Image: The Archers - Lesley Saweard as Christine, Harry Oakes as Dan, Gwen Berryman as Doris, and Norman Painting as Philip.
The longest running series
The Archers, the longest running daily serial in the world, began its national run on 1 January 1951. Although its early focus on the farming community was paramount, it quickly became clear that there was wider potential, and within months a larger general audience was soon being addressed.
Publicity material from the time promoted the series as a 鈥榮erial play of country life鈥� - as the Radio Times described it on its national launch.
According to creator Godfrey Baseley, the idea for The Archers was hatched at a meeting with farmers in Birmingham.
One farmer said 鈥榳hat we really want is a farming Dick Barton!鈥�
Real rural affairs
The writers of Dick Barton were in fact brought over to tackle the scripts, but there was also an insistence that real life rural affairs and the latest developments in farming were depicted in the programme.
In a major event in the first year Dan Archer retired his working horses, Boxer and Blossom - reflecting the increased mechanisation of agriculture.
The early days of The Archers continue to be the subject of much academic study.
Experts Clare Griffiths, Paul Brassley, Graham Harvey, Lyn Thomas, and Ollie Douglas looked back to those early years, and explored some of their research at a major Archers exhibition at the Museum of Rural Life (MERL), Reading, in 2011.
Long service - new interviews
Over the years, the 大象传媒 Oral History Collection team has gathered some extraordinary stories from Archers cast and crew.
Felicity Finch, who plays Ruth Archer, has made a special contribution to the collection.
In 2017 she interviewed Patricia Green (Jill Archer), June Spencer (Peggy Woolly), Edward Kelsey (Joe Grundy), Archers scriptwriter Mary Cutler, and former Editor, Vanessa Whitburn.
One of the earliest characters, Grace Archer was played by Ysanne Churchman.
Famously her character was killed off in a tragic fire.
The timing of her death is the stuff of legend, coinciding with the launch of the UK鈥檚 first commercial TV channel ITV, on 22 September 1955.
Myth has it that her demise was timed to distract from the ITV launch, but, according to Ysanne, the reverse was true. It was an attempt to bury the death of Grace Archer as producers assumed many more would be glued to the ITV opening.
Here Ysanne explores her early days on the programme.
A national treasure
Just before his death in April 2019, Felicity Finch spoke to actor Edward 鈥楾ed鈥� Kelsey for the Collection. Ted played Joe Grundy for 34 years.
In his 88th year, Ted spoke for nearly three hours recalling some amazing behind-the-scenes stories.
Ted remembered his audition for the 大象传媒 Radio Drama Company which he joined in 1954, the result of a competition he won at the Royal Academy of Music where he studied performance and teaching. It was this break which led to his long career in The Archers.
Of Ted, Editor of The Archers Jeremy Howe said:
"Ted's time in Ambridge gave us one of the great performances in the history of British radio - idiosyncratic, warm, cantankerous yet generous, dripping with the Grundy magic and wonderfully funny. Ted's Joe Grundy was a brilliant creation because Ted was a brilliant actor - and a truly lovely man and great company member."
Landmark innovation
The Archers has reached something of a milestone - 70 years on air.
Long gone are the thinly veiled messages of farming best practice. Now 鈥榓 contemporary drama in a rural setting鈥� is how the drama sees itself.
In recent years divorce, domestic abuse, issues of race, and gay marriage have regularly featured.
In 2011 a spin off for younger people 'Ambridge Extra' was launched, and during lockdown The Archers changed style completely, developing a monologue format.
In so many ways innovation has always been part of the Archer鈥檚 remit, but with urban and rural sensibilities changing and morphing continuously, keeping pace is more important than ever before.
So far the Archers has kept up to speed, and looks set to survive - and thrive - for another 70 years.
大象传媒 History
Share your Memories
How long have you been an Archers fan? Which storylines have struck a chord with you?
