June Spencer was nearly sacked from The Archers
As The Archers celebrates its 70th anniversary, the incredible June Spencer recounts the early days of the world’s longest-running continuing drama. A member of the original cast and still acting in the programme today, June reveals how she found out she had a part in The Archers from a stranger and what led the programme's founder to threaten to sack her.
On how the programme began June said, “You know the old story of course, Godfrey [Baseley] was at a farmers’ dinner and the farmer next to him said what we need is a farming Dick Barton. Something to tell us all these blessed instructions they keep giving us in palatable form. So, that’s what they did. They took the Dick Barton script writers and said write five episodes."
Broadcasting since 1943, June describes herself as having “been around a bit” by the time The Archers started. In 1950 June featured as Peggy Archer in the programme’s trial episodes and was part of the cast for the official first episode of The Archers on 1 January 1951. Seventy years and over 19,000 episodes on, June is still working as part of The Archers cast.
But the job came as a surprise to June. She found out about it from someone she didn’t know “it standing in a queue in the 大象传媒 canteen for lunch” while working on another drama programme.
June accepted the role but before she and her fellow original Archers actors could record an episode they were put through their paces. She said, “We were gathered together and said without a script you’re going to be interviewed in character and that’s what Godfrey Baseley did. He said, “This is not a drama programme, it’s real life over-heard”."
June doesn’t think anyone else other than Godfrey Baseley could have launched The Archers. “He was a very strong character. We used to call him God of course, short for Godfrey. He was a very domineering man and if he got an idea he would carry it through. He was the man to do it", she said.
June Spencer's Archers initiation
As part of the original Archers cast, June had to pass a test before the programme began.
Shockingly, Godfrey Baseley threatened to sack June not long after The Archers has started. Incensed by June not planning to attend a party for the programme, he said he would “have her out of The Archers”. So strong was his ire, June was urged by colleagues to go to the party. Her reply to them was, “Oh don’t be silly, it’s ridiculous”. She didn’t go to the party and to this day she continues to play the part of Peggy in The Archers.
June Spencer: nearly sacked from The Archers!
The initial boss of The Archers threatened to sack June but thankfully it never happened!
