Ambridge Extra

So what’s all this talk of Ambridge Extra on BBS Radio 4 Extra?



The Beeb reckons:

“The idea is that you'll be able to hear more stories from in and around Ambridge, and also we'll be able to go further afield with Archers-related characters.

“You can enjoy the new series without listening to the main Archers programme. And you can continue to listen to The Archers without missing out on anything essential. But if you follow both programmes, then you'll get a deeper insight into what's going on in our characters' lives. You'll also hear from new characters in Ambridge Extra who don't appear in The Archers, or who are only minor characters there.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thearchers/2011/03/ambridge_extra_on_bbc_radio_4.html

So far, I’ve heard mention of Rhys (The Bull’s barman) shall break his silence, we’ll be able to hear Alice at Uni and more from Jamie.

From what it sounds like – all very Hollyoaks ‘after dark’ (for those sensible enough to have never stumbled onto Hollyoaks – it’s a teen drama about bonny, but rather dull and thick, young folks … mind numbing stuff).

Now – Ambridge can sometimes be a bit dull (as is real life), often features thick ‘uns (Sabrina, I am looking at you) and does have a smattering of young people.

So, in theory, Ambridge Extra should be a welcome addition to us eavesdroppers.

Here’s hoping.

But do pardon my cynicism … I think I’m still suffering from all of the #sattc (Shakes Ambridge to the Core/Nigel’s death) build-up. I still maintain it was a cracking eavesdropping episode, but felt slightly dirty after having completely fallen for the huge build-up.

And I’ve said this on Twitter – if I am sounding like one of those really angry people who write on The Archers forums on the BBC, please do tell me …

Ambridge Extra: Tuesdays and Thursdays 10am (Radio 4 Extra), repeats same days at 2.15pm (Radio 4) - omnibus Fridays at 10.30am (Radio 4 Extra), repeated on Sundays at 11.15am and 7.15pm (Radio 4) - and there's a podcast.

First episode Tuesday 5 April,

See you on the other side!

Other articles on Ambridge Extra:

Beeb:http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2011/03_march/16/archers.shtml

The Express: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/238520/More-means-less-in-Ambridge-

The Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8386596/BBC-launches-Archers-spin-off-show-Ambridge-Extra.html

Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/mar/16/the-archers-ambridge-extra-radio-4-extra

Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2011/mar/16/the-archers-extra-bbc-radio-4

The Archers Wed 19th Jan 2011: Jim’s not amused by Joe

• Daniel likes Jill’s pavlova
• Neil’s arranged a quarter peal for Nigel
• Jim gives Joe a telling
• The drawer of doom?
• Shula grieves for Nigel
• A level time
• Pat spells it out to Kathy

Daniel likes Jill’s pavlova

But she’s run out of cream.

And barges into Joe as she rushes out of the Village Shop (or so he reckons):

[Joe] “I comes in for an ounce of baccy and I gets assaulted!”

And Jill manages to leave her purse behind – which she didn’t even notice until Jim brought it round to Shula’s for her.

Well, I think that whole side of the Archer clan gets excused for any bad behaviour at the moment.



Neil’s arranged a quarter peal for Nigel

And Freddie’s taking a dibber that Nigel made into one of his interviews for school.

Not forgotten, but life does indeed go on.


Jim gives Joe a telling

[Jim] “It’s come to my attention that you’ve been using the research I did… or more rightly, abusing it”

[Joe] “No, no - I don’t think so”

[Jim] “Do you deny that you’ve been calling door to door dressed in improbable white clothes, brandishing spray painted secateurs and posing as some sort of Druidic high priest”

[Joe] “Oh, I never said I was a high priest …”

[Jim] “ … and spouting some spurious mumbo jumbo ostensively designed to ensure the germination of mistletoe … Joe, I did that research for you ‘uberrima fides’, in upmost good faith, because I thought you were interested in the subject, not on how to make money out of it by duping local residents”

[Joe] “Well, it was only a bit of fun”

[Jim] “Well, I must insist that you stop immediately. If word gets about that this is based on research that I undertook, I’d be a laughing stock. I have a reputation to protect, you know.”

