Life in Ambridge
Rob, Miles and Bruce?
Life in Ambridge
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Life in Ambridge
Starter kit for Ed & Emma
Life in Ambridge
Nothing to do with the current story-line but rather cute
ArcherphileJuly 17, 2023 at 8:46 PM
ReplyDeleteI thought it was interesting the way Miles’s actor managed to imitate the same little vocal tics that Rob has. It almost sounded like Rob himself speaking and was an excellent portrayal of a brother. It gave me that same fearful tingle up the spine.
REPLYDELETE
OldWomanInAShoeJuly 17, 2023 at 9:20 PM
They're certainly cut from the same cloth : (
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AmbridgesMrsPJuly 17, 2023 at 10:13 PM
Agreed, it almost sounded like Rob himself.
But we did get a mention of Bruce, the father.
Helen could have pointed out to Miles that he and his father might well meet Jack when he, Jack, reaches the age of eighteen when he will be free to seek out his relatives.
DELETE
maryellenJuly 18, 2023 at 7:13 AM
I can understand why Helen thought it was Rob saying ‘Helen?’ when Miles phoned the Farm Shop and she cut him off. To my ears, Rob’s voice has a silkier tone and that’s partly why I like listening to it and have been looking forward to his return.
Fabulous KP!
ReplyDeleteLove the photo, don’t they all look menacing?
The curly moustache one has to be my favourite image. I can imagine Rob in Top Hat with cane, swirling his cape around him, whilst twiddling his waxed whiskers.
ReplyDeleteQuite brilliant KP 👏🏻
ReplyDeleteI can’t claim credit for this, it was on one of the Facebook groups I’m in, i don’t think there are any. Copyright issues.
ReplyDeleteClaim the credit - You so deserve to do so for keeping this lifeboat afloat. It is so appreciated.
DeleteWell, there's sticking up for your child, and there's believing the sun shines from your child's backside!
ReplyDeleteIf George were to commit grand larceny, burn down the Houses of Parliament, and push the London Eye into the Thames, Emma would say he was being unjustly accused, that he'd just, briefly, lit a match to see the sparkle and leant ever-so gently against the big bicycle wheel. But that, of course, Hannah had it in for the little angel and was blowing the whole affair out of proportion.
You have said it all for me owias 👏🏻
DeleteA very dramatic episode last night with two very angry characters.
ReplyDeleteEmma is impossible, how dare she harangue Hanna in that manner, totally ignoring all the evidence from others that her George is an irresponsible, liar. She needs to remove the blindfold as far as George is concerned and apologise to both Hannah and her father.
Then there was Tony. I have never heard him so passionately angry, not helped by Toms ‘Oh well, it’s OK, that’s all over then’ attitude. I do hope Tony is not going to provoke a complete breakdown or heart attack. That would be the worst possible thing for Helen and the whole family
Once again agree 100% !
DeleteArcherphile has got it in a nutshell.
ReplyDeleteBoth Emma + Will were so surprised when they learnt that George had had, two previous verbal warnings as to his behaviour and work.
If only George had been honest and told all, at that time...
This might well go against him, as to the potential support and £5,000 from Oliver.
I wasn't going to post here for a while, but on looking in again, how could I not join in with my own thoughts..
Bloody Hell !
ReplyDeleteWell that was very unexpected.
Well, THAT got me listening, Mrs P!
DeleteForget EastEnders, TA has entered the even darker realms of Greek tragedy! This isn't the first time Gorge has referred to the taunting he received at school about his parents' triangular relationship. Is this what his behaviour is all about?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the header for this episode - George goes too far, with shocking results - I was afraid Hannah would be his victim, quite undeservedly, so in a way it was a relief that it was Emma & Co facing the unanticipated, long-term consequences of an affair thet thought all three of them had successfully resolved.
PS. On reflection, could George’s fictional counterpart be Hamlet, who also went off the rails when his mother married his uncle so soon after his father’s death and was equally outspoken to her? True, the details don’t match up, Ed didn’t murder Will, but I think the underlying theme is the same.
DeleteWell, Emma certainly had the blindfold stripped from her eyes this evening!
ReplyDeleteSuch anger from a teenager, the way he shouted at his triumvirate of parents and the words he used about them! Amazing, astonishing, awful.
What on earth will he do next?
I take it you are not well- versed in Anglo-Saxon, AP.
ReplyDeleteUp until now I have had no patience with George and his overbearing ways,but,following
ReplyDeletelast night’s showdown,I can’t help feeling sad for the years of cruel school days
taunts that he endured about his birth.Emma,Will,and Ed must have known that ,at some time he would address the matter with them,but not like that!
Well! It certainly hit the fan last night - and how. Did not expect the history book to open and has the past been part of George’s problems all along underlying trauma, or just his usual cover up of “blame shifting”. Predictions?
ReplyDeleteI think George should pursue a career as a copywriter or a journalist, given his way with words!
ReplyDeleteI am not at all sure everything George does and says can be blamed on his unconventional upbringing. That is too easy.
ReplyDeleteMany children are teased or bullied at school (myself included, for having elderly parents and being Jewish) but we don’t all resort to the type of vitriol he spewed up, or the lying, dishonesty and sheer vindictiveness he exhibits.
I think there is a really nasty streak in George that would have shown itself, sooner or later, whatever his upbringing.
Spot on AP. That is my thoughts exactly. I also felt that George was just making excuses for his behaviour, whilst blaming his family set-up, at the same time!
DeleteWin Win - in his mind
While I can acknowledge that George probably has been on the receiving end of some taunting at school, and I admit I was seriously unimpressed with Emma’s behaviour 18/19 years ago, there is still a nastiness about him that I find challenging.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Archerphile and KPNuts. I was teased at school about a farm labourer's daughter in a grammar school, sometimes from my present peers and some from the village as I was the only one to pass the 11 plus. Then since the teenager years I was teased by my height. Not so much now as many people are much taller than me now !
ReplyDeleteGeorge may have been influenced by Emma who always seems to be the victim ! Some other people on other pages say that he needs help. I think he is a psychopath.
I agree with all the comments above and with all the reasons given.
DeleteBut in particular I feel strongly that he needs psychological intervention that is unlikely to be available.
I’m interested in your belief that he is a psychopath Spicey. I cannot recall any action from George that would lead me to feel that.
Have I forgotten something.
I do feel that he has Machiavellian tendencies along with a very cruel side to his nature. And he is certainly a very angry young man.
I looked up the psychopath on the dictionary. He could be one in the making.
Delete'behavior that conflicts with social normal, disregarding or violating the rights of others, inability to distinguish between right and wrong, difficulty with showing remorse or empathy, tendency to lie often, manipulating and hurting others, recurring problems with the law.'
Not a nice person !
Fair enough !
DeleteEmma was like a lioness the way she harangued Neil about George’s sacking from Berrow and then relentlessly pestered Tony to give him a chance, but now that George has shown his true colours she might be more understanding of their reservations.
ReplyDeleteIf he is given a trial at Bridge Farm I hope he attempts to mend his ways as Tony,already under great emotional family pressure,will not take any nonsense.
I do agree with the other bloggers who have suggested that George would benefit from some professional help to deal with his anger management issues,self pity and lies.
He certainly does tells lies, and seems to have a loathing for his immediate family, blaming them for his actions.
DeleteI rather assumed that we heard a slapped face before the silence, and then a slammed door.
ReplyDeleteDid anyone else hear it the way I heard it ?
And if so, was it Emma who slapped her beloved sons face ?
The BBC synopsis says it was Emma.
DeleteThank you Maryellen
DeleteWill Helen’s decision have an early effect on the boys ie when / if told of Rob’s death or will repercussions for Helen be years down the line when they are older and blame her for withholding the info - and is it likely that the show will still be airing. Either way not so many of us will know anyway 😟
ReplyDeleteHowever no doubt the Grundy saga will recommence as early as next week 😱
Henry already knows that Rob is in the UK so may already have opinions. Also Rob is quite capable of just approaching Jack whatever the court says, he can just hang around wherever the gym club is held. A dying & desperate man with nothing to lose.
DeleteHenry is aware that Rob was his stepfather,and will surely soon start asking Helen about his own birth father..Good luck with that H ,though no doubt ,over the years she has prepared for that eventually.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, Henry knows that in 6 years time, when he is 18, he can apply for information about the identity of his father - and is comfortable with that. He sounds a well-adjusted youngster despite his mother’s flaky decision-making resulting in Rob’s intervention and subsequent loss of interest. Maybe he’s inherited his level-headedness from his father.
DeleteI feel sorry fo
ReplyDeleteOops! I feel sorry for these donor children. It's all very well saying that they have grown up in a loving and supportive home, but they still don't really know who they are and there's still half of them missing.
ReplyDeleteI agree Sarnia.
DeleteAnd when they do find out that the father was a donor there is the likelihood that there will be dozens of half siblings.
Science over the last century has improved much in the lives of those it helps, but also has the capacity to have sinister consequences.
Because we can, does not mean we should !
The thing which interests me, as to both Henry (by an unknown sperm donor) and Xander (by an unknown egg donor) is the complication of a genetic family problem, which needs to be passed onto close family members as to the possibility of an inherited or even a life-changing, medical condition.
DeleteThis could never be covered in TA as far too complicated...
At least Jack's father is known.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteWould the clinic have accepted Henry’s father as a donor if he had an adverse genetic history? Or the.clinic which supplied the anonymous egg donor for Xander’s conception? We were given the impression they were reputable clinics so I imagine both prospective donors would have been screened for medical purposes.
Deletefor Xander
As regards a donor’s’ anonymity, Xander too will be able to find out the identity of his biological mother when he turns 18. So he will have 3 known ‘parents’, Adam, egg donor, and Lexi who bore him, assuming he wants to find out,, of course......
DeleteSorry, I got the TA bit wrong! It seems from TA’s character descriptions, that Lexi herself supplied the egg for the clinic to be implanted in her, so she is Xander’s biological mum and her identity is known.
DeleteThere was a man in Holland who was banned from donating after fathering over 400 children: nobody knew who in that area they were related to any more. What are the future chances of Henry pairing up with an unidentified sibling?
ReplyDeleteI actually read a true story about a couple whose daughter had medical problems, and sadly needed a kidney transplant. It was found exactly that - the parents were half siblings as both had had the same sperm donor father, yet neither knew of their actual conception.
DeleteTo add the kidney problem was found to be an inherited one from both parents.
There are many of us around who have no idea who their father was, not just the children of sperm donors. And there is no way for some of us to find out, even if we wanted to.
ReplyDeleteARCHERPHILE - I hope none of us has been insensitive to situation such as you describe, and I assume might include yourself.
DeleteI feel the point that I am making and I think Sarnia is feeling the same, is the number of donations that some men are able to make.
I do not know if statistics of registration of donors exists, certainly in the UK I suspect it does, but do those stats also record the number of children born from donorship (?) of the quantity that is known of in certain cases.
I do wonder and feel for such children and their emotional and mental health, and most importantly their identity, when they find multiple half siblings.
There would always have been men who may have fathered several children with different women, but unlikely to be in the multiples that we are discussing here.
You are not alone in this, AP. I was 12 years younger than the youngest in the family, with brothers and sisters old enough to be my parents and clearly a nuisance and an imposition to the woman I called mother. Although it was always said that my birth certificate had been lost during the evacuation, when I needed it to get married it suddenly turned up in mint condition. She threw it at me and i had to pick it up off the floor. To this day I have no idea which of the eldest ones were my real mother or father, and with the exception of the brother who has just died, I can't say that any of them would have been much of an improvement on what I finished up with. It was hard sometimes when I was young, but by now far too long ago to make any difference!
ReplyDeleteI’m very sorry this topic has awoken such unhappy childhood memories. It’s a tribute to posters that they found ways to survive them, and now as Sarnia stoically ays, its too long ago to make a difference.
ReplyDeleteThinking about Ambridge characters, the one who has always puzzled me is Neil Carter who seems to have been found under a gooseberry bush! I can’t recall any mention of his parents or other relatives, and all my book says is that he came to Brookfield aged 16 as a ‘new entry’ farming apprentice in 1973. Where from? Perhaps someone here who has been listening longer and more diligently than I have, or has a more informative book, can fill me on Neil’s antecedents?
I don't really think of them as unhappy memories, Maryellen, it's how things were; I'm just telling it like it was. I don't have any feelings about it one way or the other, it was my 'normal' and I just accepted it.
