Archers thread #190: Carry on, Cleo! Best new character for ages. 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 be delighted to have your wedding reception across the lawn from the local Flower & Produce Show, 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 https://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.)

Charlotte Smith must have been delighted to get back to Countryfile and Farming Today. What a pile of piffle tonight. Ah well.

When is George expected back? It can't be long now, surely. It occurs to me that I can't recall whether he's ever spoken on air to Ruairi. As their actors are currently the best (IMO) amongst the younger members of the cast, I hope they will cross swords in some way.

And finally, I can't mention Carry on Cleo without squeezing in one of the best lines ever written (Denis Norden and Frank Muir have the credit): Infamy, infamy! They've all got it in for me! Currently, Lily probably feels this way.

https://youtube.com/shorts/eRnd48yTC5A?si=N05njp3uLfpSjAmI

Over to you!

Thanks!!

Good title - thanks Gasp

Azra is far too wimpy to be a GP. All that simpering over the sleb and fussing about her flan. She wouldn't last a week in our surgery.

What, what - new thread already?!

Is it October, for George? Not sure, could be wrong.

I’m struggling to think of any occasion when he and Ruairi would have needed to converse - unless perhaps when Ruairi briefly offered Mia some maths tuition (and she developed a crush on him). I can’t help thinking I’ve heard George gossiping about Ruairi’s origins. But then he would, wouldn’t he?

Thanks, @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g!

Why did the F&P tent not have a huge "judging in progress, no entry" sign on it?

Thanks Gasp0.
Struggling with the male voices tonight to work out who was who.

Oh God. That was so bad. I would be furious if I had put my best cabbage or my best 'Mums, and Victoria sponge in the show and they have all been nabbed. Who would do that and why was the tent left unguarded.
It reminds me when I made a cake for friends at work and the whole thing was stolen, I was so annoyed. Even now. This has brought back that horrible time and that was about 10 years ago.
Wasn't it last year all the tables collapsed?
The whole fruit and produce Archers thing has turned into a farce, and I would think all the people who entered (and there is a lot of competition amongst the carrot and cauliflower growers) would be really angry. Non of this oh well these things happen. As you can tell this is triggering to me.🤣

And why was Azra in the tent while judging was happening? The SWs don't have any idea what goes on at these things. All the gushing and simpering was infantile.

And somebody guarding the entrance to ensure no interference with other entries.

And also, why has everything moved to GG? Isn't it normally on the village green?

In my house the main point of confusion was regarding how these wedding guests had managed to eat all the cakes without the aid of plates, napkins or cutlery? Did they scoop up the raspberry and pistachio cheesecake and stuff it into their mouths with their bare hands? Or drop crumbs, and splodges of jam and cream from the Victoria sponges down the front of their wedding outfits?

The unnecessary drama is pathetic

the only drama needed at the F&PS is Jill huffing because she didn’t win

its like they’ve completely forgotten that it’s supposed to be everyday and somewhat realistic. They’ve gone down the tv soap route of thinking there needs to be mega drama all the time.

Lily would definitely have necked a flute of champagne the first time Paul offered her one - and then several more as the afternoon unfolded. But may be the SWs were worried we would think she was turning into Alice. She really needs to get out of Ambridge- it seems cruel to keep her caged up at GG when she should be out there enjoying life post-Russ. I know she’s not popular on here but I think she’s one of the better actresses and is a pretty well-drawn character.

Where the hell is Helen? And Natasha? I want to visit Beechwood (not for a dip in Joy’s hot-tub though)…

The unnecessary drama is pathetic I agree. The great joy of the Flower and Produce set piece is doing it on the radio in the first place since it is such a visual event. As someone who used to report on loads of these things in my first job as a very junior reporter for my local paper, I love the description of the individual entries - some spectacular, others clearly very amateur - and the careful labelling, conjuring up the atmosphere of a warm marquee with grass underfoot or an unremarkable village hall, brought to life by the bustle of an event a small community has put its heart and soul into. Back in the day, results would be typed up by hand and woe betide and spelling mistakes in names or mixing up of who came first or second - this was important stuff for those involved! I've never believed it would be hosted by somewhere like GG - it goes against the whole homemade ethos of such an event. Noone paying for a posh wedding would want the hoi polloi of the village sharing their space. More likely it would be in the back garden of the old rectory or even the back room of a pub, but (as PP have pointed out) closely guarded and doors not open to the public until judging was complete.

Reporting for duty.
Love the title, Gasp, it reminds me of my favourite Carry On film (and i am in need of jollity so may watch soon)

F&P was ridiculous. Grr. I want some things in Ambridge, just as they do in village life, to be quiet, stable and with the usual petty drama that often ensues. (in our village this year it was the maypole. God what a drama. Two people thought they'd been tasked with decorating the tree thing that goes on top. Nearly came to fisticuffs. In the end we had... 2 maypoles, the regular one and one by the tennis court. God though. Drama drama drama.)

Took me ages to recognise/remember Paul. I thought it was Dane-of-the-wandering-accent at first. Couldn't work out why he was attending the wedding.

Did no one else watch Countryfile?

I have never watched Countryfile. Should I?

BBC One - Countryfile, The Archers

I don’t as a rule but it was wall to wall Archers.

Was it good? I don't have a tv licence so can't watch it.

Countryfile - The Archers - HDclump
Not watched it yet.

It's probably better to watch it on iPlayer

I’ve been listening to more R4 lately during the day - am astounded how infantilising the presenters can be

Anita rani on woman’s hour was talking to the women rugby players like they were toddlers

Winifred is interviewing a woman who has been completely feckless with money but somehow it’s the banks fault. And Winifred is like - oh I’m the same - spending online doesn’t feel like real money.

so I’m starting to think my current disgust with the archers may just be grumpy peri ness

I've just heard Winifred say that and my immediate thought was 'Well I'm a grown up and don't spend money I haven't got even with a credit card'.

I've just watched the first 10 mins of Countryfile and stopped because they had TAs editor (can't remember his name) and Charlotte Smith said that a lot of people think TA is not very much about farming these days and the bloke just came out with some waffle saying if it was just about farming it would have only lasted for 12 episodes. Pompous arse. Turned off after that.

I did love the sound of Lily jingling in her jesters costume as she ran off though.

You and Yours has always been like that, though.

Caller: And then he said 'You have to give me control of all your money now or the sky will fall in', so of course I did, and I watched as it was all transferred to a new account with a bank in Outer Mongolia in the name of S. Pammer, which isn't my name, so I did start to wonder then if something might be wrong.
Presenter: I see, and what did the bank say when you contacted them?
Caller (indignantly): Well, they seemed to think it was all my fault! I won't give up, though. I want all my money back and compensation too because they should have stopped this happening to me.

[Gasp expires from the effort of shouting at the radio]