, which I really dislike, and Mark Watson, whom I quite like. I used to get the Friday Night Comedy podcast, but I unsubscribed when they made it part of the package of things that come out a month late if you don't go through BBC Sounds. The News Quiz or Dead Ringers a month out of date is just pointless, and I refuse to use BBC Sounds for regular podcasts because I don't like storing them in more than one place, I'll use it on suffrance if I want to catch up with something specific I've missed.

Cabin Pressure was far and away the best R4 sitcom ever and John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme was far and away the best R4 sketch show of recent times. There may be a common factor there ... and an excuse to link to this, yet again. There may be a lurker somewhere who hasn't heard it before. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02mlwdp

Some people like selling and some people don't. As a customer I hate it when I've made a purchase and have to go through the rigmarole of saying no to extended warranties or expensive shoe polish or whatever else the sales assistant has been told to try to sell me before taking my money. It puts me off making my main purchase in places like that, so is counter-productive. I'm with Denise. I also don't think she'd have interrupted any old consultation with a phone message. She knew it was Lilian and wanted to say hello.

I like her but wish she would leave Ambridge and have the glittering career we all want for her.

Ahem, speak for yourself. I merely want her to leave Ambridge for good, taking her adenoidal snortling and aggressive ignorance with her. Why do those of you who like her, like her?

Cabin Pressure was far and away the best R4 sitcom ever
It was the best R4 sitcom ever, @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

A bold claim! On TV I loved Fawlty Towers and Father Ted. I think CP bears comparison with those.

Another vote here for Cabin Pressure! I could listen all day to Roger Allam reading the train timetable 💖

Our vet has recently been made part of a chain. The waiting room is full of toys and treat, leads etc etc, the prices have gone through the roof, and for any Night time emergency we have to drive eighteen miles for an astronomical fee for a consultation. So I'm kind of with Denise here, though not in the way she spoke to Alastair, which was way out of order.

But he wasn’t asking her to sell her toys or fripperies - it was dog food that he, a vet, thought would benefit the dog. And if she thought he was just trying to sell it then she is suggesting he is immoral and unprofessional

I like Chelsea a lot. She's had the social role model of Tracey so puts her foot in it but with a genuine love and kindness. She seems 'old for her years' in a lot of ways she thinks after helping Tracey with home life.
She's worked hard at hairdressing and sounds quite good at it.
She helps people out, thinks of others, is fun, can be serious if needs be.
Her ignorance is genuine imo.

That poor school teacher, used to teenagers with a bit of social anxiety or maybe divorcing parents, suddenly gets hit with the full dysfunctional history of the Archers. 😬

Oliver’s ‘Woah’ seemed excessive too! I’m guessing Elizabeth will be pissed off but lil can’t really do her (never before mentioned) placement at lower loxley

Thank goodness Henry is getting the chance to get things off his chest. Particularly the lack of father. Should a teacher really be encouraging Henry to tall to Helen and saying what she would be thinking? He doesn’t really know her surely. Why do I feel like Helen is going to scupper Henry’s trust in Mr Reed

’amazing you are as sane as you are’ snort!

I thought the implication was that Lily was only trying to spy on GG, I don't think she had any intention of really doing a (probably non-existent) placement with them.

oh well that would be another ridiculous SL

I’ve only kept listening on the promise of no more titchener but I’m getting really bored of Henry and Helen now

You can get all the Cabin Pressure and the very lovely Old Harry's Game on Internet Archive https://archive.org/

I suppose Henwee's biological dad will emerge as a new SL in time. Nice that he talked fondly of his normal family life with Lee. The ditching of Lee, purely to support the Rob SL and based on nothing much at all - the ick hasn't been a thing in soaps - is so annoying, and not because I was fond of the character.

I see Roy got a mention.

Thanks for the faux-Archers link @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g .

"Tired men" Arf.

Bruisername
Why do I feel like Helen is going to scupper Henry’s trust in Mr Reed

I have a feeling that everything Henry said will go into Henry's record (on the basis that it is important information about the pupil) and follow him for the rest of his life, so it may not be Helen who destroys his trust in Mr Reed.

Though she may get there first, of course.