Matthew Steeples asks: Was Helen Titchener killing her husband in The Archers last night a plot too far?
The Archers – the BBC radio serial loved by the middle classes and most especially women named Penelope and Marjorie – used to be about farming. It started in 1950, in fact, as an educational series relating to agriculture, but last night when Helen Titchener stabbed her husband Rob not once, but in fact four times and killed him, the programme moved into the domain of sensationalist soap operas such as Eastenders and Coronation Street.
Some will argue that The Archers became melodramatic long ago – and many would suggest the 1998 death of John Archer at the hands of a tractor set the soap on that path. Real country issues, such as foot-and-mouth disease and flooding, have only in recent years been covered as sidelines whilst affairs, gay marriage and armed sieges have become the staple.
Two stories to keep beside you
Locked Down Archers
Matthew Steeples suggests BBC Radio 4 has truly let itself down in having run out of episodes of ‘The Archers’ during the COVID-19 lockdown Closet fans won’t admit it, but The Archers is an essential part of life for many in Britain and beyond. Be it tuning in for 15 minutes with a G&T before […]
Rod off Rob
As justice is finally served in ‘The Archers’, Matthew Steeples suggests it is time the series returned to its roots During the past months listeners to BBC Radio 4’s The Archers have had to put up with the torture of a story of domestic abuse of one character, Helen Titchener, at the hands of […]
The abuse of Helen (played by Louiza Patikas) at the hands of Rob (played by Timothy Watson) has dominated the programme for long enough but, sadly, there’ll only be much more of the same to come. With the knife-wielding Helen likely to be arrested in the coming days, expect questions in Parliament and the hashtag #FreeTheAmbridgeOne. Many, I imagine, will instead follow the advice of Patricia Routledge about the BBC in general and instead simply switch off.
Listen to ‘The Killer Episode’ by clicking here.
Subscribe to our free once daily email newsletter here:[contact-form-7 id=”225″ title=”Contact form 1″]
Readers have their say
12 comments
It was a great episode. I only wish Kirsty had joined in too.
Pam f$$king Ayres!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’d forgotten about her and her “bloomin’ sofa” and her telling you to “rot in K&C”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a hoot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The BBC now exists to promote sex offenders like Boy George and produce story lines where children are terrified (it was aired at 7.05pm) by a woman stabbing her husband to death. Lord have mercy on Auntie: May she RIP.
I have never listened to The Archers but from what you describe here it sounds like it has become yet another British institution which has been hi-jacked by the PC brigade and turned into a medium to promote their agenda. We need a benign dictator like the hero of my satirical novel “Union Jack” to sort this underhand nonsense out. My Jack Nelson character would soon put a stop to it by sending all the shaven headed man hating Camden dwelling BBC lesbians on a “nice little cruise” to the bottom of the Atlantic along with all the criminals.
Charles, you’ll be pleased to know that (even before seeing this post) I ordered your tome UNION JACK from Amazon this morning!
Excellent news Glenmore! Hope you enjoy it. It is very tongue in cheek but most of the cabinet now have a copy and I received a very nice letter from Patrick McLoughlin the Transport Secretary who said he has already adopted one or two of my ideas from the “Roads and Driving’ chapter including fines for empty road works. Unfortunately he quipped, he could not get away with £10 per-cone-per-day as my hero Jack Nelson imposed! It will be interesting to see if the Department of Education take Jack’s measures to reinstate the proper English language (as apposed to Americanised “street slang”) and reintroduce corporal punishment!
They always blame the man. She came across as the most tediously dull woman you could imagine. Send her to jail and give the child to someone who’ll bring it up properly.
Matthew as editor of THE STEEPLE TIMES it is your role, indeed I believe, your duty to moderate comments and redact those whose content is legally improper or unacceptable because of profanities. Pure, imbecilic dopiness is of course acceptable.
However, might I suggest that you trim the comments of the village irritant Rod Jones. This could be achieved simply by removing the overuse of exclamation marks before permitting his posts to be published. The paucity of his vocabulary will probably result in monosyllabic posts. And he may even find it difficult to do that. However, if you as editor believe that the Melbourne galah adds quality and typographical appeal to your organ. So be it!
I stopped listening years ago when I realised it was a political mouthpiece. Thanks BBC, not!
You appear to misunderstand. I did not suggest that you ban him. I suggted that you exercise some editorial and stylistic judgement and strip the oaf of his consciously obnoxious repititions. He clearly enjoys the irritation his yobbish behavious provokes. You, sadly, seem prepared to condone his mindless graffiti. And I thought you had more concern and appreciation for that which is good, attractive and stylish in life . Hey Ho!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If can’t beat them join them?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Goodness. Rod II.
Are you Rob’s ghost Glenmore?????????!!!!!!???!!!??!!!??!!!?