Which characters do you relate to, and why? Do you think The Archer鈥檚 is still a good platform for discussion about rural affairs?
Fill out the form below, and we will publish your comments as soon as we can.
Your memories
In the 90鈥檚 I began listening at work on my computer. I can remember trying to carry on with my work while listening to Kathy being raped by Owen. It seemed so real since these are people I feel I know, at least 13 minutes a day. Thank you for tackling tabu subjects to bring them into the open.
Cynthia O鈥橫eara, Quincy, Massachusetts USA
I think I've listened to The Archers for 45 years so far. I came out to Australia in 1989 and my mum sent me cassette tapes for many years. It was always a thrill to recieve her seamail parcels every three months. She spent so much time just for me carefully taping each omnibus and laboriously sticky taping together all the cassettes to protect them and after I was done I posted them back! Fortunately for her, eventually, there was streaming and then podcasts, but I did have a break in between and I missed some key moments Rob Titchner and the flood, the Grundy boys romance woes, the death of Nigel Pargetter. I'm still not over the absence of Nigel from the cast. I take each character death so much to heart. They are so well handled in terms of drama and narrative eg Tom Archer (I still tear up thinking about Tony with his son's body and that's 23 years ago). As well respecting the work of their portraying actor on their death eg Edward Kelsey and Sara Coward. 'Even' Captain's death was affecting!
I love the gentle work being done in the changing of the generations of the village, the changing nature of rural work, the difficult contemporary issues and the far broader diversity of characters (much less posh) with some like Jazzer and Tracey who I have come to adore. Lynda MBE for PM.
Sarah Berry, Melbourne, Australia
My earliest memories of The Archers was my mother calling 鈥淗urry up; The Archers is starting!鈥� as the familiar dum tee dum tee dum 鈥� signature tune rolled out. We listened to it together every evening. I can remember her crying when Gill & Phil鈥檚 baby 鈥� Elizabeth, underwent an operation for a heart defect in 1967 and it was feared she might not survive.
We didn鈥檛 have a television and The Archers characters became part of our lives. We loved the comic relationship between Mrs P - Peggy Archer鈥檚 widowed mother and Walter Gabriel 鈥� a neighbouring farmer and old friend of the Archer family. Walter鈥檚 catch phrase 鈥渕e old pal me old beauty鈥� was uniquely endearing and amusing. We were as shocked as the rest of the nation when Jenifer Archer became pregnant outside of marriage 鈥� something considered unspeakably shameful in those days. Then Lilian鈥檚 Canadian airman boyfriend went missing assumed dead following a plane crash. We grieved with Lilian and rejoiced when he was later found alive.
I listened to The Archers off and on in the following years but then lost track. I started listening again in earnest in 2016 when the Helen and Rob domestic violence storyline was publicised in the press on TV news. A few years previously I鈥檇 been a counsellor with Rape Crisis and campaigned about domestic violence with the Women鈥檚 (feminist) Movement. I listened with bated breath to the court case and Helen鈥檚 acquittal for attempted murder.
I realised that all the The Archers characters had of course grown older as I had! I used the internet and The Archers website to pick up the threads of their lives. It felt like a reunion with long lost friends and their descendants!
I find the hum drum of everyday - often amusing, Ambridge village life relaxing 鈥� intertwined as it is with vitally relevant storylines such as pensioner Jim Lloyd鈥檚 childhood sex abuse and Philip Moss鈥檚 human trafficking. Elizabeth Pargetter鈥檚 (nee Archer) depressive illness and psychotherapy storyline was excellent in raising awareness of and destigmatising mental health problems. As a survivor myself I welcomed this along with those members of my mental health peer support group who also tuned in.
I download the podcast onto my mobile phone each night and listen to it in bed 鈥� drifting off to sleep to the familiar sounds of dum tee dum tee dum tee dum...
Christina Young, Liverpool
I鈥檝e been listening since Caroline Bone had an affair with Brian Aldridge and I鈥檝e come to love the characters like family.
The monologue format during the lockdown was interesting but I鈥檓 glad you鈥檝e returned to the normal format.
My only wish is that you go back to a full week including Friday and Sunday evenings. When will you resume service as normal?
Chris Ewbank, Eastbourne
I've listened, on and off, to The Archers since my early teens introduced to it my Nan. Spending time with her in the weekday evening's it would signal that start of the weekly soaps. It would always be The Archers first, then Emmerdale, Coronation Street and EastEnders.
My earliest memories are mainly hearing the theme tune, but within the last 10 years Ive caught the 60th anniversary, Helen Tichtners conceive abuse storyline and more recently I've been hooked on the unfolding aftermath of Philip Morris modern salvery.
Like many others soaps that have their major storyline threaded throughout the years, The Archers continue to stand out with its small rural, everyday stories that we all know and love.
As we step into its 70th year, I am looking forward to see how The Archers adapts and reflects, not just the modern way farming, but the social economical changes the country and the world are currently face.
The Archers has now become my staple listening on the way to and from work.
Callum Pepper, Winchester
I鈥檝e listened to The Archers sporadically since childhood and it was a bit of a guilty secret while at university since I didn鈥檛 think anyone else who was 19 or 20 would be into it and it was probably uncool (this was Manchester in the mid-80s and cool was what mattered). Of course I was going out clubbing and getting wrecked every Saturday night and Sunday mornings meant The Archers, lots of coffee and an entire packet of economy chocolate digestive biscuits. Then a friend of mine said, 鈥渨hen you鈥檝e been off your head and out at some club till 3am what you need the next day is The Archers with Brian having another affair and Shula鈥檚 ectopic pregnancy.鈥� You鈥檙e never alone with The Archers.
Mike C, London
I started listening to radio 4 long wave in the mid '80s when as a lorry driver I went on trips to the continent for weeks at a time.
At the time Radio 4 long wave was popular with drivers as it was one of the only English speaking station one could receive in Europe. After hearing various archers episodes it finally came together for me on Sunday while listening to the omnibus edition. I became a great fan but when I finished driving in the early 90s lost touch with radio 4.
I started listening again online a couple of years ago and like a modern day Rip Van Winkle I plugged back in to the Archers with a gap of almost thirty years.
Elizabeth, or Lizzy as she liked to be called was then going through her wild phase, even propositioning Eddie Grundy in the Bull one night while poor Nigel chased after her, has become Nigel's widow with twin teenagers. They both seem to have inherited her slightly mad side which is again reasserting itself with her flirtation with bad boy Vince Casey.
The aforementioned Mr Grundy has transformed from one of life's great chancers to a fairly respectable member of society. Even Joe had become something of a sage before his passing.
David and Ruth who were about to get married when I took the break are suddenly grandparents.
It is a fantastic programme and I love the rich storylines. May it go on forever.
Mark Dodd, Sligo, Ireland
I鈥檝e listened avidly for forty years and prior to that I was aware of The Archers from staying frequently with my grandparents and listening with them at lunchtime. There isn鈥檛 a week goes by that I don鈥檛 listen at least to the omnibus if not every initial broadcast and subsequent repeat, God only knows why but it disturbs me if I don鈥檛.
Catherine Read, Norwich
I'm the same age as The Archers - 70 next month. I've been listening as long as I can remember. My Dad's shoes clip clopping home down the road meant the Archers tune came on...he never missed it. It's like an extended family. I've lived away from England for 31yrs. but have always managed to listen. Now on weekly omnibus catch up but in the early 2000s, I used to listen on cassette tapes while on the overnight train from Baku to Tbilisi. (Yes, it was the Midnight Train to Georgia!).
That was the height of Brian's affair. That was so well crafted, Jenny was just amazing. The Archers doesn't shy away from real life issues and treats them with empathy.
