An everyday tale of prejudiced folk: Archers listeners are accused of ‘racism’ for failing to tell men with Birmingham accents apart
- Birmingham star Jasper Carrott was on Radio 4’s Archers as pensioner Skyesey
- Listeners said he sounded too similar to Vince Casey, played by Tony Turner
- But fans said not being able to tell the characters apart was ‘bordering on racist’
Fans of BBC Radio 4’s The Archers have been accused of being borderline ‘racist’ because they failed to tell two men with Birmingham and West Midlands accents apart.
Many listeners were puzzled this week when Birmingham TV personality Jasper Carrott, 77, appeared on the soap as grumpy pensioner ‘Sykesey’ – living in the Laurels care home at Ambridge.
But Archers fans thought he sounded just like self-made businessman Vince Casey, played by Tony Turner.
Radio 4 listeners complained that they could not distinguish between the two characters’ voices.
But this triggered an an angry response from soap fan David Rowley on the Archers Appreciation Facebook group.
The Archers listeners were puzzled this week when Birmingham TV personality Jasper Carrott (pictured), 77, appeared on the soap as grumpy pensioner ‘Sykesey’ – but sounded like character Vince Casey, played by Tony Turner
Fans of BBC Radio 4’s The Archers have been accused of being borderline ‘racist’ as they could not tell the voices of the two characters apart
He said: ‘I’m offended nobody can tell the difference between two men with Birmingham accents.
‘Bordering on the racist, that is.’
Patrick Turner added: ‘My pet hate is when someone thinks I’m a Brummie when my accent is obviously from Wolverhampton.’
And Lynn Bastian added: ‘As a Brummie, I hate it when people think the Black Country accent is a Birmingham one. They are obviously SO different.’
Earlier Nick Vinehill posted on The Archers Appreciation Free Speech Group: ‘Did anybody think that grumpy old git in the care home was actually Vince? Identical voice.’
Richard Wall commented: ‘Sounded like Vince to me.’
Tony Turner plays Vince Casey on Radio 4’s The Archers
On the Archers Appreciation Group, Julie Willetts posted: ‘Thought Vince was in the Laurels for a mo.’
Doffey Reid added: ‘OMG, you’re right. So like Vince.’
Helen Peters said: ‘We thought the same.’ Rachel Williams agreed: ‘I think a lot of us did.’
Meanwhile on the Archers Addicts site, Madeline Tuck posted: ‘We thought it was Vince.’ Henrietta Matthews added: ‘So did I.’
But the last word went to Jeremy Stewart, who posted: ‘Women in the Black Country have stronger accents than the men. The female of the species is more Dudley than the male.’
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk