Down the Line: a Secret Army podcast

It's our 2024 Christmas Special and this year our festive offering is a brand new interview with Juliette Hammond who played Natalie in all three series of Secret Army!
As well as talking about her memories of the series, in an interview first, she also casts her mind back to playing other roles during her career: the telepath Pella in Blake's 7, the duplicitous Miranda in Only Fools and Horses, and Miss Hawk in the Look and Read series Dark Towers. She also recounts her experiences of growing up with actor parents, why she left acting behind, and her love of teaching drama. 
If you enjoy this interview then please consider giving a donation to Juliette’s chosen charity: The Donkey Sanctuary, based in Sidmouth. Their website is www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk or you can call them on 01395 579128. When making a donation please say that it’s in reference to the Secret Army podcast, as this will help the charity to group all the donations together and work out any amount raised.
We will be back next month - on the 4 January - with our review of the first episode of Series 2: The Hostage. 
If you would like to contact us then please email us on, or send a voicenote to: secretarmypod@gmail.com or send us a message on Bluesky: AJ is on secretarmypod.bsky.social while Andy can be found at andypodding.bsky.social. AJ is also still on Twitter at @secretarmypod We'd love to hear from you.
Thank you for coming down the line with us in 2024. 
Happy holidays!
Andy & AJ xxx
 

AJ and Andy look back over the first series of Secret Army ahead of their exploration of series two. Andy shares memories of Clifford Rose while AJ teases content from a forthcoming interview with Jan Francis. They also consider their favourite directors, writers, regular characters and guest stars and reveal choices sent in by listeners. 
As a piece of bonus content in the final 20 minutes AJ interviews Abigail Brown who played the farmer's daughter in the first episode of Secret Army before becoming a regular on Grange Hill. If you enjoy this interview please consider donating to one of her charities: Shelter or the NSPCC.
If you would like to get in touch with us about this episode or have comments about the Series 2 episodes Russian Roulette or Lucky Piece (we've already recorded The Hostage) then please tweet us at @secretarmypod or email us (or send a voice-note): secretarmypod@gmail.com
Thank you for coming down the line with us!
Andy & AJ

With Kessler determined to capture the British agent, Curtis must find a way out of Brussels as a great encirclement of the city begins...
AJ and Andy finally reach the end of the first series and tackle matters as diverse as the relationship between Lisa and Curtis, the replacement of Brandt by Reinecke, and what Lifeline is doing outside at the end of the episode!
Along the way they find much to enjoy: the ideas that Lisa and Monique come up with; the typically Vik Ritelis direction; and the sheer bravado of Curtis's escape. However, they also find themselves grappling with a historical dating issue and why Curtis doesn't understand that he can't just come back to Brussels!
At the end of the episode we hear from Sophie who found her way to Secret Army via Buffy, the Vampire Slayer! You can find Sophie on Instagram @stanleybiggsclothiers.
Please do let us know your thoughts on this or any previous episode. We will shortly be recording episodes on Series 2's early episodes, so message us about those too! You can contact us on Twitter @secretarmypod or by email on secretarmypod@gmail.com 
We will be back next month with an episode reviewing all of the first series of Secret Army. 
Thanks for listening!
AJ & Andy
Next Month: Series 1 Wrap-Up

When Curtis falls under suspicion for the murder of Hugh Neville, the future of Lifeline is in doubt as Brandt and Kessler come dangerously close to uncovering their operations...
Andy is thrilled to have arrived at what he consider to be a blueprint for the series Secret Army and even dispensed with his usual poker face when watching it with Ryan. AJ meanwhile couldn't help but notice the wintry feel or the amount of times characters came in and out of doors!
There's also high praise for both Curtis and Albert they respond to questioning, as well as fond appreciation for the thoughtful scenes that the latter shares with Andree.
Elsewhere, there's an opportunity to sing "Capable Women" rather than "Interchangeable Men" and a moment to appreciate Jacques Bol in this his final episode.
Join AJ and Andy as they hurtle towards the finale of Series One!
Please do get in touch with your thoughts on this and future episodes. Tweets and voice-notes are both most welcome. You can email us on secretarmypod@gmail.com or on Twitter @secretarmypod
Thank you for coming with us down the line!
AJ & Andy
Next Time: Be the First Kid in Your Block to Rule the World

When the brothers of a Brussels-based monastery elect to harbour an evader, Kessler arrives on the scene and his usual tactics are in no way dulled as he confronts these 'men of God' on one of their holiest days: Good Friday.
This month, AJ and Andy are delighted to be joined by Alex Wilcock as together they muse upon the many theological themes, meanings and metaphors in John Brason's script. They also consider chosen family and chosen names, whether Lisa is a calming influence, and, as ever, the value of Curtis to Lifeline.
Elsewhere there is advice from AJ on egg painting, memories of slideshow nights from Andy, and a wonderfully relevant Kate Bush-related fact from Alex. 
Please do get in touch with your thoughts on this and future episodes. Tweets and voice-notes are most welcome! You can email us on secretarmypod@gmail.com or on Twitter @secretarmypod
Thank you so much for listening!
AJ & Andy 
Next Time: Suspicions