In summary, it becomes part of the fabric of our lives as we have grown up with the characters. It's my extended 'family' and I just love it! Thank you and long may Ambridge and its residents continue to be there for us.
Melanie, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
I seem to have the Archers in my bloodstream. The Sunday omnibus was part of my weekend soundscape as a child. Then in our early days together, my husband-to-be re-introduced me to 'a great little radio programme'!
Through significant life events like childbirth, the Archers has been present. A phone call with my Mum, just two days before I went into labour with my first child, included the statement "I hope you're not going to scream and shout like Ruth did last night!". She used to be a midwife.
Lou Ramsden, Derbyshire
My earliest memory is being told to keep silent at 6.45pm and don鈥檛 disturb grandma as she is listening to The Archers. I was four at the time but became a devotee very early on enjoying hearing all the farm animal noises as we lived in London. Sixty four years later I鈥檓 still an avid listener and rarely miss an episode even when travelling abroad (pre-lockdown) thanks to 大象传媒 Sounds. Friday and Sunday evenings are very strange without an episode right now.
Annie Thomas, Hoddesdon
I have many memories of The Archers but perhaps the most vivid go back to the years when I was working for Godfrey Baseley in Birmingham, before and during the time when he was busy creating The Archers.
He had suggested this idea to the then Head of Programmes as a replacement to the popular series "Dick Barton - Special Agent", which had just before sent out its final instalment.
So he was instructed to prepare 5 Scripts to cover Five Episodes of what was loosely referred to then as "The Story of Country Folk". If considered good enough these would be transmitted as a set of what was known as "Pilot" episodes, which were to go out in the same evening time-slot, to test out audience response.
It was late afternoon when he returned to the office in great despair, carrying his rejected Episodes. All had been turned down! He was bitterly disappointed, because for a long time he'd noticed a strange absence of Farming and Country Affairs programmes featured in any of the 大象传媒's general coverage.
So I watched in dismay as he crumpled up all his much-worked-on scripts and, in a fit of rage, threw them into the waste-paper basket, grabbed his coat and headed off home.
Soon afterwards, as I too was preparing to leave - on a sudden impulse I pulled out the scripts from the waste-paper basket, smoothed them out - and put them back on his desk!
When Godfrey came in the next morning - he stared at the scripts lying there - then at me. I smiled encouragingly...
"Have another go", I said "It's such a good idea! It just needs bringing to life a bit more"....
And the rest, as they say, is History.
Long afterwards, when I was working in 大象传媒 Television in London, I was pursued by the press for that story, which Godfrey had suddenly decided to tell (It was at the time of the Tenth Anniversary of The Archers, I think). Somewhere I still have a couple of newspaper articles lying in an old shoe box, my one claim to fame...!)
I was 23 years old at the time. After having married a Dutchman and living and working on the Continent over a period of 43 years - I totally lost touch with The Archers.
But on the occasion of my 90th Birthday three years ago I did received a lovely Birthday Card, signed by all the members of the cast!
However - I do have One Question: At the end of each week, when the credits are read out for The Archers - WHY can't they add -
'CREATED BY GODFREY BASELEY
just like they do for Roy Plomley at the end of each "Desert Island Discs"....??
Norma Mariouw-Smit, Lewes
I followed the tricky courtship and marriage of Shula and Mark avidly. We were on holiday in Cornwall on the wedding day, and had to drive to the top of a hill to have sufficient reception to listen to the programme in our very old Maxi. I bought all the cassette tapes of vintage episodes in the 80s, and listened to them as an escape from the challenges of new motherhood.
Lindsey Herbert, Birmingham
I was a schoolgirl in Cheshire when the Archers began. Soon after - around 1953, Harry Oakes and Gwen Berryman [Dan and Doris] visited our local agricultural show. They sat in a tent and people paid 6d. to go in and meet them. I was in charge of collecting the money, managing the entries and looking after our "celebrities" [an unknown expression back then ]. They were most courteous and put up well with what must have been a tedious and long day. I don't remember much of our conversations except that they let on that the actor who played Tom Forrest was rather too keen on securing the frequent opportunity to show off his singing talents in the "everyday story". We were all of course the keenest of listeners in that farming county.