[Joe] “I didn’t mean no harm … and I’m sorry for any offence caused”

Well that was Joe told.

Though his offer to ‘do’ Jim’s apples trees wasn’t that eagerly taken up by Jim. He’s fine for Joe to try and grow him some mistletoe on his trees, but:

[Jim] “chanting will not be necessary”

The drawer of doom?

I might still be suffering from #sattc (Shock to Shake Ambridge to the Core), as I’m seeing something ominous in every wee thing in Ambridge.

Pat’s dodgy drawer sounds very worrying to me …


Shula grieves for Nigel

[Shula] “I miss him so much … but I don’t feel I have the right … to feel so low myself, not compared to Elizabeth and what she must be suffering”

Jill reassures Shula that she has every right to feel the way she does, especially considering Nigel and Shula were romantically linked before he got together with Elizabeth (well, it was more Nigel than Shula, but she was very fond of him even then).

He was also a good friend, and had comforted Shula on the morning of Mark’s funeral.

[Jill] “… and if things had worked out differently”

Now there’s a thought.

Life would have been very different for all concerned.


A level time

Kathy’s complaining that Jamie doesn’t seem to care about making his A Level choices (he just wants to leave school, play games and hope/assume something will turn up), whereas Daniel has Jim keen to coach him on his first steps into a life of academia.

I wonder if Daniel is as good as he’s made out to be? We haven’t really heard from him for a while.

And Jamie … well … anything that stops us having to suffer him and Kathy shouting at each other will be just fine with me.



Pat spells it out to Kathy

Well, pat did make herself clear to Kathy, but in a rather respectful way:

[Pat] “You k now you’re always welcome of course, but I wonder if, given the baby, we could start to agree one night each week for you to come to eat”

[Kathy] “I understand Pat … I’ve been a bit too dependent on you. Don’t worry. Message received.”

Ouch!

Pat was trying to explain to Kathy that they needed more family time, with Henry soon to be arriving home, and that she still did want to see Kathy.

But Kathy seemed to take it a tad more personal.

Well – what other way could she take it? She was basically being told that she wasn’t wanted in their household every night. Which would hurt. Even if Kathy should have spotted that herself.

And won’t Tony be delighted!

The Archers 31st Dec 2010: Nigel gives Elizabeth the brooch

• Tom still has hope
• Fallon still wants Harry
• Nigel’s making Elizabeth redundant
• How long before Lily and Freddie go postal?
• “That main thing now is to have a jolly good time tonight and on Sunday”
• The cows enjoyed their footspa
• That yard tractor …
• Nigel finally unveils his brooch
• Too many couples being nice to each other

Tom still has hope … kinda

Talking to Brenda about still having hope that Helen will go to Bridge Farm for New Year, Tom isn’t going to let the idea go of his family making. But, Brenda is all doom and gloom:

[Brenda] “Helen is not going to budge … she and you’re dad are just stuck now and the rest of us are going to have to put up with it”

[Tom] “I’m not going to give up”

[Brenda] “You are lovely …”

(yuk!)

Later on, Tom suggests to Tony that he and Pat should also turn up at The Bull – while Helen is there with Tom and co.

But Tony reckons it’ll be too complicated (Pat will be making food), and tells Tom to leave it.

[Tom] “All this stuff with damn Helen has been a bit of a downer … Things have got to be better by next year”

Hmmm.


Fallon still wants Harry

[Brenda] “I wasn’t the only one who noticed …. Tristram’s review … saying something about genuine warmth between the two one leads … Vicky’s been predicting orange blossom by the end of the year”

(after looking it up, it seems Orange Blossoms are a traditional flower for a bride’s hair – ‘to gather orange blossoms’ means ‘to seek a wife’)

[Brenda] “You sure you haven’t got something to tell me?”

[Fallon] “Well, nothing you want to hear”

Later on, as Brenda and Fallon have lunch, Brenda’s bursting with curiosity. To be fair to Brenda, she can’t have a very exciting life with Tom ….

