An everyday story about racist people: Archers listeners are accused of prejudice for being unable to tell men with Birmingham accents apart
- Birmingham star Jasper Carrott was on Radio 4’s Archers as retired Skyesey
- Listeners said he was too similar to Vince Casey, played by Tony Turner
- But fans said being unable to distinguish between the characters was “bordering on racist.”
Fans of BBC Radio 4’s The Archers have been accused of being ‘racist’ for being unable to tell apart two men with a Birmingham and West Midlands accent.
Many listeners were surprised this week when Birmingham TV personality Jasper Carrott, 77, appeared on the soap as grumpy pensioner ‘Sykesey’ – living at Laurels care home in Ambridge.
But Archers fans thought he sounded like self-made businessman Vince Casey, played by Tony Turner.
Radio 4 listeners complained that they could not distinguish between the voices of the two characters.
But this prompted an angry response from soap opera fan David Rowley on the Archers Appreciation Facebook group.
Archers listeners were amazed 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 ‘racist’ for being unable to tell the two characters’ voices apart
He said: ‘I’m offended that no one can tell the difference between two men with a Birmingham accent.
“Bringing on the racist, yes.”
Patrick Turner added: ‘My pet peeve is when someone thinks I’m a Brummie when my accent is clearly from Wolverhampton.’
And Lynn Bastian added: ‘As a Brummie, I hate it when people think the Black Country accent is a Birmingham accent. They are clearly SO different.’
Previously, Nick Vinehill posted on The Archers Appreciation Free Speech Group, “Did anyone think that grumpy old bastard at 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, “I thought Vince was in the laurels for a while.”
Added Doffey Reid: “OMG, you’re right. So like Vince.”
Helen Peters said, “We thought the same thing.” Rachel Williams agreed: “I think a lot of us did.”
Meanwhile, Madeline Tuck posted on the Archers Addicts site, “We thought it was Vince.” Henrietta Matthews added, “Me too.”
But the final word went to Jeremy Stewart, who posted, “Women in the Black Country have stronger accents than men. The female of the species is more Dudley than the male.’