Also about that time, we learnt that one of our local landed aristos had got into the habit of arriving for dinner parties in time to have the 15 minutes in his parked car to listen to the Archers before going in - no doubt in dinner jacket and greeted by the butler.
R A Edwards, Crowborough
The Archers has always been in my life. When a child the theme tune to the Archers signalled the time for toys to be put away and to get ready for bed. Nowadays, I have semi retired and moved to Cornwall. I still drive a heavy van making wholesale deliveries in the evening. A successful shift is one in which I get to hear a full episode of the Archers between drops. Otherwise it is 大象传媒 Sounds the next morning.
Gibbo, Mullion
In December 1993, just before Christmas Susan Carter was jailed for harbouring her brother. Their was public outrage and on 11th January 1994, questions in parliament.
Sandra Keith, Edinburgh
I have been listening my whole life, initially via my mother, then discovering how brilliant it was when I had my own home. I remember sitting in my car in a layby wishing that David would hurry up and propose to Ruth so that I would not be too late for the meeting I was meant to be at!
Nicola Channon, Sidmouth
I stumbled across The Archers one Sunday morning in 1985 and have been an avid listener ever since, even when living in France in the days of Long Wave and listening to the Sunday Omnibus by going to the top of the house and positioning the aerial out of the bathroom window. I can remember exactly where and when I was for so many a dramatic climax as vividly as my own ups and downs. I have converted many friends and colleagues over the years but sadly not my daughter who continues to tell me "it's not real you know".
Samantha Dunn, Henfield
I'm also a 'on and off' listener. Sunday morning omnibus is my normal Archers fix. Didn't like the monologues and don't like the new music. Most recent memories being Helen's court ordeal - I intentionally missed a triathlon training session so I could listen to her court appearance. Even now, I go out for 6am bike ride on Sunday's so I can be back home in time.
David, Wakefield
I began listening to the Archers at the age of ten. My birthday is in late September and I had just started grammar school. I used to go to my Grandmother's house a few doors away to do my homework as I had 5 younger noisy siblings at home. I did some of it and Gran let me have a break in the middle to listen to the Archers and then finish my work afterwards. I have been a fan ever since and am now 74. My most memorable moment, (an Archers Addicts weekend at the Gifford Hotel in April 1986), is meeting all the members of the cast at the "wedding reception" of Shula and Mark.
Penelope Heeley, Nottingham
I still listen to 'The Archers' but I also still badly miss Mrs P, Walter and Nelson Gabriel, Marjorie Antrobus and Nigel. They were all absolute stars.
Joy, Ludlow
An early memory: when I was about 7 or 8 (1955) listening with my grandmother, and Carol Tregorran was bitten by a snake. It must have made an impression as I still remember it quite clearly.
Jan, East Sussex
Back in the 1950s Ambridge had its own village squire - those were the days! - and in one episode he conversed with Dan Archer, the original Archers patriarch, father of Jack (Peggy's first husband) and Phil (Jill's husband). There was also Tom Forest, who was the village gamekeeper and brother of Dan鈥檚 wife, Doris, and who used to introduce the Sunday omnibus edition of 鈥淭he Archers鈥�. He accidentally killed a poacher, which made for a bit of drama, and also married Pru, the barmaid at The Bull, who, like Bert Fry鈥檚 wife Freda, never actually appeared on the programme. And what of Walter Gabriel, who regularly said 鈥渕y old pal, my old beauty鈥� and spoke fondly but with little success to Peggy鈥檚 mother, Mrs Perkins or "Mrs P" 鈥� we never learnt her Christian name 鈥� a down-to-earth Cockney. Walter had a son called Nelson, a suave and refined individual who memorably and tastefully seduced the much younger Sophie at the end of one episode. Even 30 or so years ago, the scriptwriters were pushing the boundaries of "The Archers".
