The Archers, 70th anniversary episode, review: a human-trafficking arrest and a surprise MBE

Ten years ago, The Archers celebrated its 60th anniversary by throwing one of its nicest characters, Nigel Pargetter, off a roof. Now, to mark 70 years, they’ve changed tack, and gone for a storyline much more heartwarming. Lynda Snell was given an MBE.

She announced the news by giving a speech outside The Bull, reading out a key section from the official letter before she blew the whistle for the start of The Bull’s New Year Round Ambridge Quiz.

“And I understand,” she said, with much emotion, “that I was nominated for this inconceivable honour by the community. By you, my friends, in other words. I am so grateful. No words can properly express how I feel, so I’m simply going to say… thank you. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.”

It’s been quite a year for Lynda. She began it by being blown up in an explosion at Grey Gables, and miraculously survived to regain her pillar-of-the-community status, now officially recognised by the Palace. But then it’s been quite a year for all of us. Kenton Archer, also taking to the makeshift podium to give a speech to waiting competitors at the start of the quiz, alluded to as much with a quote from the late Joe Grundy: “You can cover Ambridge with manure, but it’ll still end up smelling of roses,” he proclaimed.

“Ambridge is always there, and always will be... so I would just like to thank all of you for being there,” he went on, and surely he was speaking directly to us at home now, “for never giving up, and for being a part of this unique family.”

And then Kenton gave a nod to the very first line of the very first episode, 70 years ago: “Right, now, as my grandfather, Dan Archer, used to say, ‘A happy new year to all!’”

But it wasn’t all speeches and applause. The Archers still managed to cram in one shocking scene to advance a major ongoing plot, and dash of innuendo-laden comic relief for good measure. For the former, Kirsty Miller was carted away by Borsetshire CID and arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit human trafficking, having sensationally discovered, on Christmas Eve, her husband Philip Moss’s dastardly exploitation of enslaved workers, in the climax of a thrilling and long-burning story.

And for the latter, Tracy and Jazzer had a marvellously awkward morning-after-the-night-before dissection of what their kiss meant, or didn’t mean, to either of them. And then, for the sake of the quiz, they had to count the panes of glass in a phonebox, and the number turned out to be three less than 72, and the ensuing double entendre was all very seaside-postcard.

All good fun, in other words, but let’s not let it distract us from the woman of the hour, Lynda Snell, the very heart of Ambridge, now confirmed as such by the Queen. In Tracy’s proud words, “Lynda Snell MBE!” It’s scarcely believable, and yet it seems only fitting, though personally if I’m going to put three letters with Lynda Snell’s name I think they should go at the beginning and be HRH.

There was considerable backlash against the 60th anniversary decision to kill off poor Nigel, which must surely have contributed to the choice this time around to mark the occasion with something more positive. Or maybe the writers and producers simply realised that, after all of the pandemic-related horrors of 2020 (including the long, gruelling summer of Ambridge monologues), we all deserved a treat in the form of some unequivocal good news for a much-loved friend. A gong for Lynda Snell? We’ll never hear the end of it, and I don’t mind at all.