Ambridge on the Couch

Competitive Alcoholism with Harry and Alice - a podcast for fans of BBC radio's The Archers

In this week's episode, we have a bit of vintage Walter Gabriel, the much-missed Ian Pepperell (Roy Tucker) talking about Kate the goldfish, we get over-excited about Alice saying "us" and Elizabeth has an inspired idea for LoLo.

Get bonus content on Patreon

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/ambridgeonthecouch.

Join our merry band of The Archers nuts at https://plus.acast.com/s/AmbridgeOnTheCouch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Duration:: 57m
Broadcast on:: 07 Jul 2024
Audio Format:: mp3

Love this podcast? Support this show through the support or feature from Makecast. It's up to you how much you give and there's no regular commitment. Just hit the link in the show description to support now. My dad works in B2B marketing. He came by my school for career day and said he was a big row as man. Then he told everyone how much he loved calculating his return on ad spend. My friends still laughing me to this day. Not everyone gets B2B. But with LinkedIn, you'll be able to reach people who do. Get $100 credit on your next ad campaign. Go to LinkedIn.com/results to claim your credit. That's LinkedIn.com/results. Terms and conditions apply. LinkedIn. The place to be. To be. It's all good, it's just, I see. Welcome to Ambridge on the couch. An in-depth look at the arches with me, Harriet Carmichael, Lucy Freeman, Jeff Thomas, Matt Rodriguez Payne and James Everett. Now, before we make a start on your emails, let's have a recap of what happened this week in Ambridge. This week, the arches was bought to you by Tough Love. John and Paul, Susan and Alice, Josh and Paul and Justin and Alice, although that variant of Tough Love was more on the lines of, "weren't you job back, Tough Love?" We began the week with more boring chat about the cricket, which I tried to tune out until Harrison started getting nasty about Alice, and then I immediately wished they could carry on talking about the cricket. We then went up a tree with Ed and Emma. Emma was raring to go, Ed seemed slightly more circumspect, but that's probably because he keeps wondering when he's going to be introduced to Carabiner. Turns out, in a great start to Ed and Emma tree surgery, they began by chopping down the wrong bloody tree. Oddly, Susan tried to persuade Chris not to do something daft and go all the way to interrupt little fat girls in pigtails bouncing about on top of ponies to accost Harry the hip. And then decided to join him, instead, which was pointless as she then didn't say anything. Chris did his best to sound menacing, but as Harry still sounds about ten and half, it just sounded as if Don Corleone was trying to pick a fight with a boy scout. Paul decided to celebrate Pride by covering the stables in glitter and reminding us that Alistair and Denise were away on a training course. I say remind us, "Did we know? Has she not just come back from holiday with her husband? When did you ever do any work?" We also found out that Ed, Ian and Paul are going to couple's therapy on the grounds that their relationship has been off and on more often than Ben Affleck's wedding ring. My reading of the situation, and for give more for my cynicism, is that Ed Ian saying to Paul, "I want us to be open and see other people," means, and by the way, one of them isn't you, but I dislike confrontation, so I'm doing it in this passag way instead. Also, haven't they only been together for about six weeks? My vote is, if you don't know the person's middle name yet, probably don't bother going to couple's therapy, but just dump them swiftly and move on. I think Paul may be rubbing off on Josh, so to speak. As when Paul got home, Josh was making bolognese and planning on a cosy night in his fluffy dressing gown, watching Bridget Jones with Lily, while saying to Paul, "Just dump him and shake it off, girlfriend." I'm not knocking it, by the way, if Josh continues in this vein, he'll be one of the few straight men in Ambridgeworth going out with, and happily, Paul did dump Etienne, courtesy of a bracing chat with his dad, who sounded very nice, and actually slightly better at the whole emotion thing than Alice there, so if I was Denise, I'd maybe stick with him a bit longer. Justin popped in on Alice, who said she was in the middle of something, three quarters down it, I'd have said. She got a shot of Justin, then Adam rang, and droned on like a bee trapped in a pint glass. Then Harry the hip turned up, and they had a sort of alcoholic off about who was worse. She tried to get away from everyone and found George, who offered to give her a lift home, which seems somewhat tactless considering how well that ended up last time. Talking of Georgey, his unraveling continues a pace. He now seems to have merged Bartle being grumpa into the same entity, like a sort of guilty conscience rattling chains at him. And Susan, well, she frankly burst. Six months of worry and anger exploded in a pop of vitriol, and Alice was covered in it. But it worked. Alice left. And driving over the bridge, she said, "The car coming towards us, not the car coming towards me, which means it's coming back through the haze of vodka and a half-edged bottle of white wine. Let's hope they do regression therapy at rehab, and started at about, oh, I don't know, maybe a couple of months back, the end." Oh, I love it when you make the week interesting for me. It was. I thought it was a good week. Well, as I said a bit earlier, I was only, no, I've had a busy couple of weeks, OK? So I've only had half an ear in. And also, we haven't had Wi-Fi until tonight, so that's three weeks of no Wi-Fi. Oh, God. Guys, I'm born more. OK. Can you believe that? But it's like a cupid night or something, isn't it? I mean, I think you're probably-- We know. Because they're not someone I can-- we know. Well, thank you. We'll never ever go to the Labour government now, because they can sort all this out, because honestly, it's not, you know. But whenever we're going to-- Probably Wi-Fi first, and then food banks and that. But you know, probably my Wi-Fi first. And also, it's like priorities, like, what am I going to download first when I'm on a cafe's free Wi-Fi, and it's never the archers. No. Can you imagine? But-- so I missed that incredible detail. How on earth did you pick that up? Did she say it when they would-- Because when she-- And she said, oh, this is where it happens. Yeah, because Adam never pigging listens. He didn't know. She was too busy going, wha, wha, wha, wha, wha, wha, wha, wha. You're too busy going, why have I turned into the one that's suddenly looking after Alice? All the time. Yes. Do you remember the tea in Charlie Brown? Not really. She just used to tell them to go. Oh, yeah. Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. I didn't mean it. So he talked her out of it. If he just listened and been a bit more alert, then that could have stayed there. And he could have said, what do you mean? What did you mean, us? Oh, boy. That door is open. It's what you were saying last week. But you can't forget it. Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. That door is open, it's what you were saying last week, but you can't forget things that it's still there and it might be coming back. I expect in rehab, she's going to have a few things coming back. Well, she'll have a clear head for a long time. She'll be going through it again and again and again because they'll make her do that in group therapy and personal therapy as well. And also Chris is sniffing out the truth as well. Yes. Because actually, if he thinks it could have been Harry in the car with her, then he might think, well, who else could it have been? Yes, it's all coming. That's very clever, though. I just completely didn't even notice that. Oh, I should have listened harder. But the trouble was as well, it's been a hard, I mean, the Alice listening to Alice and Harry was, as you said, it was a bit like, you know, this is so awful, isn't it? But when someone dies and people start having an argument over who you knew them better. Yeah, yes. Sort of like, you know, not really an argument. Oh, my God. Oh, and it's so sad. No, you haven't. It's like way more, way worse than you. For God's sake. I feel like, like, years. I feel like for the last, like, three days and I, I like them first, you know. I had, I had alcoholic before they actually released their album. I used to go to the gigs and be an alcoholic. And it was just so hard to listen to that, wasn't it? But dear old Harry, always popping back. Yes, good. Keep us happy. Super duper. Yes. Oh, God. If they end up getting back together. No. It's just so painful, please. No. Alice, Alice came back all the time, didn't it? Anyway, no, but that was totally fine. I don't know. I just felt like nothing really happened. It was one of those sort of pottering along weeks, wasn't it? Yes. Which is fine. But there was the odd, well, like that bit and there was the odd sort of Susan's Outburst. There was the odd sort of bit of progression. And thank God Paul has got rid of that plonker. I know. But I felt, I felt, I really like the sound of John. Yes, but we have heard John because he came to the dance class. I thought he was so lovely talking to Paul because it's not every, as well, it's not every, I mean, it's not every bloke that can talk to their child about their love life when they're straight, you know, but to be able to sort of engage on that level and. Well, then talk about to your father about your boyfriend wanting to make a relationship that's quite, that could be quite awkward for some people. Yes. But I think you're right, Paul didn't really read the signs, did he? No. He clearly was just joking up with him. He was straight away and said, yeah, that's what he's, he couldn't be screaming at you louder to dump him. Yes, exactly. And you didn't. So, you know, let's do it now. Let's just, let's just, you know, rip the plaster off and, you know. Or Paul. Yeah. Like to hear that you're, you're, you're, you don't fulfill me enough or something. Yeah. That's a horrible thing. Yeah. But then as he said, who the hell is judging relationships on? I've got my checklist and you don't match up. So a lot of people, a lot of people do, don't they? They literally have a checklist and they go, this bit isn't quite right. So, um, and, you know, some people just. Like a snag list when you do, when you have a house, Renu. Yeah. And, um, and then everyone has to come back and do, do bits again because I've done it wrong. So it's like a relationship snag list. Um, but you know, you said about Emma and Ed getting the tree branches wrong. But Justin did that deliberately, I think. Yes. Right. Okay. Oh, you knew that. Well, no, I think so. Cause I didn't get that. And then thinking about, I thought, I thought about it afterwards and thought, ah, how did he do that on purpose? Yes, because of the mean reviews. Yes. But then he said, cause he said, didn't he? Oh, no. Now you've started, you might as well carry on. Yes, exactly. Yeah. So he did want that all along. Yes. That's the thing. And then, yeah, he did a big lie. I loved Emma up a tree going. Oh, yes. This is brilliant. Yeah. He was like, yeah, just, just can't don't leave his focus. Oh, it's like a flying, on top of the world. I thought she was going to do the bit from the Titanic hanging onto a run. I could see. I could see. I could see. I believe I can fly. Yeah, I loved that too, actually. But then also I started panicking because obviously it was like the beginning of an episode of casualty. Ah, no. Everything's going well. That very thing. Oh. What is that? Oh, dear. Oh, dear. He's still not very happy, is he? He's been awake. He's been in bed for an hour. Okay. Oh, I can remember that, though. Can't you? Making patterns in your mind out of the curtains and the wallpaper just. The thing is, if you know with a kid, if the kid, a young kid, if the kid isn't asleep after ten minutes of its head hitting the pillow, you've got that's an hour and a half. It's just spent those time and it's plotting how it's going to stay awake and make everybody else come up and sit with it and read it's stories. And by the time you've been up ten times to kiss it, good night again, it's so overstimulated. It's a nightmare. I'm so glad I'm not. The parents have been called up. Yeah. And I had to wait. And I had to wait. Yeah. Oh, my finger take because he's always sucking his thumb and now the new thing is it tastes funny. Oh, no. That isn't what we've been doing with it. And last, I know I dread to think, my last night, about three a.m. I had to pretend that I had some magical cream that took the taste of thumbs. I mean, it was all all got like the three in the morning. It's so hard to find a solution to my thumb tastes. Yeah. Yeah. Because it does jam or something. But why does it, because it does? It just does. It does. Why does it stand? Night time. Because it does. Because Daddy said it does. Because it's, because it is. Shall I call your teacher, darling? Shall I call her now? Right now? And tell her that you're right away at three a.m.? Shall I? Because I will. All of that. You see this? You see this? This is a woman on the edge. This is a woman with no hot water. Oh, you went to bed two hours ago, darling? Oh, no, no, no. I've got to get up to two hours. I've got to get up to two hours. It's about half an hour. Yes. Oh, we'll all miss it when it's over. Anyway. Anyway. Sorry. Sorry. I was taking mine to the theatre for the first time. And I think William was about three and a half or something. And he sat there and we went through everything. Do you need, have you had a wee? Have you got some, have you had some water? Have you, you know, have you, you're not hungry? You know, you're, can you see? Can you see? Just for the lights went down. He went, my teeth hurt. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. I'm sorry to begin. Oh, my God. Anyway. Oh, dear. Um, so Janine, oh, sorry, Nina says, I think Susan has suspicions of Georgie and is trying to steer Chris away from being Miss Marple when he mentioned the fruity cider. She wants Alice Blamed and George saved. When she mentioned life in prison and she would know, I don't think she was talking about Alice being vulnerable, but George. By the way, she says, did anyone else feel they were killing time with the long scene of ed and Emma pruning foliage with us, hopefully getting a terrible accident, but nothing. Yeah. Not even a tight, because I thought they could have put a tiny slip in there. Well, there wasn't a, where she went, whoop, and I thought, oh, what's that? And she was just actually just soaring through the beat. I went, I, you could have end that episode, she could have ended with Ed going, Emma. Yeah. And then it's just that, you know, she. And then it could be. Is this brilliant, Emma? Yeah. Yeah. You can't the wrong branch. It could have been that. Yeah. But they're not because it would be ridiculous if she had an accident on day one. Yes. Quite. It's got to be where they've, when they've lulled into a false sense of security in there. Yeah. It'll be this time next year. It'll be when someone. When someone will be relaxed. Yeah. Someone will lose an arm. For sure. Well, obviously that will happen. We know it will. Right. Most of we got, oh, the trials of Alice, Pat has been googling the Alice stuff. She's a dangerous driving is an either way, a fence, which means magic straits will hear the case if their sentencing powers are six months as efficient. Otherwise, I'll send you the crown court. If it goes to crown court, Alice could be banged up for several years. And more importantly, we listeners could be waiting over a year for a trial to even start. In either case, how an earth will about to defend Alice. My client doesn't remember a thing, but is sure she wouldn't have driven plus she doesn't like fruit cider melod. Would the barrister go after Ichemic and claim he lost control of his car because he was driving too fast? Oh, right. Yeah. They didn't even consider that. The Pat's main concern is wanting to know why you only have cold showers. Because it's terribly good for you, darling. Because, well, A, we haven't got, well, we've just got hot water back and B, I got so used to having them, you know, that's, there's that cold shower, cough thing, isn't there? Yeah, we're hot. David Hoffman, Winhof. And David's now just been, he's been taken to court because people keep dying from doing it. No. Yes. No. Yes. The thing is with you, you get a little idea and then you don't read all of it. Do you? Oh, my God. No, I am a typical person of the world in the IC3 lines. Don't read the rest of the context and believe what I read. Do you know what, apparently, ironing can kill you or something? Was it too much iron or ironing? One of you. Anyway, I like it, Lucy. I like it. It makes me feel alive. Good. Say that. Look, let me be smart and tell everybody that I have hot water. Okay. I have cold showers. Okay. All right. I just want to be one of those people. I want to be in that gang. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Right. Um, Joy, uh, this is Ellie, um, is thinking about, um, why, but how she thinks about what people look like. Um, she said, uh, for some reason I can only picture two characters. Jolene is a lady from work, which she realizes, uh, Ellie says is not great email content. And more, more, more notably, Joy appears as scarf lady out of Sarah and duck. That's quite good, actually. And she says, I am quite old, super invested, enjoys backstory and wondering if scarf lady and the gray man, no one another is Rachelle, actually a small girl with a pet duck. All very confusing. I'm actually going to have to look up scarf lady again. Yeah. I, I feel like there is a bit of joy about her, although scarf lady is a bit older, I would say. Okay. Okay. Um, uh, Jennifer says, uh, Susan's talk with Alice had me in tears. Incredible, incredible acting, keep up the good work, the archers, but let's hope we come through this sad, Alice story line soon. Come on, George, fess up or joy, please remember about the cider. It's coming. So if we get another little something from joy next week, where she remembers something she says to me, you know, I kind of think it's really, really, really, uh, um, then we kind of, we're moving towards, or maybe George will slip up. You know, he might say something that doesn't add up in his story. Mm hmm. You know, as in, because when he phoned, oh, yeah, no, because he left the message, didn't he? And then he deleted it. Yeah. Hmm. That might. Yeah. Interesting. Um, this is from, uh, Alex, Suffolk to Seattle, Alex, who says, while on a walk with chip at three year old, there were some arbor, arbor, arborists, aka tree surgeons tackling a dead deceased tree. They were called out on a limb. It struck me how actually dull little granges for a name. Good business name seemed to be a wash in Seattle in the burbs. There's a picture frame is called frame a versus framer, not too far away. I await an eager anticipation for Chelsea to open curl up and die. Is that too much to ask? Um, granges, terribly dull. Little great. I mean, out on a limb is brilliant. What? There must be a, there's a, there's a million good hairdressing ones, isn't there? Yeah. Curl up and die would be great. And I can't think of any, but, um, I know there's is some, there are them. Tongue. Do your ton, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, get up to think. Let's come up with good Chelsea ideas for Chelsea's hairdressing names. Yes. Um, right. Now, we're not going to talk about, also, yes, how cute, having a kid called Chip. Yes. Cute. Yeah. Love. Um, Joel from Texas, um, says, uh, Jackson, by the way, the other day, did you say it? Mm hmm. What for? Oh, you can't say what for? I can't say what for. Okay. But how did you do it? Do it. Well, I'm not going to do it because, um, otherwise, um, is it Joel? Yes. Joel will think I'm rubbish. I'm not going to say no. That's absolutely not. I would say no. That is not a Texan accent. No. Anyway, um, I mostly just