A Classic FM presenter writes .....

[oddoneout]

Feeling very disgruntled, I am. Forgot about the 'schedule improvement' and reached for the radio to enjoy Record Review. Yet another reason to give Radio 3 a miss. Mind you, Mrs Anastasius is tearing her hair out after the Radio 4 schedule 'improvements'.

The 'improved' OED has this new entry

improvement defn 'to wreck beyond all recognition'

At least with the move being from morning to afternoon there is, in theory at least, a chance to have a second attempt without the help of Sounds. Sadly real life doesn't always fit with theory...

[smittims]

Well, LMcD, you certainly have missed a lot of episodes in, it is 68 years?! I don't want to start an Archers sub-thread, but it's only fair to say that the programme has changed a lot since 1956. It covers a wide range of matters relevant to all ages of listeners. I think it's quite a skilful job to juggle all the stories and characters when each episode is only 12 minutes.

[Old Grumpy]

Archers thread?

What would the title be - perhaps The straight arrow game?

[LMcD]

Well, LMcD, you certainly have missed a lot of episodes in, it is 68 years?! I don't want to start an Archers sub-thread, but it's only fair to say that the programme has changed a lot since 1956. It covers a wide range of matters relevant to all ages of listeners. I think it's quite a skilful job to juggle all the stories and characters when each episode is only 12 minutes.

I think it was around the time of Gill's death that I saw a photograph of some of the cast lined up in behind a line of microphones in the studio in Birmingham - perhaps that tarnished the magic for me. To be fair to the good folk of Ambridge, radio dramas in general are one of my 'blind spots'. I think the last one I heard was on Radio 4 Extra a few years ago, and I listened to that only because it starred James Bolam.
It would be unkind to suggest 'A Load Of Old Bull' as a title for an Archers thread, so I won't.

[smittims]

Neil Kinnock once suggested the programme could be re-named 'The Grundys and their oppresssors.'