The Questionnaire - Barry Farrimond
13 Dec 2002

Here are some of your questions to Barry Farrimond (Ed Grundy) - with Barry's answers, of course!

Greetings from an "Archers" fan from far away Los Angeles, California. You bring a lot of warmth and humor to the part of "Ed" and I think you do an excellent job. I'm curious as to what the goals and aspirations are of young actors in the UK. Do most aspire to worldwide fame via Hollywood films and television, or do most focus on just making it in their own country? Also, even though your country is much smaller than ours, you seem to have an ever greater variation in accents. How many accents is an actor expected to master, and do you get much training for this along the way? Thanks a bunch. You and your castmates really are fantastic!
Robert Wargo, Los Angeles, CA.

World wide fame has never really appealed to me. I’ve always been happy just to make a living in acting. One tool to this I suppose is the ability to replicate as many accents as possible, and so in that respect an actor is expected to master as many accents as they can.

My daughter is 12 and has her heart set on being an actress. She has appeared in school productions but we don't know how best to help her achieve her ambition. What advice would you give to a youngster in this position, please?
Sian Probert

I studied at the Sylvia Young Theatre School and found this to be hugely beneficial towards establishing a career in show biz! It provided me with an education in the arts as well as the national curriculum, and also got me several parts performing in radio, TV and theatre. This worked for me, but I feel the most important thing in achieving your goal has got to be hard work and dedication. Good luck!

u say u like drum & bass, do u like the rock music that Dross plays?
Darren Edwards

Being a musician I can appreciate all types of music from classical to rum and bass, and even though Dross sometimes borders on noise rather than music, I can still find it in my ears to appreciate and enjoy it!

1. If you could change one thing about Ed, what would it be?
2. Do you find it easy fitting in working for a degree in London with recording The Archers in Birmingham?
Sarah Reese

1. His haircut!
2. I have since taken a year our of my degree to dedicate more time to musical theory skill, but last year it did become tiring at times.

Barry,is your taste in music similar to that of Ed,are you in a band at present,and are you still studying Music Technology? Hope you stay in TA for ages,as Ed is surely being groomed to take over the reins of the Grundy empire!!
Lorraine Lawson

My musical tastes are very broad, so I can appreciate nearly ever type of music. I am still studying music technology, though nowadays out of college, and because of the nature of music technology I sort of form my own band, playing everything from drums to strings at the comfort of my keyboard!

Do you like the cows or the music better?
Marion
Cows

Barry, does it make you really fed up being part of a family that can do nothing right? Would you like to see one of your radio family come good?
Portia Venice.

Yes, but if they were successful they wouldn’t be the Grundys we all know and love!!

With neither Emma nor Fallon returning his affection, who in the village do you think would be best for Ed (as his first big romance is long overdue)?
Ed Grundy's Biggest Fan

Maybe Lynda Snell?

Our thanks to Barry, and to everyone who sent in questions. Want to learn more about Barry? Read a Radio Times interview with him.

Previous Questionnaires:

Charlotte Martin (Susan)

Tamsin Greig (Debbie)

Tim Bentinck (David)

Judy Bennett (Shula)

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