said, yeah. No. Yeah. I love it. Yeah. Um, Joel is, is, is, is clapping his little hands with Lee and saying, aha, so I wasn't imagining it. We did tell Tony that she and Rachelle were estranged. I forgive you since I believe the script writers frequently gaslight us. Um, yeah. Uh, I suppose we'll find out why they are estranged. If she ever gets around to opening up to Mick, I still think Joy made a mistake of which she's ashamed and therefore has a little compassion for Alice and we'll have for George as well. George has apparently opened up to Bartleby telling him thanks for listening. Did he confess everything? Did anyone over here? Did he, Megan Markle chipped Bartleby? Yeah. Like put a ring doorbell system on him and now she's got those confidential conversations recorded. Yes. Yes. What are you eating? Oh, sorry. Can you hear it? Mm. Macadamias. Oh, nice. What's that picture? Italian thingies. Well run out. Oh, I know. I know. I was so gutted. It's amazing that you carry on. No Wi-Fi. I know. Little Italian biscuits. Lucy, we haven't done it on a Friday night for so long that I'd forgotten what my routine was. And so I didn't have any Croster and Molika Tarolini in the house. That just sounds like a collection of letters made into some words, doesn't it? Just at random. Oh, and you know Hot Girl Summer Joel says cheers from Texas where we are having a blistering girl boy, everyone and everything summer. Oof. Yes, it has a bit toasty in some places, hasn't it? Whereas here it's blooming freeze. I mean they meant at least they mentioned it on the arches tonight. Yes. But they must have recorded that six weeks ago. Well they're clearly in charge of the weather then because I am sitting here wearing a jumper and Oh God. It was basically put the heating on day to day. I don't have any heating, obviously, but very cold. Right. Now. Bumper bum. Ah, this is from Rhea who says while at work I am listening to past episodes of the podcast to get completely up to date. I just finished listening to the podcast after Alice put the brick through the window, which was 23rd of May 2021. Then she was painting above base molding and I hear Mr. Newby being a German looking at gay gribbles for a symposium talking to Tracy, giving a tour. I had to stop painting because of my laughter. If not, I would have gotten paint on the floor, paint on the molding and everywhere else. It doesn't belong. I only have about 75 back episodes to listen to my God Rhea, your whole house will be immaculate and you're, yes, your sanity would have dribbled out of your ears, but that's very nice. So you're doing that. Now we have had some excellent clippies, one from Pat, who remembers, she met Ian Pepperl who played Roy Tucker at his pub in the New Forest and she managed to film him and record with his permission, obviously, and record him. So this is where she was trying to persuade him to explain the storyline about Kate and Roy the Fishies. Oh, yeah. So here it is. I'm going to ask you about, I'm going to ask you about, now Ian, and I'm here with Pat. And or Roy, can you tell me what's happened to Kate the Goldfish? Kate, Kate the Goldfish is still a night, no, Roy the Goldfish is no more, no. So we did actually have to scrape Kate and Goldfish off the carpet at one point and obviously take her down on the bed, but Kate and Goldfish, apparently, are starting by night and still aligns, swimming around in a tank and trying to clean it. That's wonderful. I want to hear about it. OK. Now you're going to give me a minute heads up, what's coming up? I can't. Absolutely. It's really hard. Oh, you're doing it. Yeah. Now press the stop. Well, when he's coming up, say some more. I'm not allowed, I'm saying. I can't do that. Pat, how much have you had to drink? Pat, I didn't say drink had been taken, not by Ian, but by her. But yes, it was very nice to hear Roy's sounding. I can't say anything. I can't. Loud. I know you can't, but go on. Go on. I'm not recording this or anything. Kate Lyle now, because we were talking about Brad, has anyone ever talked to Brad about possibly being neurodivergent in some way? And she said, the problem is that lots of teens are socially awkward and good at sums and overwhelmed by new situations without being neurodiverse. Obviously, there's no issue with him being, but armchair diagnosis is a bad idea. Sticking a label on him when the symptoms he shows are all perfectly usual for many 17-year-olds and which he might easily grow out of is such a bad idea. As I said, a neurodiverse character living a happy life in average would be fantastic, but please give Brad time to grow while also leaving the door open for diagnosis. As somebody that spends her entire life armchair diagnosing, Kate, I completely agree with you and I probably shouldn't, because this must be hypocritical, but there we are. This is about, this is from Vicki about, she's called it, "Rachele/Ricky Richard Ryan." That seems that just talking to you and listening to the podcast is not transmitting telepathically as I'd lazily hoped it would, so with the first time in all the years I've been listening, I'm compelled to email to add my vote for the Rachele's now Richard "Ricky" or "Ricky" or "Ryan" theory, and possibly the fella who opened the door to Mick when he went searching for "Rachele" to invite her/them to Joy's birthday party. Hence the fellas unexplained anger in emotional reaction to hearing his pre-trans name when Mick said, "I'm looking for someone called Rachele." Kate Fitch had Joy's narrative of them being very close and Rachele was growing up, so I believe that much of what Joy relays is probably the truth based on her child's pre-trans years after Rachele broke the news of needing to transition to the body gender they felt they were meant to be, Joy couldn't handle it and they parted ways, all this would be massively traumatic for both Joy, and Rachele, "Ricky, Richard, Ryan," etc. All of Joy's stories of Rachele after this time are made up of what her hopes and dreams had been for her then daughter, or they might also be based on truth, but the truth based on the life of Richard Rocky Ryan, who she secretly keeps track of, "I imagine a future where they're reunited, queue weeks and weeks of dreary build up, and have an emotional, 'I'd never stopped loving you,' kind of affair after which Joy is reunited with her, now son, his partner, and their children, Joy's grandchildren, and they all live happily ever after." Yeah, I'm well up for that storyline. Yeah, it is quite a correlation streaky there, isn't it? Yeah, but there hasn't been any trans storylines at all, have there? No, yes. So it would be very interesting, and to be honest, the listeners have said it, so they always get it