DeleteOh gosh, ME, weren't they planting gooseberry bushes at Bridge Farm? I suppose it would be a novel way of bringing more apprentices into farming... ...🤔
ReplyDeleteLet’s hope Adam has insured against finding abandoned babies under his gooseberry bushes! (At least, that’s what I always thought the expression meant, but now I’ve belatedly checked, I see the Twitterati have a more graphic explanation involving 19th century slang!)
DeleteWhat a sheltered life we had before google!
DeleteAfter my extra Omnibus listen - I have only one thing to say:-
ReplyDeleteWhat a brilliant week of acting and the script writing, in all episodes.
A great week of Archers listening.
Also, the background noisrs abd clatter, were equally spot on.
Like you ME I’ve always wondered why Neil has never had a back story, and find it odd. My memory of him arriving in Ambridge may not be correct, or I could have imagined it, but for what it’s worth I have always felt that he came from Birmingham.
ReplyDeleteNo more than that tho’ I’m afraid.
I was listening at that time but not consistently or regularly I think.
And I do clearly remember him and Susan in an attic ( perhaps it was the Bull ) and the result a few months later of a baby. But then I don’t remember the wedding, so again, inconsistent listening.
DeleteA gold star for George tonight.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Henry at least may want to see Rob but Jack of course is his own flesh and blood who knows little if anything about him. Rob is with us this week so where will any meeting take place and how as he is meant to be banned from communicating 🤔 he now appears to have an ally in Lee to so…..
ReplyDeleteGeorge a right mix tonight appearing to help the lovebirds get back together then grooming Henry to do things that aren’t approved of on the sly. Certainly a Grundy!
It reminded me of Eddie grooming George - taking him poaching without his mother's knowledge and explaining that it was all right as long as you didn't get caught, because the law didn't recognise the ancient right of the Grundys and their ilk to help themselves to the local wild life regardless of whose land it was on!
DeleteI agree that Eddie was not setting George a good example there, but I have sympathy for Eddie and his ancient rights because down the centuries those holding power have drastically eroded the rights of the powerless in order to make themselves more wealthy. I don't know why Eddie doesn't just ask Brian or David if he can hunt on their land. Maybe he thinks he shouldn't have to ask.
DeleteIt was Eddie’s insistence that George shouldn’t tell his mother he’d been poaching which really left a bad taste in the mouth. Eddie knew exactly what he was doing. Emma wouldn’t have taken kindly to the news that his grandfather was involving George in his petty crimes. I agree Eddie could have negotiated an arrangement with local farmers.,there were similar arrangements in the village where I grew up - one option was splitting the bag with the farmer. I can see why that wouldn’t appeal to Eddie!
DeleteI somehow managed to miss the last part of last night’s episode when George was giving his brand of behavioural advice to Henry, so,. having listened again today,have reduced the gold star to bronze.
ReplyDeleteGeorge is only worth lead or tin and not in a star shape.
DeleteSuch a nasty and manipulative young man, who is now starting on a younger person.
Just for clarity - my comment about not knowing who your father is was absolutely nothing to do with anything anyone posted on her, so please don’t feel you have to apologise.
ReplyDeleteIt came from frustration with the script going on and on about whether Jack should be told about his father or allowed to see him. Or Henry for that matter. As I said, they are not the only children to have a ‘missing’ father and there will be thousands of children born from sperm donation who may never find out more about their parentage, or even want to. I think the script is concentrating too much on this issue, making much too big a drama out of it and there are plenty of other lines they could follow.
Brad what a lovely thoughtful gesture to your new girlfriend, I wish you both well 💐
ReplyDeleteAnd a very pleasant contrast to the silliness of the fete yet again and the drama around Helen.
DeleteI do hope that Brad is allowed by the SW to build his resistance to George, however George might become a decent young man now and again. ( and I suspect that when he is ‘nice’, it’s because he has some reason to advance himself to mask some other nefarious activity )
ReplyDeleteSo agree Mrs. P with the thought that when George is being nice, he is planning + scheming. A spider knows how to lure a fly into the web..
DeleteGeorge is an enigma to me, but I do hope that one day he will turn into a lovely young man. It might take something awful to happen though, for this to happen.
Last week I described him as Machiavellian.
DeleteYet more evidence tonight I fear.
What is it with George? He has got me flummoxed that’s for sure! Why do so many parents inTA so panty mamby when grown up sons and daughters of 18yrs and upwards start panicking if they even suggest even suggest moving across the yard to live …..
ReplyDeleteSo George has worked out the perfect revenge on Hannah - get her kicked out of No 1
ReplyDelete,The Green. Thé clever way he worked out his plan: he is was called ‘trailer trash at school, there is not enough room for all his stuff in the caravan, doesn’t want to move into the farmhouse, how about No 1 with his dad so they can ‘bond’ and he can improve his mental health (!). Oh but Johnny and Hannah will have to move out. Never a thought about poor little Poppy.
Is it really possible that an 18 yr old can be so nasty, vindictive, manipulative self-serving and downright evil?
I
Second thoughts about last night’s episode
ReplyDeletePip
It is well known that I have never liked Pip, even as a schoolchild and teenager she was annoying.
But I now find her almost unbearable. It is not just the strange intonation and voice, it is th character’s development. All this getting matey with Stella, to the extent of going and telling Brian what she thinks about Adam’s fruit farm and what he should do with it. What the ??? Does she know about growing cherries or experience does she have. I’m surprised he didn’t tell her to mind her own business.
Now this proposed camping trip with Rosie to which Stella is suddenly invited. Do we have a Brokeback Mountain scenario evolving?
Was the relationship with dear T❤️O❤️B❤️Y just an accident, a blip or an early experiment?
I am confused.
Well,that little chink of hope for George when he helped Brad to sort out his romance was well and truly extinguished last night with his suggestion to Will about moving in together atNo. One The Green and expecting his dad to turf out his tenants,Hannah and Johnny,obviously in revenge against the former.It remains to be seen however, if Will agrees to the proposal .Hopefully there is a proper rental agreement in place to protect Hannah and Johnny from the short notice George hopes for.
ReplyDeleteIn case people are interested, Robert Lister, the actor who played Lewis Carmichael has died. He joined TA in 2004 but hasn’t been heard of for several years. His character entry and biopic are still on the BBC’s website. I think Lewis went to live with his sister, thus freeing up the Lower Loxley art gallery job and accompanying Cottage for Russ. (Thinks: who is managing the gallery now?)
ReplyDeleteI SO hate to say this but - Well Done George!
ReplyDeleteHe certainly has thought out a very cunning plan to get back at Hannah, whilst twisting things to suit himself - "my mental health and well being"!
Very Clever...
The thing about George is that, he just doesn't care about anyone else, only himself. What a mean-spirited person he has become, yet still only 18yrs.
DeletePerhaps Spicy was correct when she said he had psychopathic leanings or tendencies.
DeleteNever mind Helen being furious George I am too you little toe rag! Henry will ring Rob that’s a forgone conclusion now and no doubt Rob’s visit will be on Friday scaring Helen half to death and this week’s cliffhanger!
ReplyDeleteAs for Johnny what is happening there! Does the young actor need to take an organised break or is this an emergency script change to ensure George gets to work for Tony & co or even deeper than that a SL leading to them losing John’s son too. Such a weird and sudden turn of events and so unlike dedicated Johnny or for the family to react with such ease to the event., and then it was pointed out that by his return (if he does) it will be nearly Christmas 😱
Like Neil there is, I believe, a significant age gap between Johnny and the actor playing him, so maybe the actor now sounds too old for the part, or his career has taken off in other directions, eg. writing and/or directing. It certainly sounded as if, after a year or so of silence, he is being written out.
DeleteIt seems an uncharacteristic way to go for stick-in-the- mud Johnny who has shown no sign of wanting to spread his wings since leaving college. I was surprised he was going as far as Ibiza. I was surprised too that Pat took his prospective absence so calmly, remembering the feverish intensity with which she tracked him down and installed him at Bridge Farm. Perhaps she no longer needs him to keep John’s memory alive and sees him as a person in his own right. I agree with Lady R about the storyline’s potential!
Having just caught up with last night, George is a poisonous little toad! Where does he get off interfering in Henry’s life? Actually I’m not sure I want to know.
ReplyDeleteRegarding Johnny I don’t think that he’ll be killed off, after all the SW’s have to schedule the demise of some of the older characters, but he may be mothballed for the short/medium term & then brought back with a different actor. Also his absence allows for George to inveigle himself into Bridge Farm.
The strong opinion elsewhere, and which is one I totally get, is that with Johnny off sailing in the wild blue yonder, is that Hannah will be the only paying tenant...
ReplyDeleteTheoretically she should be able to do so, but I have a thought that she pays towards her Mum's care, who has dementia, I think this is what I heard at one time!
So the conundrum continues...
There is always the possibility of George sharing with Hannah, paying his way and doing his share of the cooking, household chores etc..
DeleteAs if!! 🤣
George you get more odious with every episode, how I look forward to your downfall.
ReplyDeleteWill mischief-making George phone Rob???
ReplyDeleteThat’s an interesting idea ME, George. Having found Rob’s details for Henry then contacts him to see what opportunities there are. I presume George will be aware of the Rob/Helen story and have his own warped opinions on it.
DeleteWill certainly has a blind spot regarding George”s behaviour,not recognising his treatment of Hannah as the revenge that it is.I do hope that she manages to at least stick to her rights Fort he two months written notice for the termination of her tenancy Will agreed to. I am also dreading how George is going to interfere in the Rob/Henry/Jack situation.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the disappearance of Jonny for some months.
ReplyDeleteOpinion elsewhere is that the actor wants out of TA and will eventually be replaced with a new one.
What’s the betting it will be another member of the Troughton family?
Thus keeping both Jonny and the Bridge farm family acting team going!
I wouldn’t bet on it myself. Sam Troughton (the elder brother of Will Troughton and the better-known of the two) is 46, so rather old for Johnny. I don’t know if there’s a next generation of Troughton actors in the making!
DeleteI am finding the programme quite upsetting and difficult to listen to at the moment.
ReplyDeleteThe over the top evil development of George and his manipulation of everyone and everything for his own ends.
Then the equally evil manipulation of Henry by Rob, again for his own ends ( and, incidentally, facilitated by George)
This seems too much darkness all going on at once and it is making the programme very depressing. I could do with a lighter note some evenings because there is too much darkness going on in the real world at the moment.
Leopards and spots spring to mind : (
DeletePoor little Henry, trying to stand up for his Mum and ending up being manipulated. My only hope is that school and Helen between them have taught him that an adult asking a child to keep something secret from its parents or other adults is red flag. Henry, speak to your mother NOW, and change your phone number PDQ. Or, if you can't face telling her, tell *someone*. (*Anyone*, except George)
OWIAS as you say hopefully school will have taught him to recognise that what Rob was asking is wrong. I think Henry would find it hard to talk to Helen right now but maybe he could approach Lee.
DeleteHe can probably block Robs number quite easily if he doesn’t want further contact.
I thought the young actor did really well.
I've been finding TA depressing for quite a while Archerfile.
DeleteI agree with KPnuts about the young actor who plays Henry. The casting department have found a gem, and I hope he becomes a regular fixture.
DeleteI agree too! A voice with expression - bliss 👏🏻
DeleteI bet Rob couldn’t believe his luck when Henry phoned him and didn’t waste any time in pouring poison about his mother in the poor lad’s ear.He doesn’t care about Henry himself so much,but sees him as a way to get to Jack and bypass Helen.I agree that there is too much darkness in the current TA ,featuring nasty people with axes to grind and revenge uppermost in their minds,which can be quite unsettling.The Imminent Summer Fete may prove to lighten things,although in the hands of the Grundy family,who knows.
ReplyDeleteI want a knitted ferret. Has Eddie considered offering them on mail-order?
DeleteThere's a 90 yr old lady on Skopelos who knits chickens, so it can be done.
DeleteNot sure Lee would be the one for Henry to confide in as he is of the opinion that Rob should be allowed access to the boys (as he is dying) and because he is missing his own children.
ReplyDeleteAlso in a twisted (and too late way) is Rob trying to atone for his sins before he meets his maker.
I find it difficult to agree that Rob is atoning for his sins Lady R
DeleteHe told Henry that they had been a happy family and made some negative remarks about his mother.
He also told Henry to keep their conversation secret - as discussed above, KPN /OwiaS - none of which leads me to believe he is atoning for anything.
I don’t believe he has changed at all.