“So … you and Harry!”

Swearing Brenda to secrecy, Fallon reveals that she does really like Harry and that “there was definitely something there” when they had their first kiss, and had hoped it would be the start of her and Harry.

But after that … when we did the kiss … it was just a Panto kiss. So I started to think he just didn’t want it to be obvious to the rest of the cast. So last week, I invited him over to run our lines, just him and me … but on the nigh …t we ran our lines. And not even upstairs. He didn’t even come up to my room. He just said down here is fine, so we sat in a corner of the bar!”

Poor Fallon had even got a CD and some aromatherapy candles at the ready. But it wasn’t to be.

[Fallon] “Seems the guys I like over ever see me as a mate. Ed, and now Harry as well”

[Brenda] “Maybe he’s just shy? We don’t know what experience of women he had before he came to Ambridge …”

[Fallon] “It’s finished. I’m not doing anything more”

Oh dear.

But it is probably for the best. There’s something not quite right with Saint Harry …




Nigel’s making Elizabeth redundant

Well, not literally. He’s just been so busy sorting everything out at Lower Loxley, she doesn’t have anything to do. Hence, Elizabeth feels she is redundant.

[Nigel] “Come to Lizzie, you could never be that”

Hmmmm. Is this proof that Nigel could cope without Elizabeth if she was no longer around …




How long before Lily and Freddie go postal?

Not content with ruining their Christmas holidays with extra homework, Elizabeth is now making the twins angry again by making them sort out their schoolbags. There’s just no let up!

Even Nigel remembers how depressing it was to get ready for going back to school. He seemingly was depressed when it was time to sharpen his pencils …



“That main thing now is to have a jolly good time tonight and on Sunday”

It’s difficult to not read into everything and anything that’s said ahead of Sunday’s anniversary special, but the odds are high that the Archer gathering at Lower Loxley will end in disaster.


The cows enjoyed their footspa

Aw, that’s a nice way for them to end their 2010.


That yard tractor …

Just leave it be, Tony. Especially when it’s cold and dark.

I don’t think the family could cope with a repeat of John’s death.



Nigel finally unveils his brooch

Over which Elizabeth sounds suitably stunned. Even though it was “mummy’s”

Not sure what the whole point of this brooch is (how it was found, cleaned etc), and it could just be another red herring.

Or not.

Could it be something for Elizabeth to remember Nigel by?



Too many couples being nice to each other

Tom and Brenda – with Brenda saying: “I’m just glad I’ve got you”

Nigel and Elizabeth – with Nigel again saying “I’m a one woman man” (that’s twice he’s said that now in as many days) and “I wanted you to wear it and know how much you mean to me”, the both declaring their love for each other.

Ooooh. Ominous indeed.

The Archers Thurs 30th Dec 2010: The Panto Review

• Tristam’s review
• Ominous that Elizabeth is so annoyed with Nigel?
• Edgar’s lost his spanner
• Joe’s latest scam

Tristam’s review

[snippets from the review]

“Is feline fine … Veteran directs … unpacks a box of treats … bold casting … never lost sign of the Dame’s vulnerability …”

“… the sometimes over enthusiastic over projection of rat 1 … and the refined tones of rat 2”

“A dream pairing of Danny La Rue and Jimmy Krankie”

Lynda seems delighted about the review. Even though she sighed a ‘hmmmm’ at being called a ‘veteran’.

Eddie and Jazzer aren’t so happy. Eddie was rat 1

[Eddie] “What’s he saying? Have I got a loud voice?”

And Jazzer was Jimmy to Nigel’s Danny …

[Eddie] “I reckon he’s on summit”

Ominous that Elizabeth is so annoyed with Nigel?

As Nigel is checking on the progress of the brooch, Elizabeth still hasn’t calmed down from his a-wandering yesterday.

She’s angry he has fans (because of the Panto), she’s angry that it sounds like he’s now doing ticket sales (because the brooch man asked him if there was any left), she’s angry he’s the star of the show, and she’s angry that he was running around on Lynda’s command yesterday.

