Archers thread #193: Christmas in Ambridge! Don't expect any wise men (or women). 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 love a couple of acquaintances to clean and tidy your house without your permission, 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/5457344-the-archers-spoilers-thread-11-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.)

What do we think - best Christmas ever followed by a nice quiet New Year? No, me neither. We have the tractor run to look forward to , and then whatever they've got lined up for the 75th anniversary of the first ever episode - New Year's Day 1951. I can't imagine that anybody involved with the programme then expected it would still be on the air 75 years later. I wonder what they would make of the current direction. The lack of farming content would be a surprise, given that was the whole reason for devising the programme in the first place.

Over to you!

I believe I might have heard a giant shoe-horn coming into play; Josh (newly recovered) might/might not be driving Esme to Wales.

The race is on: Maliks versus Archer.

Thank you very much for that, loved it!

What will happen to Leonard if/when Jill dies? Would he carry on living at Brookfield?

I think he has his own house, he only moved into Brookfield because he broke his arm or something I think.

It’s a good question - since I doubt Ruth and David would be up for maybe a decade of increasingly demanding personal care for a non-relative.

But, given he met Jill when she and he were regularly visiting The Laurels, and that there was enough money in his marriage to keep his wife there (iirc), I imagine he’ll ship himself off to billionaire’s row the minute he has difficulty remembering a name or adds a questionable spice to a batch of scones.

This was a fascinating read - and makes me wonder whether any of the next generation in Ambridge might take up Ed and Jazzer’s former occupation as sheep shearers for hire:

How Netflix yarns and dramas came to the rescue of British wool

https://www.thetimes.com/article/f6ce93a9-e42b-431a-a597-4eb37857d76e?shareToken=13a0dfa0ade6263a7045ec909c06ce01

Re Leonard, it is a bit of an usual set up when you think about it. I feel like Jill's now silent character is just being kept alive for the purpose of keeping in Leonard, the Ambridge odd job man and general Christmas fairy.

More than that, I was wondering if he might invest the cash he was going to give Nina into Meadow Farm. As usual it was an unspecified amount so thanks to the Ambridge money fairy I have no doubt it will be enough to save Esme’s bacon (or Guernseys!) I half wondered if Pat would think if offering George some work during her chat with Clarrie, but I agree with a PP I think we are in for some Greek tragedy type incident in which George does for another family member - possibly Keira, but more likely Ed - finally forcing Emma to confront the reality about her son. It’s not really my idea of festive entertainment, but it will continue the EastEnderification of Ambridge. Thanks for the new thread @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g - I am missing the beaver pic which made me smile every time it popped up,

It’s certainly a different approach to how they handled Lower Loxley, where Lewis disappeared from our ears the minute his wife, Nigel’s mother, died. It may be that I missed a crucial episode, but I have no idea at all what has become of him.

But surely pouring money into Meadow Farm makes no ongoing sense - unless Josh was applying to take over the tenancy? Esme cant - she would have had to be working there as her main occupation for several years, not weeks, to be eligible to inherit her father’s tenancy.

If Esme is able to sell off machinery, surely she can just sell off the herd!! And still no mention of the landlord. This SL is ridiculous.

BBC character bit says Leonard has a suburban semi (so presumably it is in Borchester). I expect they will move him to one of the apartments adjacent to The Laurels where they shoved Auntie Cardboard.

Is she still supposed to be alive?

Yes … he has a house but it seems unlikely he’d go back to it to live alone. (Presumably he’s rented it out?)

If he goes to The Laurels they can at least visit him, or insert his name into the odd episode. The alternative might be finally going to live with his son in Singapore - but then he really would be out of the story.

We haven’t had a funeral for Christine, have we? So I guess she’s still alive. Who was the last person to visit her - Jill, or maybe Lillian?

Re: George: I just remembered that George was talking about setting up a wicker coffin business when he was in prison. Whatever happened to that - having bought one for my DF I reckon it could be a goer.

thank you @Artificialhens that was great. I really miss Round the Horne, the Navy Lark and all that...

Peggy met someone called Ted at The Laurels when she was visiting Jack Woolley and Ted was visiting his wife, who also had some sort of age-related mental impairment. As far as I remember, when Jill met Leonard there in 2019 he was just visiting as a volunteer, not because his wife was there.

Not forgetting that it can't be all that expensive if Tom and Pru Forrest were both there for their final years; they were definitely not wealthy, gamekeepers don't tend to be and Pru worked at various part-time cleaning jobs, as a barmaid, and as an assistant at a garden centre, none of which seems millionaire stuff.

Oh dear, forgive my mis-remembering!

It’s a problem if Leonard doesn’t have the money for The Laurels. He’ll have to go to Singapore. Or die quietly and peacefully in his chair, with no previous hint of illness or decline.

I would imagine the business model for The Laurels has changed significantly since Tom and Pru’s time - assuming it’s similar to other privately owned institutions of that type. I doubt Tracy and Jazzer expect to end their days there!

That's a good point. Tom and Prue were there decades ago. Council contributions to social care now appear to be as low as can possibly be managed. I understand why TA avoids tackling the issue of social and health care very elderly relatives as it would probably be very depressing and far too close to reality for many of their listeners (if it was done with any semblance of realism). The ones who make it into their 90s with no dementia and no serious health issues are surely in the minority.

It would be quite an interesting storyline to have David and Ruth fretting about what to do with Leonard if he can’t afford £1k/week at the Laurels.

Not wishing to heap yet more misery on the Grundies, but I wonder what the plan for them is when Oliver dies or goes into a home. I suppose he MIGHT leave them Grange Farm, but I don’t think the SWs are fans of inherited wealth.

I feel bad - I thought Patricia Greene had passed away some time ago!

I wonder if the actress is too unwell to record voice any more, but TA SW feel awkward about deading her character 'lest she follow suit shortly afterwards?!

We do still hear her very occasionally!

Yes. Not for a while now though, I don't think?

Doesn't Leonard have a son in Singapore? In theory care should be his son's problem to arrange.

Well, his son has invited him to move to Singapore and live with him. He can’t force Leonard to accept the invitation.

Jill last spoke on air on 22nd September, 2025, for the 70th anniversary of Grace's death.