And critically I do believe that RT knows precisely what he is doing ALL OF THE TIME.
Whilst I agree that in many circumstances a child should meet his birth father, I do not feel that should be so in this case. I’m not good at time scales so cannot say how old Jack is ( others will know ) but I doubt if it would be useful to Jack in the future to know or remember his father.
I admired Henry for wanting to talk to Rob, purely to say "Leave us Alone", so to protect Mum Helen + Jack.
ReplyDeleteHe started so well, until Rob turned things around in such an eerily and creepy way.
I actually blame this entire situation on Helen. Henry told Helen that he had overheard her + Lee talking about Rob, such that he knew Rob was back in the country. A simple chat with him would have explained about talking to a solicitor, who was dealing with things and that Rob was not allowed to go anywhere near them.
This, I hope, that this would have prevented Henry taking things that one dreadful step as to the 'phone call.
As they say - Hindsight is a wonderful thing..
The question now is a simple one. Is Henry back under Robs "spell" or does he own up to someone and then who?
I wonder if Helen will see any changes in Henry's demeanor and behaviour, as he must be affected in some way.
July 31st Two days since my last post, but there are no others. As such I will stick my neck out with my thoughts (most already done elsewhere):-
ReplyDeleteThe fete - the debate is will The Grundys make it a success or will it be, as Lynda expects, a disaster.
Johnny going away sailing for 4 months might lead to poorer milk quality, which might affect Helen's cheese quality.
I can't believe that Bridge Farm hadn't had more conversations with Adil/GG/food expert about what they want, can they supply the quantity and quality, and also the need for planning different crops to suit.
As to George, Hannah, Rob and Henry - that's a whole lot of other thoughts, too numerous to post.
I just hope that those who are stirring and meddling with others' lives - get what they deserve and sooner rather than later.
Quick extra - I still want to hear what Neil + Susan think about George moving into No.1 and the consequences it will have.
And your ‘elsewhere’ thoughts are always very interesting and well responded to.
DeleteI am also surprised by the la k of posts here; perhaps everyone is very fed up with the current stories, upset by them or stunned into silence!
Also, it may seem tedious to keep writing about how awful George is and what Helen should do or not do.
As for Adil and the cheese, I reckon it was Helen not following up on her previous discussions that made him think Bridge Farm weren’t really very interested in supplying him. Their fault, not his.
Helen and Tom's lack of business accumen and promontional abilities, cetainly has been shown.
DeleteI haven’t been commenting because the only current storyline I find inspiring enough is the Helen/Rob saga, and even that annoys me because I don’t think the present editor is handling it half as well as Sean O’Connor handled the original! There’s a lot of repetition elsewhere in listeners’ reactions to this story and I don’t want to add to that. I’m mostly skipping the Evil Rob and Evil George posts.
DeleteIt’s only now that Helen and Tom have fallen down on business promotion: they’ve obviously been successful up to now or they wouldn’t still have businesses to promote
ReplyDeleteI had been wondering what happened to the mozzarella idea, and also the Beechwood-funded newly built centre at Bridge Farm for promoting cheese-makingand organically produced food generally. Maybe the viewing window is a substitute for the latter. Rob’s reappearance has clearly been a. distraction but not enough to take Helen’s eye off the ball re the upcoming food festival. It all sounded to me like a contrived and unconvincing introduction to a Grey Gables storyline. Another TA storm in a teacup! (Some would say they’r what village consists of!)
Oh well, we needn't worry because Tom is going to become Adil’s best friend so everything will be fine!
DeleteTom, as subtle as a brick wall!!
ReplyDeleteI liked hearing Mia & Chelsea both not wanting to upset Brad but realising they will never be best friends and that’s OK
Another example of Tom Archer’s brillant ideas blowing up in his face.
ReplyDeleteI do like Adil. I think that he is part of a family consortium, who are the unknown 60% owners of GG.
ReplyDeleteMia is a person with strong ideals + beliefs. What I like about her is that she likes to do things differently and in her own way/style, such as hand-writing the labels and with the latin names for the re-wilding stall.
ReplyDeleteShe at least is not constantly glued to social media via tge small screen, which many of her age do.
Well I never! A whole episode and four different scenarios with compromise and concession in common. Mia (a girl after my own heart!), Chelsea, Eddie, Lynda, Stella, Paul, Helen and Pat all conceding their original position in order to achieve a greater good. Such a welcome change from the confrontational drama which the scriptwriters so often give us.
ReplyDeleteOh bother! For some reason the episode is not on iPlayer tonight….and it sounded a good one from ME’s description. I’ll have to wait until tomorrow lunchtime. 🤨
ReplyDeleteHappy listening, Archerphile! I think Lynda is possibly the exception to the rule, but concession has never been her strong point! There was a passing reference to Robert, btw, which made.me think the scriptwriters may be.biding their time before introducing a new actor.
DeleteI couldn't get it on iplayer last night either, but it is on there now. About to listen to it.
DeleteI agree AP and Janice I was furious with iplayer all other programmes were available. In the end I listened to both together the next night at my usual late hour 🤗
DeleteI wonder what the latest radio listening figures will mean for the future of TA in the long term.
ReplyDeleteI managed to listen at lunchtime and I am not sure about Eddie's sudden caving in to Lynda.
ReplyDeleteDid he really realise he was out of his depth and needed her help, or is it a ruse to obtain some of the essentials he needs like a proper marquee? It seems very un-Eddie
like to admit he has failed
Mmmmm !
DeleteI had similar thoughts too !
SPOILER ALERT!
ReplyDeleteI was browsing through the TA website’s headlines for the rest of the month and spotted T❤️O❤️B❤️Y’s name. So he’s not gone for eve, as I feared. And for those who inexplicably prefer his brother, Rex’s name was in the cast list.😄😄😄
I spotted those too ME, and thought you would be pleased
DeleteDoes T❤️O❤️B❤️Y come up trumps, so that Pip + Rosie can join Lottie + Madison, on their holiday in Spain??
DeleteRemember Pip mentioned Lottie and Spain, awhile ago and she was jealous,.All she could offer was a holiday in a tent, along with Ruth's table with adjustable legs..🙅♀️
DeleteWhat a very touching and thoughtful episode that was.
ReplyDeleteWell done the TA team !