right. Yeah. But it feels like it could be plausible. Yeah. Did you know one and two women were the wrong foundation? Like foundation is hard, but ill machiage makes it easy. Take the power match quiz to find a better match in seconds, customized for your unique skin tone, undertone, and coverage needs. With 600,000 5-star reviews, this best-selling foundation is going viral for a reason, available in 50 shades of weightless natural coverage. And with Try Before You Buy, you can try your full size at home for 14 days. Just pay shipping. Click the quiz at ill machiage.com/quiz, that's I-L-M-A-K-I-G-E dot com slash quiz. My dad works in B2B marketing. He came by my school for career day and said he was a big row as man, then he told everyone how much he loved calculating his return on ad spend. My friends still laugh at me to this day. Not everyone gets B2B, but with LinkedIn, you'll be able to reach people who do. With a $100 credit on your next ad campaign, go to linkedin.com/results to claim your credit. That's linkedin.com/results. Terms and conditions apply, linkedin, the place to be, to be. This is from Tim, it's about phallicin. Phallicin. Phallicin. Phallicin. Phallicin. Phallicin. Which I just tried to. Phallicin. Breakdown and then couldn't. Phallicin. Yes. Give me Phallicin. I can't remember not listening to the archers, drank it down with mother's milk, certainly Zebedee Tring and Walter Gabriel, John and Carol Trigorin, Jethro Larkin and other assorted unlikely characters. Wow. Old-timers. Yeah. Zebedee Tring. Whoever thought that name would pass unnoticed. I always thought that Phallin was so wound up in the trauma of nearly drowning that she didn't appreciate Harrison's trauma of the miscarriage. Harrison was so wound up in the trauma of the miscarriage that he didn't appreciate Phallin's trauma of nearly drowning. My late wife had a miscarriage some 28 years ago which involved D&C in a couple of nights in hospital while I stayed home with our daughter not really knowing what was going on. Plenty of sympathy and support for her, nothing whatsoever for me from any source. Fortunately, she had the strength to get both of us through it together and we went on to have another daughter so all ended well. Phallin and Harrison seemed to have turned a corner. I do hope it will end well for them too. I hate that too. I don't think it will end with a child but I think they will stay together. No, I said that I didn't but now I kind of do. I think so. I think that's the way it's heading. Because actually both of them have a lot of fulfilment in their lives as well as each other. Yeah. Yeah. They are both on paths that they already want to be, that have bright, rosy futures ahead. Yeah. Oh but I'm so sorry to hear that there was, well there wasn't any support for guys was there? Well, you know, it's relatively recently that men were allowed in the delivery room or expected to want to be in the delivery room because they never mind. But relatively recently as well that as a woman you've been able to talk about miscarriage but even 20 years ago it was sort of not talked about was it? No. It was whispered about. Yeah. It was seen as a sort of personal failing. Yeah. Or just a personal, maybe even if it wasn't seen as a personal failing, people were everything was more personal. Well, everything was all just down there, wasn't it? Yes. No one just talked about anything. Yes, exactly. Exactly. Certainly didn't talk about, no, hang on I was barely alive but I remember as a kid you know, my people didn't talk about their feelings did they get to their bestest friends? I assume. Yeah. I mean, I remember like my parents have, you know, had a lot of friends who never had kids and they never knew what they'd never talked, they'd never discussed it with them like, you know, was it a choice? Was it something they didn't have for you to just wasn't discussed which I find so fascinating now? Yeah. Yeah. I think there are some people that miss those days though. Absolutely. Yeah. Because not everybody wants to, everybody wants to have their heart on their sleeve. Yeah. Because things, you know, some things are super personal and why would you want to get the world involved? Yeah. Or even your, even your closest friend involved. Yeah. Sometimes I think some people do cope better when they cope with the problem on their own, not, I mean, a problem shared, et cetera, et cetera, but perhaps not in all cases. And also people tend to do it, you know, they ask you, but brilliant questions at weddings and things like that. And you think, not now, not when I'm, you know, I've got my game face on. I don't want to be, because if I tell you, I'll get to start crying about whatever it is. And I don't want to. Stop asking me personal questions. I know. It's like that poor listener that emailed in and said, somebody cornered her at a wedding and said, why are you so self, you're so selfish from having children? Why don't you think about your, think of your mother, you know, and you think, it's super, it was like that was either a wedding or a funeral or something. And I just thought, God, just be like, just awful when they do these things. Oh my God. Well, like everything, you know, we had first of all, no, we don't talk about anything. And now we talk about everything. So then we need to go back in somewhere in the middle. Oh, it'll go back. Yeah. Boring, but effective. Somewhere in the middle. I know. It's also, I saw as I find it tiring, always checking in with people. Which is why I never bothered doing with, with you, with you, ladies, I know you would mind. You okay? Handkerd. I get. You did ask me that. The other day. Yeah. She'd been worryingly quiet for a few days, which normally means something's gone horribly wrong. Oh, but God, having to remember to do it, and then pretend to care when they tell you and. Oh, no. Oh my gosh. Oh, that sounds really, sorry, was it this thing, was it awful or not? I don't know. Shall I give you a ring? I mean, I'm super busy tonight. But I'm, I'm, I'm never have me as your friend, because I am genuinely the worst you could have. Okay. I won't. I mean, I'm, I'm, I'm going to catching up on podcast. Yeah. We had, we had a 30 second catch up, didn't we? We did. Yeah. Yeah. Mostly about state of your house, though, which is the only thing I really care about. The first thing I always ask you is how are the children, I don't say how are you, I say, is Rex all right? And then what's happening to the hot water? Because that stresses me out. Because you, you haven't been screaming in the background, makes me feel very anxious. So I have to get my anxiety assuaged. I don't really care about you. I'm just worried about the house. Well, a lot of my friends care about the house because they're just so desperate for me to shut up about it. So boring. Stop showing them fabrics all over me. Yeah. What do you think of this one? Do you think the blue goes with the blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And it's so boring. Anyway. Sorry. And also so that you can stop saying, "Can I come and sit in your house and record my podcast?" So that's probably why they're quite keen for you to get back to your own den. Exactly. I know because actually, yes, that hasn't been going quite so well lately. But anyway, it's fine. We've got Wi-Fi back. It will be great, guys. It will be great. Um, now, Tim just said that he was listening to very, very, very old artists, old characters, zebeditring, ect, ect. Well, James has found us a vintage clip and you listen, just listen to how young everyone sounds. Oh, lovely. Ready? Yeah. Hey, he's not coming on the house, Tim. He's up in court today about the grantee's claim for those sheep. That's all he's shaped in the bed. I thought you might like a final call. It's very kind of you, I'm sure. We're only up in front of the fence. We're not being transported. He means you ain't seen Mr. Snelly again. It's positively his last appearance. It's wrong. Good morning, everyone. If I could jump, have your attention come from over. No, it's that dumb woman. Is she going with you? No, some sessie's out of mind. You're hosting her sister. And when it arrives, I want to perform an all-dally cute. I don't want any cooking for a plenty of seats to go low. No, it's that dumb woman. Is she going with you? No, some sessie's out of mind. You're hosting her sister. And when it arrives, I want to perform an all-dally cute. No, it means she's cheating. I don't want any cooking for a plenty of seats to go low. Oh? I don't want any cooking. I don't want any cooking for a plenty of seats to go low. Oh? How old? How old are you? How old are you? How old are you? I don't know. I don't want any cooking. I don't want any cooking. I don't want any cooking. I don't want any cooking. I don't want any cooking. I don't want any cooking for a lot of people. I don't want any cooking for a lot of people. I don't want any cooking for a lot of people. I don't want any cooking for a lot of people. I don't want any cooking for a lot of people. I don't want any cooking for a lot of people. I don't want any cooking for a lot of people. I don't want any cooking for a lot of people. I don't want any cooking for a lot of people. I don't want any cooking for a lot of people. I don't want any cooking for a lot of people. I don't want any cooking for a lot of people. I don't want any cooking for a lot of people. I don't want any cooking for a lot of people. I don't want any cooking for a lot of people. I don't want any cooking for a lot of people. I don't want any cooking for a lot of people. I don't know. Just the quality, Jen. Yeah, yeah. Wowzers. Oh my goodness. It's positively his last pills. I can't believe that voice. I mean, you couldn't have got crammed so much drama in because it took everybody much longer to speak, didn't it? Apart from the all the vowels of the old accents. Even the way that everything was clipped like this would take a long time. Have you finished speaking as a writer? Okay. Stand high but awfully long adjectives for it to be positively, intrusively, delectably interesting. I think most of the airtime was taken up with Walter Gabrielle going, whoa. That was going to be growling. I just had a deck of Walter Gabrielle going, whoa. And I'll just put it in. If it wasn't available for a guy who's having sex, they would just have some effects. That's amazing. Who was the lady? Was that Julia? No. It was Mrs. Amtribus. Oh. Who Joe always referred to as that dog woman. Oh, right. Okay. Okay. I don't really remember her. I remember her coming to the village. So I must have been 13 when she came to the village. I remember her thinking, oh, she, I like her. She's an interesting character. Oh, right. Wow. She had to also control Afghan hounds. God. That is so interesting. Oh, the old days. I just can't believe how old it sounds. And I still think 1985 is not very long ago. No. I mean, that's so weird. Was that when, I mean, it's a fun day today, isn't it? Is it fun? I mean, the election, et cetera, et cetera. Oh, it's fun. It's fun, isn't it? But in 1985, was that when that chick... Yes. Oh, no. She was 79. Mrs. Fatch was still... She was very, very powerful still, wasn't she? Yeah, yeah, yeah. She was in her heyday. Yeah. Funny. What a different, different world. Man. I just can't get over Lizzie, though. I've never heard somebody's... I mean, she sounded posher than shoeler sound. When shoeler, when we've heard clips of shoeler from her in her 20s. Well, she sounds theatrically posh. Well, I think that's what it is. I think because, obviously, actors graduating from drama school back then did have terribly, terribly put on accents, didn't they? Because, well, we know that, you know, Lizzie in real life isn't terribly, terribly. So they were putting, they were affecting those voices, won't they? Yeah. Because they fitted in with them. But even that language positively his last appearance... Yeah. It's not what a teenager would say. Well, no, she's supposed to be in her early 20s then, wasn't she? Because she was talking about with Nigel. This style of writing was so different, wasn't it? Because now you'd write in a very authentic voice. But back then, you probably... The script writers were probably writing in a more literary way, weren't they? Yeah. More thing. I imagine, anyway, even for radio, it would sound more theatrical than... Well, they had to do that because they had to, as well, they had to differentiate between... Because the casualness of the language was how they... Was another differentiator between, you know, the rude mechanicals and the bosses. Yeah. So they had to... So you'd put Walter Gabriel and Joe Grundy in a scene with Nigel and Lizzie. So they get more war and Nigel and Lizzie get more hair and, you know... So, yes. Fascinating. Thank you, James. Thank you, James. I love these nuggets of gold. Me too. Don't know where you get them from. He's magic. Magic, James. So, talking of magic, James, we can now go on to... What the hell... What the hell is happening here? What the hell is happening? What the hell was happening here? Right. Last week's, which you won't remember, was Roy and Kate having a little heart to heart. Yes, they do. And we couldn't work out. We thought it was somebody's party. Yes, and we couldn't... I thought it might be around fish, Roy fish and Kate fish time. It was way before that. It was the opening event of Spiritual Home. Oh, wow. Wow. Which was