The Archers

I was talking yesterday about the Archers plot to a young woman who is an occasional Archers listener and who had an early miscarriage some years ago.

She said she really wasn't trying to get pregnant and had only just discovered she was pregnant about 10 days before. She said she "felt a loss" but it was fleeting.
The "father" was a long time friend - this was a one-night affair. She had just escaped an abusive relationship and he was moving to another city hundreds of miles away the next day.

When she went to visit him a couple of weeks later she told him about it and he was beside himself with grief- and very angry that she hadn't told him at once that she was pregnant as it was "his baby".
They are still close but she said that his grief and his entitlement were both extraordinary and out of character.

I suppose it happens in real life too.

Yongy

I remember sitting in my pram in our kitchen in my home island in 1951, when I was a year old, and hearing the very first episode of The Archers. I have been listening to it ever since.

My, what a memory you have.

Yes I guess everyone will be different in their reaction to miscarriage so important to understand this.

Ectopic pregnancy is very traumatic of course, and indeed can be life threatening. Glad your daughter OK Franbern.

Franbern I'm glad your daughter was OK.

My eldest daughter had an ectopic pregnancy. Only found out she was pregnant when she collapsed and had to be taken to hospital. They had not been planning or trying for a baby. I can remember I was concerned that she did not cry for that 'baby' (I did), but she always maintained that it never was a baby in any real sense.

I remember sitting in my pram in our kitchen in my home island in 1951, when I was a year old, and hearing the very first episode of The Archers. I have been listening to it ever since.

Probably.

There is lots of discussion on Mustardland about the Archers.
I pop over there now and again.

I think the producers place “the elephants in the room” dropping hints of future storylines.

Thank you Merlotgran. I wonder why the producers do not recognise the problem.

Farzanah, Both my grandparents ( my mother's parents ) were great Horse riders. I still have a wonderful photo of my grandmother wearing a full elegant riding habit. She could ride side saddle.

I used to listen with my grandad! He was a country man, working with horses.

the elephant has always been in the room

Yes!

The actor Simon Williams playing Justin Elliot has not been in recent episodes, which I am grateful for.

I am wondering if anyone else finds his rasping "frog in the throat" irritating.

I find when listening to him, I want to cough all the time to clear my voice.

I have been listening to the Archers for a number of years. I used to listen with my mother.

She sadly died when she was only 50.

When I listen now it makes me remember her with fond memories.

.

I worked with women and partners who did feel a strong loss after a miscarriage, however early, even if they weren’t planning it. The imagination jumps ahead and they do plan how things will be with a baby. Admittedly completely different for Fallon who didn’t want children and for Harrison who once he realised the possibility, was over the moon.

You are probably right, he was masking his true feelings before, and the resentment was building. Now it has erupted.

Falon (sp?) told him ages ago she didn't want children and so I think he was totally over the top about this.
It was the end of a pregnancy that they didn't even know existed.

You say:
as time has passed the urge to become a father has grown
- I don't see that as I never believed he really meant that he was OK with not having children in the first place. We see him all the time trying to prove his "dad-worthy" credentials! 🙄

when the possibility arose he was thrilled, and was planning the future with excitement, ignoring Fallon’s feelings. He is now suffering a bereavement as much as any prospective mother might

... actually I think that the possibility never did really arise - he's just angry at the fact that he may have been able to have his way after all. I think he's been "pushing quietly" all along for a family - the elephant has always been in the room.

His bereavement is the loss of what "might have been" and as you say, he selfishly is putting that on Falon, who can barely endure him at the moment.

I'm not sure many prospective mothers would grieve a loss of a pregnancy they didn't know existed If they didn't want to be pregnant. However, I agree that anyone who was trying to have a baby would be grieving once they knew.
Maybe you mean like this?
He was wanting to have a baby all along.

I had a very early miscarriage once. It was a sadness in a way - but so early (and I wasn't trying to get pregnant) that my feelings were quite simple. I hadn't known (which was odd for me) so I didn't truly feel a loss.
Perhaps I'm just odd.

NotSpaghetti “Planning the future” by things he said, when he first knew Fallon was pregnant.
They discussed children when their relationship became serious and Fallon made it clear she didn’t want any. He has since made some telling remarks about fatherhood (before the miscarriage), which showed he was changing his mind.

I thought right from the time the Joy character was introduced that Rochelle either didn't exist or had died in childhood, leaving her mother in denial. Somehow, whenever Joy spoke of her, she seemed just too good to be true. 🙍

I'm another who wondered (some time ago) if joy actually a daughter.

When did the possibility of children and planning a future with them happen (re Harrison) please?
I seem to have missed this Farzanah

Merlotgran - I was also beginning to think that Rochelle didn't exist.

Either way she wasnt at the hospital.

If she is writing addresses for a made up daughter in her address book then to put it brutally she is not very well. If at one point Rochelle lived at that address and because of estrangement Joy no longer knows her correct address that is more reasonable.

Wyllow3

Now thats intriguing. cant recall - was Rochelle not in the purloined address book then?

She was but she didn’t live there and I don’t think there was ever a ‘Rochelle’ at the hospital either.

Can’t wait to find out. 😂

Now thats intriguing. cant recall - was Rochelle not in the purloined address book then?

Galaxy

I guess she is estranged from Rochelle.

I don’t think Rochelle exists. What’s the point in this storyline if not to highlight the longing of a childless woman or man. Joy can’t have children so she made one up but thanks to Mick’s meddling she’s in danger of being found out.

Harrison’s reaction will be interesting. 🤔

When Harrison and Fallon previously discussed having children she was adamant that she didn’t want any, and he seemingly accepted this. However as time has passed the urge to become a father has grown and when the possibility arose he was thrilled, and was planning the future with excitement, ignoring Fallon’s feelings. He is now suffering a bereavement as much as any prospective mother might, which is causing him to over react with anger towards Alice.

It is understandable in a way, but probably spells the end for him and Fallon.