Got a bit choked up tonight
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteYou were not alone.Sensetive acting by all.
😥 oh dear what a way to end the week- blurry eyes for sure 🦮
ReplyDeleteEddie OTT .as usual but at least he admitted it, poor Brad
I couldn’t make out what the big surprise was that Eddie presented at the fete.
ReplyDeleteLynda seemed to love it, but what was it? Some sort of carousel?
Help please!
It was the one and only Grundy Ferret Wheel - presumably a minature Ferris wheel for the little weasels.
DeleteLynda's joy at the whimsy of it was a surprise - she could have declared it horribly tacky and quite out of keeping at the Ambridge Fete. But then I suspect the script-writers decided we needed a bit of feel-good factor after Weaver's sad demise.
So was it manned (or should that be ferreted) by live ferrets or Clarrie's knitted ones?
DeleteLive ones. Someone said they didn't know Eddie had that many ferrets and the reply was that he had borrowed some from the ferret society.
DeleteI would have thought that Mia would have tried to sabotage it as animal cruelty
DeleteI thought that Helen’s judging decision in marking down her rival’s cheese was dubious,although she insisted that it was an honest call.
ReplyDeleteIt was rather odd roping in a competitor as judge in the first place (although I presume she withdrew her entry).
DeleteI presumed it was a blind tasting so that she wouldn't have known it was *the* cheese. Ian's comment suggested that this was officially the case but that in practice the (other) judges actually knew which was which.
But why such discrepancy in scores? Have the judges been swayed by the cheese's reputation? Are they not up to the job? Or has Helen got such a superior palate that she can discern subtle flavours which the other judges are missing (or which the cheese is missing?) If the latter, does it really make much difference if the general public can't actually taste the wonderful local flavours Helen believes should be present?
If she did want to deprive the famous cheese of the top spot she could have achieved this with a more subtle down grading of her scores rather than a complete panning.
Helen should not have been asked to be a judge on this occasion in my opinion, Ian should not have persuaded her.
DeleteHmm is George a reformed character? I find it hard to believe and am wondering if he is hoping for a placement at Home Farm for his farm management course.
ReplyDeleteI give up trying to make George out 🙄 but if pushed would come down on the side of Neil and Ed.
ReplyDeleteI’ve been too wrapped up in the drama and suspense of the World Cup to spare much thought for Ambridge and the drama and suspense of Eddie’s lost ferret and George’s constant character shifts. (Is the fact that Neil never liked him going to be relevant?) it always surprises me that, given football is the national sport, we hear so little about it on TA. Maybe the anonymous 80% of Ambridge’s population are playing, watching and talking about it (I might have said this before - apologies if so.)
ReplyDeleteSimilarly, we didn’t hear anyone discussing the Ashes Test Matches - even Tracy.
DeleteThere are comments elsewhere about George being a misogynist who hates women (not just Hannah). If true, Is that because he has.conspiculously failed to attract one, or am. I being too simplistic?
ReplyDeleteIf George is a misogynist and he might well be, I suspect that his vitriolic outburst which included towards his mother might well have something to do with it. The primary women in his life are all grafters and intent on looking after men. Grandma’s Clarrie and Susan and mother Emma rarely put themselves first.
DeleteGeorge also made it clear that he considers his biological father William to be a weak man.
I suspect George thinks anyone who cares for others or puts others before themselves is weak and beneath his contempt.
But then ……. He could just be a very nasty person, simply because that’s how he is.
My main problem with George, has to be how he talks to his Grandad Neil.
ReplyDeleteThis is so awful and dare I say it, vindictive..
George doesn't realise what Neil could have done to help him, IF George could have just done as asked at Berrow.
Sadly George did not comply to instructions and the guidance given to him.
To add - the sausage roll wrapper is like the Lent appeal money - did he or didn't he...
DeleteStill undecided.
It took a while but then the penny dropped, also I had forgotten Stella is gay and as a couple they would even things out in Ambridge Adam & Ian but no female couple right now. So long as it is not the BBC just ticking another box!
ReplyDeleteIf Helen is stressed now she will be off the chart when she finds out about Henry and Rob - which of course she will, but it may of course be lead up to the main Christmas SL disaster ☹️
I wasn’t a bit surprised by what happened in the tent last night.
ReplyDeleteThis scenario has been very well signposted for some weeks and Rosie was very conveniently got out of the way in order for something to happen. I should have been very surprised if it had not.
Seems like I have not been paying proper attention AP - I must go to the naughty corner forthwith 😂
DeleteI would be wary of Stella, Pip. I think she is someone who takes more than she gives in terms of personal relationships.
ReplyDeleteAnother box ticked indeed Lady R. I wonder how far along the LGBTQIA2S road the scriptwriters intend to travel in order to tick boxes.
ReplyDeleteI am just waiting for one of the youngsters in Ambridge to pursue Gender reassignment, that seems to be the latest topic amongst the news these days.
ReplyDeleteHush, AP! I have a teenaged granddaughter who recently announced that she wished to identify as 'they'. When I asked if that meant there were more of her than there used to be, she was poleaxed as it hadn't occurred to her how illogical it was.
ReplyDeleteI think I'll go bury my head in the sand.
DeleteA few weeks ago my brother in law informed us that our nephew is now our niece, remaining married, their wife apparently comfortable with the transition. My daughter’s girlfriend's sibling is also transitioning, it does seem to be all the rage….
ReplyDelete'They' is used freely nowadays to avoid the clumsiness of 'he or she' or 's/he'(as in 'If anyone is caught trespassing they will be prosecuted'). I believe 'they' has a history of being used in the singular.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was discussing with a colleague the current use of 'they' as an individual's personal pronoun of choice, they said we'd probably get used to it, as we 've got used to 'they' being used as above. I find the trendy use of she/her, he/his or they/theirs in brackets after a typewritten signature difficult to adapt to, but am doing my best!
One presenter on LBC radio who refused “to adhere to this nonsense” when reviewing stories in the papers had his 44yr career with the station terminated immediately 😧 how his listeners particularly those experiencing recent loss etc miss his company and also the one million like me who listened to his programme on catch up. Bloody PC gone mad as usual of late, for me anyway. I’d never even heard of the guy a Sam Smith and apparently famous.
DeleteThe 15yr old in question will jump on any passing bandwagon that she thinks will get her more attention. In 10 years' time she will writhe with embarrassment at her teenaged self.
