Mucking In by Sue Limb & Betsy Vriend

Mucking In
By Sue Limb and Betsy Vriend

Six part sitcom set on a Gloucestershire farm. Stars Alison Steadman, Nigel Planer, Morwenna Banks and Tony Gardner.

Episode 1 00:00
Secrets, Lies and Pointless Piles of Paperwork

On Dangerfield Farm, the annual organic inspection is Ben and Cicely’s nightmare. Not just because every aspect of Ben’s management will be probed, but also because Cicely has forgotten to keep the Visitors’ Book up to date. and has to forge it at the last minute.

And then there’s Beatrix’s unexpected arrival from London. Have she and Archie split up and will Beatrix’s louche behaviour affront the inspector?

By Sue Limb and Betsy Vriend

Cast:
Alison Steadman – Cicely
Nigel Planer – Ben
Morwenna Banks – Beatrix
Tony Gardner – Archie

A Little Brother production for BBC Radio 4

Episode 2 27:51
Cold Discomfort Farm

Ben is so busy thawing the frozen pipes on Dangerfield Farm that he forgets it’s Valentine’s Day, much to Cicely’s disappointment. Archie hasn’t forgotten and turns up with roses to woo Beatrix, but she’s frosty. Mainly because she hates Valentine’s Day, but also because her toes are cold.

It turns out Cicely has forgotten to order any more oil and it is left to Archie to ride to the rescue by greasing the oilman’s palm and bringing the oil delivery forward by several days.

Episode 3 55:28
Pest Control

Chris, a vegan eco-friendly vet student hunk, comes to help with lambing and Dangerfield Farm is thrown into turmoil.

Cicely finds him controlling and struggles to cater for vegans, so Chris takes over the cooking. He makes himself indispensable to Ben, until he disobeys the farm-rules and inadvertently lets Toby the terrier violate Floss the sheepdog who’s in season. And Beatrix takes a shine to him, which brings Archie rushing down from London, only to find that he needn’t have bothered, because Chris has blotted his own copybook by letting slip his true feelings for Jane Austen.

Episode 4 1:12:24
Making Hay

The American landlady, Natalie Truss, wants to hold a posh garden party for her birthday on Ben’s favourite heritage meadow, a couple of weeks before he is due to mow it. Ben is aghast and must veto this without upsetting her. Cicely is worried that they could lose the farm.

Luckily, Archie turns up bringing a self-help manual to heal his relationship with Beatrix, and Natalie is conveniently enchanted by Archie to change her plans.

Episode 5 1:51:29
Feeling Sheepish

Cicely is invited to go to Paris to see one of her piano students perform in a competition and asks Ben to join her. He needs to take some time away from the farm, to look after his health, but he refuses. He can’t take time off, he says, even with a bad back, because the landlady, Natalie Truss, is looking for an excuse to take the farm away from him.

It’s not just Cicely who is upset, however, because Beatrix and Archie were looking forward to playing at farmers while the grown-ups were away, In fact in a fit of enthusiasm, Beatrix jumps the gun and instigates a fight with the landlady over a broken gate. As always, it’s Archie who has to manage the fallout.

Episode 6 2:19:29
Hold Your Horses

Natalie Truss announces that she wants to use part of the farmland for a new Equestrian venture on the same day that Archie’s metal detector unearths a rare Roman coin. Natalie wants Ben to retire.

With the survival of his farming enterprise at stake, Ben loses the plot and forgets a planned trip with Cicely to see the orchids on the common. This is the last straw and Cicely storms out to see them with her old flame Charles Bradshaw. Ben pursues her in a fit of jealousy and they are reconciled, just as Archie’s coin hits the big time. Its rarity value draws attention to the farm and Natalie drops her Equestrian venture for the excitement of an archaeological dig.

By Sue Limb and Betsy Vriend

Cast:
Alison Steadman – Cicely
Nigel Planer – Ben
Morwenna Banks – Beatrix
Tony Gardner – Archie
Jonathan Coy - Charles

A Little Brother production for BBC Radio 4

Do you enjoy the variety on Oldtuberadio?
Like, Share and Subscribe to be notified of our new shows

Donations via
Ko-fi
https://ko-fi.com/oldtuberadio98
patreon
https://www.patreon.com/oldtuberadio
Locals
https://locals.com/Oldtuberadio

Old Tube Radio can also be found on other platforms
UGETube https://ugetube.com/@oldtuberadio98
Rumble https://rumble.com/user/Oldtuberadio
Bitchute https://www.bitchute.com/channel/oldtuberadio98
DailyMotion https://www.dailymotion.com/dm_ce224a31523476f7e6154bedb40b24e8
Or Direct via
https://paypal.me/oldtuberadio
Thank you
and
Please don't forget to subscribe
Thank You