mostly set up by Jenny and Peggy. What? It was about your name was? Yeah. Because what the event was. Oh, okay. Okay. Because probably Kate was a bit inept at actually, you know, organizing. Boo's up in a... So... Yes. So that was what that was. And this is this week's Clippy Clip. Hello, you two! Hi, Pat. Hi. Tony, you're set to go. Yeah, I'll be here any minute. He's gone to get the banner. What banner? Well, he thinks we need to tell the world we're on a mission of mercy. Oh. Do we? So Tony thinks. Oh, it's very nice. I think it's a great idea. Right. I mean, let's face it. Some drivers are going to be pretty annoyed with us. Two tractors and trailers in convoy just at the busy time. Yeah. You've got a point. Here we are then. All right, Tony. Are you trying to get us on the news? Why not? It won't hurt to remind people what it's like. Well, I suppose not. There. You tie your in, can you? Okay. The Ambridge Arc. I like it. Thanks. Come on. It's time we were off. Are you coming to, Pat? Yeah, of course I'm coming. I think I'm going to miss an adventure like this. Oh, great. Well, that makes four of us think. Because so is Ruth. I said Clarry home early. Why don't you travel with me? You can have a gossip about the wedding. Great idea. Looks like you're me then, David. Fine. Sir, let's go, shall we? What wedding? What wedding? I don't know. What wedding? So that must have been when they were flooded. If they're talking about the arc. Oh, right. Oh, right. So back in Charlie, not Charlie Dimmock. The guy that died in the water or fell in the water or the rod pushed in the water. Yeah. Charlie Thomas. Back then. Yeah. Those days. Yeah. So like 2017 or much, much longer ago. I can't remember now. But it must have been that. It must have been. They're talking about the Ambridge Arc. Must have been 2014 or 2010 even. God, I can't remember. Yes. You're right. You're right. I didn't think about that. I had no idea. Who's wedding? It was crusty and. Oh. It could have been. Yes. It must have been. Mmm. Could well have been. But what were they doing with the tractors then going on some sort of demo? Also, I can't imagine Ruth being remotely interested in widdens. Unless it was a widden at the Borne. Well, they didn't even have the Borne then today. Or the Borne was too... Mmm. Yes. Was Pat on the tractor? That was my own question. She sounded like she was calling down from the tractor. I've sent Clary home earlier. What's Clary done? She sounded like, you know, she shatters over again. So I've sent Clary home earlier. There was a lot going on there. I know I didn't understand any of it. But I did think it was Pat on the tractor, which also maybe it sounded from a audio point of view like Pat was calling down from a tractor. Yes. But I don't think Pat's ever driven a tractor, has she? I'm sure she has. Well, she. Why would she? Exactly. Well, she was terribly gay in her day. Terribly hens on. Okay. Don't know. Thanks. This is, oh, this is a logistics question from Carla, who says, "This is a minor point." It was us a logistics question. Me and you, Lucy. But I know part of the answer. Anyway, this is a minor point, but it just confused my brain. Isn't it rather a large coincidence that Emma and Ed were trimming a tree that was so close to Bartleby's new digs that they could literally see George giving him a hug? If the new stables is close enough that their new tree surgery business covers that area, why on earth did Meghan Markle have to stay at gay gabels for watching like several days while coming to purchase Bartleby? Could you not have just put along that more? Leave the horse, Lauren. Be done with it. And if it was so close by, why wasn't it possible for George to go and have a look at the place before Bartleby moved there? Anyway, much easier to make a nitpick had got made about this than trying to organize what I thought about Alice. So I'll just look forward to what other listeners have to say about that. I think that is the point of the century that Carla just made there. That is such a good point. Why? Because Meghan Markle said she was coming to the tree. She said 3,000 foot. Ten meters. That's quite high. That's not high enough to see into the next town, is it? No. But Meghan Markle said she was coming to stay anyway because she wanted to spend time with the relative that was in the laurels. Fine. So maybe, you know, it was to, maybe she was taken the relative out for dinner or something. But yes, I agree. I was quite surprised when she said, I could see Bartleby and I was thinking, "Hey!" "Hey, why couldn't George just go there by himself on one day?" Yes. Yes. Yes. What was it, being a grown-up on that? God, being a grown-up. Emma treats him like he's 5. Oh, he's so sweet. But it was that kind of that mother alert thing for your grown-up child when his voice went a bit and she went, "What's the matter, darling?" Yeah. She went away. She knew. She knew there was something wrong. It's like when my daughter says, "Ha, she just messages and puts, "Hi, mum." And I go, "Oh, my God, what's happened? I were right. What's the matter? Why are you messaging me? What's happened? Have you run out of money? Where are you? Has a man got you? Where are you?" You know. Is you kidnapped? Yes. Oh, my God. Yes. Mother's instinct. Mother's instinct quite. And now we cross a go over to Lower Locksley, where Lizzy has been inspired. Hi there. What is your name, actually? All you chefs look the same in your white, so I'm never actually sure. Spencer, Mrs. Parditor. We have met before. Spencer, of course. Thanks so much for popping up to see me. I've had a bit of an inspiration for the orangery, and I wanted your input. Oh, is it about the garnishes? We only reused them if we're pretty sure people haven't licked them. God, I'm disgusting. But it keeps costs down, so well done. No, it's about the menu, actually. I have been inspired by my son, Freddie. Have you met Freddie? He's very high up and awful. Anyway, he's really jazzing up the menu at the abattoir by offering Filipinos, especially activities. Oh, I don't even know where Filipino is. I don't think I could cook it. I did salmon the other day and had to have a lie down. I only started at the orangery to do the bins and I was made head chef three days later. It's been a dizzy rise, Mrs. Parditor. I'm sure it has, Steve, but the main thing is, are you dynamic and innovative? No, not really. I do have a BTAC in lettuce, though. Then that will have to do, Simon. So I'm thinking, and stay with me here, Italian and Italian cafe. Rather than the boring old egg mayonnaise sandwiches, scones and victorious buns, why not a minestrone or chicken pesto salad? Because I can't cook that, Mrs. Parditor. I don't even know what it