Tls

[highbury57]

12a Eastender’s to suppress gathering old Italian songs(8)
*r*t*o*e
21a Earl struggling with chest or feet(8) t*p*a*e
I think the letters are ok.
Help welcomed.

[highbury57]

My apologies for inaccuracy. 21a should be
t*p*a*e*
Help still sought!

[Lie-in King]

12a Frottole - 'frottl' (E'end "throttle"; suppress, gathering) 'o(ld)' + 'I(talian)'

https://www.lexico.com/definition/frottola

[Lie-in King]

Sorry, once again of late I post drivel...

[Lie-in King]

Apologies again, called away -

'frottle' (E'end "throttle"; suppress, gathering) 'o(ld)'

[highbury57]

Thanks. I wouldn’t have got that in a hurry. Still no further on with 21a. It’s grasping at a silly straw but is the ending plates as in Cockney rhyming slang… plates of meat= feet. Possibly a false trail.

[Lie-in King]

Trochees - anag 'E(arl) + chest or' (?)

https://chambers.co.uk/search/?query=trochee&title=21st

[highbury57]

Far better your line of thinking than my inspiration’!