Boy – is she angry!

Better watch out for words spoken in anger being the last …

[Nigel] “I’m a one woman man, and tomorrow Lizzie will have the proof”

Edgar’s lost his spanner

Or someone has stolen it.

He’s also furious that the Ice Rink folks churned up the edge of the lawn, where the crocuses come up.

Hmmm. As was said on Twitter, watch out for where that spanner ends up on 2nd Jan. Could be a case of in the drawing room, with the spanner???


Joe’s latest scam

After failing to get Susan to take the last of his mistletoe in the village shop for TEAs, Joe comes up with a new plan.

(TEAs are Transition Equivalent in Ambridge – Ambridge money which can only be spent in Ambridge)

He’s somehow going to make money out of those folks who want ‘the good life’ by helping them to grow their own mistletoe.

Hmmm. I’m eager to hear more (and how!)

The Archers Wed 29th Dec 2010: Nigel disappoints Elizabeth but delights Lynda

• Tony wants to give his cows a footbath
• Complicated?
• Sparks for Heather and Jim?
• Nae need for Worchester
• Tom’s right (ugh!)
• The horror of rouge on a white wig
• Tony’s not surprised
• Parrots and bosoms

Tony wants to give his cows a footbath

With the whole family working from Bridge Farm buying with getting orders done in time for New Year, Pat’s quite put-out that Tony wants to give his cows a footbath.

Tony is in overdrive in an attempt to avoid and forget his argument with Helen, but Pat also reckons that this time of year is always bad for Tony.

He gets down due to the lack of daylight.

Did I hear that right? Could we have a happier Tony if we bought him one of those SAD lights?

That’d be brilliant. It might also stop his egomania and paranoia.

Tony’s heard that Helen spent yesterday tidying Ambridge Organic’s stock room, then putting up curtains. So, Tony concludes that Helen wasn’t really tired at Ian’s party.

Oh for goodness sake! You’re as bad as each other.


Complicated?

David’s an odd ‘un sometimes.

What’s so complicated about Ruth driving Heather and Pip to the train station, with Pip then driving Ruth back?



Sparks for Heather and Jim?

Never mind the 60th Anniversary and ‘Shakes Ambridge to the Core’ (SATTC) – what happened between Heather and Jim?


Nae need for Worchester

Nigel’s on again about the brooch he found. Which he wants to give to Elizabeth at New Year, but needs to get it cleaned in time.

I still don’t get the big deal. Here’s hoping the brooch has some sort of curse … turning Elizabeth into a Julia Pargetter clone!

Running out of options, Nigel was facing even having to go as far as Worchester to get it sorted.

But David saves the day – he knows a retired chap in Felpersham who Nigel manages to get the broach to.

Phew!

I was worried there (!).




Tom’s right (ugh!)

I am very concerned that the whole ‘situation’ between Helen and Tony is resulting in Tom coming across as a rational and kinda nice guy.

What is the world coming to?

Tom was right that Helen’s protest against everyone fussing was better than them not fussy at all – AND he manages to persuade Helen to at least go out with their mates before the bells at New Year.

Helen’s refusing to go to Bridge Farm for the bells – instead wants to stay at home, and be in bed by 10pm. Which is quite a common reaction for quite a lot of folks to New Year celebrations.

[Helen] “Mum will be disappointed I know, I’m sorry … It’d only be more of the same … what make things up? No. No matter how many presents he buys, deep down he just can’t change the way he feels about the baby”

Tom did well to get Helen to change her mind to at least go out for a bit, but had to admit defeat in getting her to Bridge Farm.

I actually feel sorry for Tom stuck between Pat/Tony and Helen. And I feel sorry for myself that I’m starting to have a grudging respect for Tom in how he’s coping and dealing with such a rift in his family.


The horror of rouge on a white wig

Lynda calls Nigel, just as he’s returning from his dash to Felpersham on his brooch mission, in an utter flap about his wig.

It would seem that there is rouge on Nigel’s dame white wedding wig, which an attempt has been made upon to clean, resulting in a wig that now looks like dreadlocks.

The travesty!

[Lynda] “It would ruin the artistic unity of the scene ... surely I don’t have to explain the symbolism!”

Despite Nigel trying to stop Lynda corralling him into returning to Felpersham to get a new wig, and despite knowing that he’ll be in deep trouble with Elizabeth for disappearing from all the work at Lower Loxley for so long, Nigel heads back for the wig.

Well – what’s a roasting from Elizabeth when you have Lynda on your back during Panto time?

[Lynda] “The entire artistic endeavour of this Panto depends on you. Goodbye!”

[Nigel] “Well when you put it like that, it’s a case of turn again, Pargetter, I suppose”

Tony’s not surprised

And actually sounds like he doesn’t care.

[Tony] “It hardly comes as a great surprise to hear that Helen doesn’t want to see me … what’s the point … just leave it”

Tony now expects Helen to avoid him, and doesn’t seem interested in trying to mend their relationship.

My word – Tony is hardly Father of the Year! I always thought parents never gave up on their kids …


Parrots and bosoms

At tonight’s Panto, David’s parrot needs to be sorted so that it doesn’t keep getting caught on his earring.

And:

[Nigel] “Are my bosoms straight?”

[David] “They are spectacular!”

Just a few more *snort* moments to keep us a bit chirpy post-Christmas.

The Archers Tues 21st Dec 2010: Horror when strawberry yogurt turns out to be raspberry …

• And Oscar makes Five
• Clothes?
• Overly confident? Our Lynda???
• Tom’s Sausages to the rescue!
• Helen’s making it up
• “Tom, this is my baby, not one of your sows!”
• Classic Susan and Vicky
• Who mixed up the sheet labels?
• Tom is brilliant at Guitar Heroes
• This is the #sattc

And Oscar makes Five

I know Lynda is a resident that folks either love or loathe – but it’s always nice to hear her so happy about baby Oscar.

Corriander, Justin and Oscar will be with Robert and Lynda tomorrow (weather permitting, surely?!?). Which makes Lynda happy enough to splash out on organic gnocchi and some Borchester Blue for the sauce (my, Helen’s a great saleswoman!).

Maybe Helen will also be glad of their arrival. Coriander seems keen to catch-up with her about all things baby – and Helen could certainly do with more folks who support her without question …


Clothes?

I’m undecided as to whether Helen was offended at Lynda’s mention of Coriander’s offer of some of Oscar’s cast-off baby clothes,

Or, whether Helen hadn’t actually started thinking about clothes yet.

Surely it can’t be the latter?


Overly confident? Our Lynda???

[Lynda] “One doesn’t like to jinx things by being overly confident”

No, we could never accuse Lynda of such an attitude.

After all, just look at the buffoons she’s got to work with …

It was seemingly the “tech” rehearsal tonight, but we didn’t get to eavesdrop in.

I wonder whether Harry and Fallon have practised ‘that’ kiss yet.


Tom’s Sausages to the rescue!

Remembering that she still has a son, Pat tells Tom about the recent spat between Tony and Helen.

Pat thinks Helen isn’t responding to Tony because Helen thinks it’s actually not Tony trying to make amends – that it’s Pat pushing Tony to do so.

My. How the trust has been broken.

[Pat] “It’d be ridiculous if it wasn’t so sad”

So Plan D is Pat sending Tom over to Helen’s to try and make sure she will be joining the family for Christmas eve.

Ahem! Tom’s not exactly known for his tact and diplomacy.

BUT, he actually does the trick.

Well, nearly.

Tom does manage to persuade Helen to be at Bridge Farm for Christmas Eve (“just do it for mum”), but she’s now refusing to stay over.

Ah well. Looks like the whole Bridge Farm clan will be making baby steps …


Helen’s making it up

Helen’s not gaining any support for her point of view (amongst us eavesdroppers) by having a very selective view of what happened the other day with Tony. On talking with Tom:

[Tom] “Look Helen, you know he’s rubbish at showing how he feels. He keeps it bottled up.”