is. Okay, you can cook rice, can you? Yes, as long as it's not whole grain, that makes me panic. Okay, so the key here is to offer glamour and la dulce vita. But to make money, we need to be smart with how we source our ingredients. For instance, we could try risotto, perhaps. Something unambitious. Maybe a brown butter risotto with lobster. Oh, why is the butter brown? Can we tell people it's supposed to be brown so they know I wasn't just looking at my phone and forgot about it. Of course, Stuart. Now, lobster's a little pricey, and let's not forget our customers wouldn't know a lobster from an earwig. So I'm thinking, kippers. And if we can't get them, leave a couple of fish fingers by the smoking area. So, white rice with kippers. Yeah, you're getting into it. So, brachole, for example, steak and prosciutto, stuff with breadcrumbs, and cheese and tomato sauce. How'd you do that? Well, I'll get it. A ham cheese. That's a fingers crispy pancake with ketchup. Exactly, Steven. That's 17.99 right there. Spaghetti carbonara? Eggy pasta. Well done. You are thinking the lower Loxley way. The glitz, the glamour, the illusion. And behind it, a deep fryer, a microwave, and you, a riot of acne and minimum wage. So, are we on for our Italian kitchen? Yes, Mrs. Parditer. Or should I say, see Bella? You absolutely should not, Sam. Right, back to the office for me. Busy, busy, busy. I shall leave this in your capable, if sweaty hands. Ciao. And now there's a bit in red. What is for you, Harriet? Oh, cool. So I'll open my docks. Yeah. Oh, cool. Sorry. Yes, I'll open my door. No, okay. And now, Patreons. Should I do it in Lucy's old voice? Yes. And now, Patreons, someone has suggested that Lucy records the diary as an audio file rather than getting it as an email. What do you think? If you want Lucy's positively dulcet tones instead, then let us know. I would. By emailing us. That's because you're too lazy to read anything. No, because I don't get it, remember. Yeah, I know. I don't get your-- Yeah, but you still wouldn't get it. Yeah, even if I audioed it. No. No, I wouldn't. If you audioed it and it automatically downloaded, I would definitely listen to it. Okay. 100%. It's the when you have to go and find it and then download it. If you don't have to go and find it because I email it to people, it is automatically emailed to our Patreons. Yes, if you automatically emailed it to me as an MP3, I could listen to it. I could listen to it while walking to the bus. Okay, right. Yes. Then I just don't have time to read things. No. Because-- Is this because you're so very, very young or because you're so very cold in the shower or so very, very busy? So, very, very all. Okay. All of that. But if you would like that Lucy records her provincial lady of a provincial diary-- As an audio file rather than email genuinely, what do you think? Yes. If you would-- if you want Lucy's dulcet tones instead of an email, then let us know by emailing us @ambridgeonthecouch@gmail.com. And if you've enjoyed the show, please give us a review on iTunes or Spotify or wherever you like. And you can find us on Facebook, on Twitter, @anambridge. Fabriz is @fabulousfabriz. Or you can email us with your thoughts, plot predictions, clips, or what you think we all look like. There's so much info at @ambridgeonthecouch@gmail.com. But more importantly, I think an audio file would be great. Do you? You can be bothered to record it. Of course I can be bothered. I think it would be really lovely, Lucy. Really? Well, you write in the way you speak anyway. Could you do both? I mean, it's more work for you to have to record it. No, it's fine. It's not that long, is it? No, that's fine. I can do that. But if people want it, I will do it. If people-- Where would you platform it? Monkeys? I will not. Well, no, I won't. I'll just do it in the same way so it'll still be-- it'll just go on the Patreon platform and be emailed out to people. Oh, OK, so you'd get it as an mp3 email, basically. Well, that's great. It's like your own private podcast. Yes. Perfect. Well, if you want that-- Yes, please. I do. Thanks. I know you do. The people-- the people that matter, I'm talking to, Harriet. Not. So we're doing a poll. Yes. OK. Yes. What do they do then if they want it? Just write the why. Just email and say yes, please. Yes, please. Or no sod off if they don't want it. Or I can't-- People that said, no, don't film yourselves. Because the picture I have of you in my head is much better than what the two of you actually look like. And basically you're saying, do you want to hear more of Lucy? Well, I would. I would, to be fair. Now, I think that's a brilliant idea. You're already more than enough of me. I think that is a great idea. OK. And I vote yes. OK. Now, this is Matt Rodriguez Pain this week. We loved Matt's last week, didn't we? I know. What was it again? But it was so good. It was the carnival one. The carnival one. Yeah. Yeah. Especially as it was Pride weekend as well. Oh, it was brilliant. I love the fact that the stables is now covered in glitter. Strangle sand glitter. Strangle. What a lovely combination. It's an original horse dead, but it is glittery. That's a new comfort at all. So this is because we were imagining Matt and I were only imagining Alice being driven off to rehab by Adam. And then when she gets there, do you remember that bit on pulp fiction where Uma Thurman basically gets to jump started with adrenaline shot sort of thing. And we think that's what they're going to do with Alice. Hopefully it's going to be some sort of truth serum. So she'll suddenly remember everything and all the rest of it. Not that she's lying, but she isn't. She is, but she doesn't realise she's. So we've got pulp arches to go out with. Oh, brilliant. Okay. Is that how it's going to start? Oh brilliant. OK. Love you lots, everybody. Thank you. A long time. And we will see you next week. And here's hoping the truth will out. Oh, yes, please. Goodbye. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Let's talk about something that's not always top of mind, but still really important. Life insurance. Why? Because it offers financial protection for your loved ones and can help them pay for things like a mortgage, credit card debt. It can even help fund an education. And guess what? Life insurance is probably a lot more affordable than you think. In fact, most people think life insurance is three times more expensive than it is. So with state farm life insurance, you can protect your loved ones without breaking the bank. Not sure where to start? State Farm has over 19,000 local agents that can help you choose an option to fit your needs and budget. Get started today and contact a state farm agent or go to statefarm.com.