AJ and Andy interview Henrietta 'Hetty' Baynes who played Yvonne in three different episodes of Secret Army. Hetty recalls working on the Candide studio set, rehearsing in Acton and the joy of working with the series regulars. She also reflects on what motivated Yvonne and the character's possible journey after the war. Hetty also recounts highlights from her varied TV career including Bergerac, Running Scared and Jonathan Creek and how she met and fell in love with film director Ken Russell while making The Secret Life of Arnold Bax.
If you enjoyed this episode please consider contributing to one of Hetty's nominated charities:
NSPCC, www.nspcc.org.uk, 0207 825 2505
Beat, beateatingdisorders.org.uk, 0160 375 3308
Mind, mind.org.uk, 0208 215 2243
Next Time: Good Friday

AJ and Andy explore James Andrew Hall's second contribution to Secret Army: Bait, a clever tale centring around a woman, Catherine Bidout, living in Brussels who has not been interned despite being British. She is part of a trap prepared by Kessler, and Brandt is in danger of falling right into it. When Lifeline are also summoned to help, both the future of the evasion line and the Luftwaffe Major are at stake. 
As well as the pair's enjoyment of the inclusion of so many older female characters, AJ is a great fan of the final denouement which sees Brandt resolute while under pressure from Kessler, while Andy enjoys the Major's moral decision to save Bidout rather than pursue Lifeline. 
Elsewhere... there is deep love for the return of the wonderful Yvonne played by Henrietta Baynes; the character of Curtis continues to be a source of frustration; and the scene in which Albert requires Monique to work on the Nazi flag comes under the microscope. 
Also, Andy has clearly thought far too much about the route of Hitler's birthday parade, while AJ has actually just been to Brussels and shares their experiences of visiting the Candide today!
We also hear from Ryan, Alex Wilcock and Andrew Orton. Andrew's video on Secret Army can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWqBfiwzy5A Thank you to them and everyone else who is joining us on this journey. Tweets and voice-notes are most welcome! You can email us on secretarmypod@gmail.com or on Twitter @secretarmypod
You can find out more about the current pop-up gallery in the Brussels' building used as the Candide here: https://www.316.be/meet-ups 
Anyway, we're both off to the haberdashery for a good gossip. Until next time...
AJ & Andy
Next Time: Interview with Henrietta Baynes (in 2 weeks time)

This month AJ & Andy appraise Michael Chapman's sole contribution to Secret Army: Hymn to Freedom, which explores the political and personal motivations of the Quisling-like Van Reijn as he attempts to leave Occupied Belgium behind. 
Andy has issues with Chapman's storytelling style, while AJ has cause to sing a refrain of 'Interchangeable Men'. Elsewhere, a draughts trope irritates Andy, AJ considers how differently they might react to Lisa if a man talked to them like Curtis does, and both of them are thrilled to learn about a filming location used in the episode. 
We are joined, as ever, by Ryan, and also by Alex Wilcock whose reading of the episode brings lots of new ideas to light. At the end of the episode we are joined by Sophia Bennett (@sophiabennett on Twitter) who reflects on how Secret Army has affected both her reading and her writing. You can find out about her books here: http://sophiabennett.com/books/ 
Also you might want to check out Flemish and Wallooon POWs in the Second World War by Jean-Michel Veranneman (as mentioned by AJ): https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Belgium-in-the-Second-World-War-Paperback/p/20249
As ever, thank you for listening and please do share links and promote the podcast wherever you can.
You can tweet us at @secretarmypod or email us/drop us a voice-note at secretarmypod@gmail.com
Next Time: Bait

This month AJ and Andy review one of the most celebrated episodes of the first series in which Lifeline is threatened when Monique gets too close to an SS officer impersonating an evader. As well as exploring the welcome character development for both Monique and Albert, and the bravura performance by Angela Richards in particular, the pair also discuss Clifford Rose's portrayal of the ruthless Kessler. 
They reserve special attention for the episode's sublime 'No Compartments' speech which is discussed in depth towards the end of the episode. Why Angela didn't receive a Best Actress BAFTA is anyone's guess. 
Elsewhere Andy takes a deep dive into the locations featured in the episode, while AJ explains the surprising reason why Clive Arrindell, who plays Stoller here, is such a familiar face in Spain. 
Recounting of the unspeakable activities of the original SS Totenkopf Division (of which Stoller was a part) incorporates discussion of the massacres at Le Paradis and Chasselay. You can find more information on these incidents here: Le Paradis: http://www.leparadismassacre.com/ Chasselay: (https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/chasselay-massacre-june-1940) 
As usual we close by hearing what fans of the series think of the episode, before Sarah tells us what the series meant to her first time around. 
Next Time: Hymn to Freedom

AJ interviews actor and writer Christopher Douglas who played downed South African airman Noel Uys in the Series 1 episode Identity in Doubt. Christopher is now best known for playing Ed Reardon in radio's Ed Reardon's week but was happy to cast his mind back to 1977, his co-stars, director Vik Ritelis, and his time in the mud! 
If you enjoyed this episode please donate to Christopher's chosen charity: Blood Cancer UK: https://bloodcancer.org.uk/ You can also donate by phone on: 0808 1695155
Next TIme: A Question of Loyalty