ReplyDeleteOk. So which particular youngster in Ambridge will join the trend? Not George, I am sure!
ReplyDeleteNot necessarily a youngster. Could be Johnny?
DeleteToday, the trend seems to relate to persons who don't want to classed in any particular gender, ie asexual so want to be called they, theirs etc.
DeleteI have though often used these terms, to just refer to a some-one in a generic way, so it is not obvious as to whom I am referring to. I have often found this useful.
This is not TA at all, so this shouldn't be here, but it was to give a "follow on" comment only.
To keep on topic, my TV/Radio mag. in it's Archers column, is giving lots of hints as to what to expect this week.
It looks interesting but then again, might be just full of teasers and red herrings!
Not following TA at present. For once, my own twists, turns and red herrings are more interesting!
ReplyDeleteHooray! After my complaint that Ambridge and football are complete strangers, tonight we got a reference to the World Cup - although Kirsty’s comment about watching the Lionesses at the weekend presupposes that England will reach the final on Sunday. First there’s the little matter of beating Australia in the semifinals on Wednesday. Fingers crossed! It sounded as if Henry and Jack are football fans.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget The Lionesses will be playing at the weekend, though it might well be in the 3rd/4th place match on Saturday.
DeleteLionesses - their semi final is on Wednesday 11am so unless they win that match they will not be playing at the weekend. Finally an event mentioned without substance to it.
ReplyDelete(Oh just read Miriam’s post in which case they will be playing one way or another) Rob of course will now appear one way or another either on the phone or in person. Good job Kirsty will be in situ although that would all very reminiscent of the event again… Helen, Henry & Kirsty with his own son Jack in the mix this time 😱
Let’s hope Rob doesn’t appear during a penalty shootout!!!
Delete🫢 😂
DeleteWell there's a surprise (not).
ReplyDeleteThings could get very complicated very quickly for poor Henry : (
Oh dear Henry! And here was I I was thinking that Rob would turn up at Helen’s while Henry was at the show. Maybe Helen will decide to pop along later to the show after all and the ballon will go up when she finds Henry is not with any of the Garundy’s or they will have to tell her they do not know where he is. Hopefully not an abduction…..although Henry too savvy for that 🤞🏼
ReplyDeleteI wonder if he will offer to drive Henry home in the hope of seeing Jack.
ReplyDeleteWouldn’t his brain tumour diagnosis prevent him driving? If so, I guess Miles will chauffeur him.
ReplyDeleteDear Helen,
ReplyDeleteI think there is something you should know.
You have felt the need to keep certain things from Henry. Things that you believe it is better that he should not know.
Henry is not daft, he knows that you keep things from him, but accepts that you do and doesn’t question this.
But he has learned a lesson from you, that it is better to keep quiet.
To keep secrets.
You have taught him well Helen.
He is now, routinely, keeping things from you.
When will you learn this lesson Helen ?
You’ve done this in the past, and you are continuing to do it.
Your actions have consequences !
Well observed Mrs P ⭐️
DeleteBut Mrs P, I didn't keep things from my daughter, so she couldn't have learned this age-old trick from me, possibly from a school friend who'd already pulled it on her mother and got away with it:
DeleteWere you never treated to the one where daughter tells friend A she is at B's house, friend B she is at A's house, while all the time daughter J is somewhere completely different where she is not supposed to be, doing things she is not supposed to do!
Henry referred to Rob as his real step-dad. The other week he was trying to tell Rob to keep away. Now he's in regular contact, clearly thinking of him still as part of the family, and preparing to meet him. Rob is grooming him just as successfully as he groomed Helen : (
DeleteI also thought the same about the step-dad comment, until I remembered Rob was in a way a real stepdad, as Helen + Rob were married.
DeleteKirsty is clearly psychic because she and Helen will indeed be able to watch the Lionesses against Spain next Sunday in the final of the World Cup. Sadly, they won't be watching the playoff for 3rd place on Saturday because nothing happens in Ambridge on Saturdays. In any case, watching football at the weekend may have to take second place to dealing with whatever cliffhanger looms o n Friday!
ReplyDeleteI think I am getting very intolerant in my old age!
ReplyDeleteI got so sick of the sound of Ruth, Pip and Stella’s voices tonight I thought I couldn’t bear to listen any more and would have to switch off.
But then Ben, and amazingly David, came to the rescue with their bonding over the broken farm set and Ben’s thoughts about his return to university.
They saved the episode for me.
Archerphile,like you I thought that the Ben/David segment in last night saved the programme as I found the ice rink girly chatter so jarring .Ruth ‘s voice particularly annoyed me especially when sucking up to Stella.
ReplyDeleteI’ve never had a problem with Ruth’s voice or delivery, as I have not with Pip either. However both Stella and Hannah - she to a lesser degree, grate horribly for me.
DeleteIt is clearly all in the ear of of the listener !
However I will also say that in general the female voices of the younger contributors to the airwaves in these current times grate with me.
Harsh and tinny for the most part and with little expression I find.
Watch out Henry and praise to George (!) for actually worrying about the child. The way Rob called out HENRY, in that voice, was chilling.
ReplyDeleteAt last a sign of maturity in the way George looked out for Henry last night when the meeting with Rob took place at the show..Admittedly it was thanks to George’s meddling with the lad’s phone that enabled Henry to make contact with Rob ,but having heard from Emma some more of the Helen/Rob backstory he realised just who Henry was going to meet.and was concerned for his safety.Well done too to Henry for refusing to help Rob arrange a secret meeting with Jack.Assuming Helen is told everything about the tryst she will be furious and wishing Lee was not in America.It was good though to hear ‘Rob’ in action again with a masterclass in from the actor,moving from the initial silky smoooth chat to the angry roar when thwarted.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree about the actors ability to convince us what an evil character he is playing.
ReplyDeleteHowever, having second thoughts about George. When he heard more about Rob and how he is reviled by the whole village, was he more concerned about protecting himself and his own job than about Henry’s welfare? Did he relise that his bit of meddling in Henry’s relationship with Helen could lead to something far more serious and he could get the blame?
Hmmm I think George was genuinely panicking about what he started with Henry/Rob after he had heard more of the details from Emma but when Rob heard he was working for the family and especially that he had recently been sacked from his previous job like a whippet he realised he could manipulate George too and in turn that has panicked George. Best way to try and save himself is to come clean quickly and ensure the family are aware of the now out of control situation.
ReplyDeleteRobs character is being acted superbly I truly think he was moved by Henry’s gift and I could even understand him wanting to see Jack before dying but then of course the dark side appeared on the turn of a sixpence and he was his cold and calculating self and it just shows how convincing these people can be in luring you into their world….
So well put.
DeleteLadyR -✔️
ReplyDeleteHenry gets my ⭐️ .
ReplyDeleteThis is for the protection he is showing for Jack and Helen, even saying to Rob that the courts won't allow him to see Jack.
What a bright young lad he is.
However Henry did let slip where they do activities..
Horrifying episode tonight.
ReplyDeleteHelen needs Lee home asap and the police must be fully informed about what Rob is up to.
But is Helen in a fit state to handle things? Thank goodness for Kirsty’s support.
Thank goodness for Kirsty indeed.
ReplyDeleteFor her supporters and for her intervention last night.
It seems to me that yet again Helen is trying to do it all - to cope with the situation- by herself and in her own way.
Am I being unfair ?
She seems to be at war with Rob.
I completely understand that.
But !
Would it not be better to allow her family and friends to support her by laying bare all that happens and allowing a joint consensus of action which might include the police and law professionals ?
But then of course we wouldn’t be getting all the drama and it would all take too long.
The one and only person that I have any empathy with, is Henry.
ReplyDeleteI will leave George's input out for now.
All Henry wanted to do at first, was to tell Rob to leave his Mum and brother Jack, alone.
Sadly Rob draw him into his web of deceit, and almost succeeded until Henry began to understand the situation, and the rest is known.
Henry does not need the reaction he had from Mum Helen, when he was just trying his best. Jack seems to be the priority, as always!
Henry is still my ⭐️
I don't understand why Rob is stiil driving....but then he always knows best and ignores the facts, if thtey don't suit him.
ReplyDeleteAs have said before, he could so cause an accident 😪
Perhaps that is how he will go Miriam.
DeleteWith a BANG !
I agree,Miriam.Rob should not still be driving with a terminal medical condition and I’m surprised that there doesn’t seem to have been any attempts to stop him by Miles or his father.Rob, whose arrival at the swimming centre was heralded by what sounded like a bit of road rage, obviously expected that Jack would be there as well as Henry so was thwarted on that score at least.However,he took pleasure in letting Helen know all about the phone calls with Henry,so watch out George ,when all is fully revealed.Regarding Rob’s illegal driving which needs to be addressed,Harrison does know about Rob’s tumour,having been quietly told by Tony Archer recently,so perhaps he should be approached for the procedure to follow.
ReplyDeleteAll I want to hear, is Helen getting of her high horse and talking to Henry and telling him all that happened.
ReplyDeleteAs Kirsty said - he is also a victim and has now been rejected twice.
Hopefully Helen can understand what Henry did and why.
In fairness to George, he didn't know the history nor situation..but does that excuse him, not sure.
Helen’s mistake was not to agree to the time-limited, supervised meeting with his son that Rob requested through his solicitor. It would not have committed her to regular future meetings which in any case couldn’t happen now Rob is dying. Jack would hardly have been “scarred for life” as one FB contributor put it, and a lot of unpleasantness, not to mention her impending nervous breakdown, could have been avoided. The mistake is understandable, and not helped by her family’s reactions.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think George is in any way to blame for what’s happened.
I’m afraid George suffers from LOCS (Lack of Continuity Syndrome caused b6 scriptwriters not being on the same page. Just recently it’s been the scriptwriter who treats him as a reasonable human being, but judging by tonight's episode next week will be the scriptwriter who makes him more of a pantomime villain!
ReplyDeleteGeorge you ba***rd! I wanted to thump you and I was just listening on the radio.😡
ReplyDeleteAnyone still think George is not to blame?
ReplyDeleteHis outburst in the cafe last night was totally unforgivable. The things he said in public were dreadful, wounding, uncalled for, whatever descriptions you want to use.
The thing that most affected me was the fact that nobody came to Helen’s defence. They all just sat there, presumably with their mouths hanging open in amazement.
Even Pip and Stella, who know the background with Rob didn’t try to help. Shame on them
Shame on Emma and most emphatically shame on despicable George. 😡
I don’t think Stella was around then AP as she asked Pip what it was all about but certainly shame on Pip… Emma is backing George all the way in his “Rob” like sneaky manipulations and needs to wake up and smell the coffee where he is concerned 😡
DeleteGeorge will now as Rob predicted lose his job at Bridge Farm and rightly so, what a pair!
And probably threaten to publish his film of Helen ‘losing it’ online if they do sack him!
DeleteAs for Stella, I know she wasn’t in Ambridge when the Rob business was at his height, but I thought she knew about it from various conversations.
I don't think I could have continued listening if Pip had joined in the vocal melee in the tea room. Three disputing voices was as much as my ears could take! A foutrh might have been more than the recording.studio could handle. Daisy Badger might not have been physically there at the time.
DeleteAnd to answer your question, Archerphile, yes, I do think George is being unjustly blamed for the part he played in Henry contacting Rob in the first place, and b) Henry fixing a meeting with Rob. Both were Henry's solo initiatives , along with the decision not to tell his mother, so if anyone is to blame then logically it's Henry.
There's no excuse for his venomous attack on Helen which reminded me so much of |Tracy's vitriolic attack on Russ (entirely without evidence. Listeners seem to have forgiven and forgotten where Tracy is concerned.her - will George be so lucky? (Rhetorical question!)
Because of Helen’s desire to keep the current Rob situation closely , under wraps,I think only the Bridge Farm family (and Harrison)know that he is back in the Uk and determined to see Jack,so Pip must have been taken aback as much as the rest of the tearoom occupants when Helen burst in to challenge George,whose subsequent behaviour was disgraceful.I don’t think he will be working on the veg boxes anymore as Rob predicted.I don’t think Emma does have such a Rose tinted view of her son anymore,having been recently treated to the wrong end of his tongue herself and there was anger in her voice when she ordered George through to the back of the shop.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised that Ian also knew about Robs return, which became obvious last week in a chat with Kirsty. I too thought it was just the Bridge Farm clan, Kirsty and Harrison who knew.
Delete