Yes I was not sure how they could replace Humph . And when they tried the likes of Stephen fry i worried . Stephen fry is very funny IMHO , but not to chair ISIHAC , they have hit the Jackpot with Jack dee I think , his dry sense of humour is perfect for the role . Though he will Never be as good as Humph in the role , I'm so glad they carried on with It . Not sure Lionel Blair would agree .............
IMO it's just the change people don't like (it is a Radio 4 audience, after all) If the BBC & Jack decide to continue for decades more, when he leaves the role people will say the same about his replacement "S\he'll never be as good as Jack was..."
I listen to Radio 4 all the time. My biggest problem is getting my family to shut up during the Archers. I agree about Jack Dee, too. An inspired choice to "replace" Humph. I do worry someone in authority will notice how unbalanced the News Quiz is too, and shut it down!
Thank you Sir. I recommend La Palma (one of the Canary Islands) facinating, beautiful, and unadulterated by mass lagerism! Amazing topography, laural forests etc. More of a South/Central american feel to it than mainland Spain.
The Archers really is for old farts. Apart from the very occasional banner incident, nothing interesting happens whatsoever.
Never been to them, but have often thought about going to one of them. Don't the Canary Islands have a reputation for being a bit breezy though..? A few years back I had the choice of either going to Lanzarote or to Crete. In the end, I chose Crete because it was right in the middle of the Med. It was bloody lovely. The Canary Islands are always up for consideration though. Cheers for the recommendation.
Isn't that the idea..? I wish Walter Gabriel hadn't died. I'd regularly listen if he was still around.
Abso-bloody-lutely. I'm not a regular Archers listener, but if it happens to be on I'll leave it; I can't even stay in the same room if TV soaps are on. I have enough drama & misery in my real life*. Problems with farm equipment provide more than enough tension when I'm looking for escapism. *Until the last 3 seasons, regularly made worse by Saints
As a fully paid-up member of the Old Farts Society, I agree with TSS and KC. Couldn't watch a TV soap to save my life, but the Archers provide a reassuring monotony after the trials of a day's work. I actually still miss Mrs Dale's Diary.
Never too breezy when I was there. However, each island has a microclimate with the general theme of the trade winds bringing moist air to the North of the western islands (hence sub tropical forest type landscape) and drier and sunnier to the south and west of the islands. La Palma has varied landscapes and vegetation, where as Lanzorote receives more wind from the Sahara, being that bit closer to Africa and is I think effectively a semi desert. Hope I'm not teaching you to suck eggs! I would love to go to Crete, fantastic landscapes and wildlife. Been to Lesvos, and it was great. Big Island and low population, fresh seafood every day.
My view was perfectly expressed by somebody (cant recall who) who said that they would happily remain in a cold bath to listen to Clue, but get out of a hot one to switch off the Archers.
Don't some of the actors/actresses get replaced by different acttors/actresses with similar voices so characters can theoretically live forever?
Cheers for that. No, not sucking eggs at all. There's always something new to learn. I can thoroughly recommend Crete. If you can ride a motorcycle there's no better way around the place. We hired a cabriolet for a couple of days, then a 4x4. But we really nailed it when we changed to a pair of 500cc trail bikes. We rode up into the hinterland and into the mountains where the roads failed. Utter, utter bliss..! In fact, I really must do that again sometime.
You couldn't replace the actor who played Walter Gabriel. Far too distinctive a voice. I think the producers realised that very quickly and wrote him out of the serial.