Archers thread #202: How are you finding your visits to Ambridge? Fill in your feedback forms 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 working as a hotel receptionist is a perfectly reasonable career choice for a graduate from a family with a stately home, 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-12-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.)

Over to you!

7 Best Gooseneck Kettles UK 2026: Pour Over Perfection
My kettle was given to me because it's not very good and I don't really drink tea. Currently have a cup of tepid own brand instant coffee next to me.
I'm not from Yorkshire or Scotland.

I thought it was CAROL who wanted to care for the bat and ANNA who wanted rid?!

The actor who plays Harrison has been in Coronation Street recently. He played an awful, coercive gay husband who was aggressive and horrible. He was pushed off a roof eventually and died. He has now re appeared back in Ambridge but I can’t get used to hearing the gentle version after a few months of being Corrie’s monster!

It would help if we actually cared about the two in that SL. I don't feel we know them and neither seems likeable.

I liked 'Arrison until he went all religious and baby-mad. Maybe Lily could push him over the Pargetter parapet.
In Corrie he was having an affair with The Archers' Gavin, Kirsty's step-son.

Completely off topic but today's Money Box is Lending to Loved Ones, captioned in the schedule as 'What are the rules?'
Hmm. Here are mine.
Don't.
You'll (almost certainly) never get it back.
They'll probably ask again.
Neither a borrower or a lender be.
No is a complete answer.

Might be useful if you have a brother called Kenton.

Sorry!

I'm not a regular listener, and I mixed up the names.

Hopefully you all knew what I meant 🤞

I've been awake since Tuesday night and I'm knackered!

Which one is Carol, and which one is Anna?

Who is the daughter and her mother?

Whichever one the daughter is, I hate the condescending way she's treating her mother!

It's making me furious.

Apologies for misinterpreting @Madcats

I miss Russ and his wanky kettle

Ive got a SMEG kettle which my DH brought as a surprise as I always wanted one to be flash😵‍💫, but at the end of the day it just boils water🤷‍♀️🙄

Carol is the mother, Anna the daughter.
I agree with you re the way Anna treats her mother!

@AgentKim , Mine leaks. Does that count as a feature? I have a new Russell Hobbs one somewhere. Maybe I should dig it out and rename it CallMeRuss.

I hate presents at Christmas and birthdays but a surprise 'just because' decent kettle would delight me.

@WheresThatCatGoneNow , it doesn't help that they don't sound different ages and they haven't any real connections to anyone in Ambridge.

I agree too.

I got fed up with kettles with plastic switches that break and cannot be mended, so I asked the nice man in the repair café if there was a sort he would recommend, and he thought about it and then said the only make he'd never seen needing repairs either in the café or in his shop was Dualit. They cost an absolute bomb, though not I think as much as a Smeg one, but I went and got one anyway and it has already outlasted the Bosch one we had at one point. And it holds two litres instead of only 1.7 litres.

Is this a record? Not a single Archer in the episode.

Carol was out looking for the baby bat Anna heartlessly threw away.

It has happened before, more frequently with Jeremy Howe as editor than it used to.

You may well be right!

I did wonder if she might be visiting the grave of her late husband, John. I seem to remember he wanted to be buried in Ambridge, even after their years living elsewhere.

Wasn't he suspected of having a 'liaison' with Jennifer at one point?!

I should ‘fess up to using both a “once pretentious” Siemens Porsche kettle and coffee machine (toaster died about 3 years ago) from circa 1995. The kettle has to have been pressed into service 4-5 times/day since Covid so hats off to the engineer. I should probably take the toaster to the Repair Shop!

I am surprised that Carol is the nonagenarian in hospital.
Aren't we still waiting for Jill's demise?
I am another who doesn't understand the Harrison hate on here but I am surprised by the dalliance with Lily so soon after Fallon

I've got a Smeg insulated cup but it absolutely doesn't leak.

well, you live and learn...
I thought I was quite au fait with posh kitchen ware and remember scoffing at Russ's kettle with its different temperatures. I did know such kettles existed but never dreamt of these goose neck ones, this is really pretension squared. Cubed even.

Wrt Anna and Carol, I don't believe she 'threw the poor bat away' I believe she 'released the poor bat'

yes Jill is still making jam to be taken up to Shula apparently

I wish Keira would choke on a bat (poor bat though). I got heartily fed up with her whining and whinging. Unbearable.

Nasty Anna!

Heartless woman 🤨

I ordered an 'emergency' new kettle on New Year's Eve 2021, from Amazon, because my old one suddenly stopped working that day.

Believe it or not, it was delivered next day - New Year's Day!

It's a Russell Hobbs, and still doing sterling service over five years later.

I felt sorry for the Amazon delivery person having to work on New Year's Day that year.

I gave him a tube of Rolos to thank him for his kindness.