Wilson Brown, York
Coming from farming stock, who, starting work at dawn, sat down for lunch to coincide with 'The Archers' made for a long morning and short afternoon. Initially a farm orientated programme it has diversified significantly over the years but the glue that holds it together are the longstanding families such as the Archers themselves, the Grundy's etc. My plea for the future is that it does not forget the original concept of being 'a farming programme for farming folk'.
John Peter Anderson, Builth Wells
I remember being on the bus and listening to an episode when Helen had a complete breakdown when she was going out with Lee. Lets just say it's rather embarrassing to be blubbering on a crowded bus.
Daini Peagram, Adelaide, Australia
I鈥檒l never forget listening to the night John Archer died. I鈥檇 lost my brother in a road accident, the last time we鈥檇 spoken I hadn鈥檛 been very nice to hike and then suddenly he was dead. With no social media or online plot spoilers, I listened to that episode realising quite quickly that Tony was to find John dead. It chilled me, still does just thinking of it. One of the best acted, carefully built up but also realistic moments in a fictional drama.
Catriona Watt, Callander
It had to be the sheer anger in David Archers voice the night Pip announced she was pregnant. The way he spat out "No no no Not Toby Fairbrother" was a real link back to Archers past and probably in support of Jill. It dawned on David here was the ultimate threat of his family unit.
Phil Durrant, Plymouth
I grew up with the Archers, being born in 1950 and leaving Ireland in 1972. My mum absolutely loved it and listened religiously every night so of course I did too. I can even remember the music.
Joan llewellyn, Sydney, Australia
I have listened to the Archers from the start. I have brothers and sisters Jennifer, David. My wedding anniversary is about the same time as Peggy's I remember the fire when Phil lost Grace and followed the story lines since.
Nancy Wilson, Alford
Listened to the first episode one month off my 6th birthday and have carried on. I remember being told off at school for calling someone "me old pal me old beauty" and calling someone a "varmit" both of which I heard on the programme. So so many story lines. I remember Jennifer being told her skirts were too short and the next thing was she was pregnant with Adam by Paddy Remaine.
Jill Cooper, London
One of the things that I love about The Archers is the way it reflects British everyday life and I always listen for the topical inserts when there is a national event or crisis. It sort of offers comfort in difficult times.
Adrian Smith, Newport
There was a live stage show touring in 1954 which included Gretchen Franklin from Eastenders as Mrs Perkins. I have access to a signed program from 11th Jan 1954 at The New Theatre Royal Portsmouth.
Colin Bradey, Hampshire
Radio 4 had a marquee quite a few years ago at the Royal Highland Show Edinburgh and two or three of the actors were there. I was persuaded to take part in an Archers quiz - and won first prize! I was only aged about 18 at the time!
Julie Greig, Kirkcaldy
I have listened, on and off, for forty odd years. Currently I'm a loyal listener of the omnibus on Sounds. I remember Nigel falling off the roof, and Ruth not having an affair. I've been incredibly impressed with the build up of Helen's abuse story, the writers took it slow and it was very sinister and convincing; too real for comfort. Similarly, the story of Alice's addiction is long and its impact on others appears to be developing realistically. Nick's sepsis was heartbreaking and all the Grundy storylines draw me in. I really like Clarrie and cried when we knew Joe was going to die and when he did die. I have enjoyed the development of the relationship between Freddie and Linda, her faith in him is what he needs. The slavery story is going to be important, thank goodness Kirsty has Roy. I always enjoy the scenes of comic relief and laugh out loud.
I would like more about climate change and environmental impact on the farms, and in homes and businesses.
The Archers continues to be excellent value for the short amount of time needed to listen to it. I will carry on listening and recommending to others.
Sam
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