Fans of the long-running radio soap Bungling Archers have criticized the scriptwriters for miswriting the birthdays of two seasoned characters.
Tom Archer of Bridge Farm prepared a special package of vegetables for Ambridge mainstay Lynda Snell in Monday night’s Radio 4 broadcast.
I need to drop over with Lynda’s veg box before four,” he said, turning to his sister Helen. She has a unique birthday one that we designed. She’ll be 75 on Friday.’
Helen replied: ‘With the drive of a 20-year-old.’
But shocked fans on the Ambridge Addicts Facebook site quickly pointed out that it is actually Tom’s aunt Lilian Bellamy (played by actress Sunny Ormonde) who celebrates her 75th birthday on Friday.
According to the BBC’s own Archers site, Lynda Snell (actress Carole Boyd), who was awarded the MBE in the everyday story of country folk, had her birthday six weeks ago on May 29.
Shocked When he posted: “Now I’m very sure that it’s Lilian’s birthday on Friday and not Lynda’s birthday,” Phil Yates brought up the matter on the Addicts website. Lynda’s birthday is unquestionably in May. However, I appreciate the correction.
I’ve checked my Archers journal, Jenny Speakman retorted. Lilian’s birthday is July 8, 1947, whereas Lynda’s is May 29, 1947.
Poor consistency again, wrote Fiona Casperz in a post. And Saraj Jane Ebanja said, “Unfortunately, The Archers is sailing up S**t Creek.”
This appears to be a case of failing to research Ambridge history, according to Rosemary Jolly.
It’s not acceptable, seriously, Miranda Kowalczyk yelled. We should know this, thus the authors ought should as well. Can we contact someone about this?
This was certainly a mistake by Tom, who we all know isn’t the sharpest knife in the Ambridge drawer, according to Charlie Garth of the competing Archers Anarchists organization, who thinks the show is real life and doesn’t have a cast.
There can’t be scriptwriters if there isn’t a cast,’ the saying goes. Therefore, it is absurd to blame them and protest to the BBC in this manner.
A request has been made for a comment from the BBC.