[Helen] “Bottled up? Tom, If only! … Practically turned into a slanging match outside the shop”

I am on Helen’s side (mostly) but no. It was not a slanging match. It was you shouting at a rather shell-shocked and upset Tony.

But then again, Helen also explained a bit more about why she’s so upset with Tony:

[Helen] “I’m worrying about it all the time. I wanted a granddad my baby could love … they know when someone doesn’t love them … children somehow believe it’s their fault”

[Tom] “You’re running too far ahead”

[Helen] “You can’t make someone feel something that isn’t there, can you?”

I hate to say this, but Tom does have a point.

Hand up how many of you believe Tony will melt when he sees his first grandchild …



“Tom, this is my baby, not one of your sows!”

Despite Tom actually managing being a successful diplomat for once, his good old self was never far from the surface.

On trying to explain to Helen that he’s also had problems with Tony, he used the example of when they fell out over him moving his pigs to home farm:

[Tom] “I’ve done my fair share of biting my tongue over his comments”

[Helen] “Tom, this is my baby, not one of your sows!”

Whoops!


Classic Susan and Vicky

(talking about Susan’s Christmas Eve party)

[Vicky] “There’s nothing like a party to kick-start the Christmas season”

[Susan] “It’s not that kind of party”

[Vicky] “There’s only one sort of party, isn’t there?”

[Susan] “I suppose it depends on the circles you mix in”

(on dismissing Vicky’s intelligence that the supermarket has some rather nifty party food)

[Susan]” …I’m serving canapés … and I’m making them all myself … it’s the sort of thing Brian and Jennifer expect”

Hang on.

Haven’t we been here before?

Susan tries out an overambitious new recipe. Which was always bound to go wrong. Just before Brian and Jennifer arrive.

You’d think Susan would learn.



Who mixed up the sheet labels?

Just as Pat’s packing Tom off to do Tony’s job, she gets a call from Lynda about a slight yoghurt issue.

It turns out that the Strawberry was raspberry.

With the bigger problem being that where one has been incorrectly labelled, there will be others.

I think this was one more problem too many for Pat. She marched through to the diary – demanded of Vicky and Susan to work out what had gone wrong – then was rather harsh with Vicky when they all worked out it was probably her fault.

Vicky hadn’t checked the label sheets as she was using them, plus hadn’t been wearing her glasses.

But isn’t Vicky new on the job? And why was the labels mixed up in the first place?

Either way, Vicky’s made a mistake, but it was purely human error. And her glasses were new and rubbing her.

As Pat then found out Vicky’s mistake had gone on Underwoods stock as well as Ambridge Organics, she flatly (and rudely) turns down Vicky’s offer to drive through rush hour with new stock.

[Pat] “Oh that would look good, wouldn’t it! Sending someone else to do my apologising for me. I’ll have to do it myself. I really could have done without this!”

Step back, ladies and gentleman. She’s goanna blow!


Tom is brilliant at Guitar Heroes

(that should actually read ‘Tom proclaims himself to be brilliant at Guitar Heroes’)

At least he is getting out of the house. And, from what Tom was saying, it seems Harry’s becoming a bit more relaxed about having the ‘lads’ over.

Question is – has anyone (anywhere) seen Brenda lately?!?



The #sattc has happened. Did you miss it?

(sattc is Twitter shorthand for the Shaking Ambridge to the Core, regarding the seemingly big happening of Jan ’11. I still have no idea how the BBC can predict such things …)

(Tom and Pat talking about Helen coming home for Christmas)

[Pat] "She’s not staying over?”"

[Tom] “I tried but she just wants her own space”

[Pat] “I wish she and your father could put it all behind them … it’s horrible … I hate to think of her waking up on her own on Christmas day”

[Tom] “If she does, remember it’s the last time she’ll have too. All being well, she’d be hanging up a little stocking and be waking up at the crack of dawn”

The shock! The Horror!

Tom Archer.

Said something.

That’s kind, thoughtful and wise …

(I’m off to lie down in a dark room)