大象传媒 Radio 4 - The Archers - June Spencer retires: The Archers cast express their love for the matriarch of Ambridge

June Spencer retires: The Archers cast express their love for the matriarch of Ambridge

The Archers without June Spencer is hard to imagine. She has been part of the fabric of the programme since before it truly existed, appearing in its pilot episodes in 1950. The first official episode on 1January 1951 features June playing a heavily pregnant Peggy Archer amongst the family of her husband, Jack.

Aside from a few years in the 1950s ,when Thelma Rogers took on the role of Peggy while June left the programme to focus on her young family, June has always been there. There in The Archers Green Room, the studio, and there as Peggy in our ears and imaginations as life in Ambridge continually unfolds.

But now, at 103 years old, she has decided to step back from the microphone. Her fellow Archers cast members will sorely miss her significant yet understated presence at episode recordings. They are all in awe of her expertise in front of the mic – no one can ever recall a time she has fluffed a line! Meanwhile, away from work, she is described as funny, generous and a demon at Scrabble.

A celebration for June Spencer's 100th birthday in The Archers studio in 2019.

Louiza Patikas (Helen) and Brian Hewlett (Neil)

Two people who have both lost heavily to June at Scrabble are Louiza Patikas who plays Helen Archer and Brian Hewlett who plays Neil Carter. Louiza says, “It’s incomprehensible to me that June should be retiring; she feels ageless… June has never demanded attention in a lively green room, but when I was lucky enough to share a corner with her, I would bask in her sharp wit and pitch-perfect anecdotes. She's sooooo funny!”

Brian says, “June Spencer does me the honour of calling me one of her friends, and I, likewise, regard her as one of my close friends.” Brian and June, along with their respective partners, have made many trips to June’s holiday home in Menorca. Brian calls it a “special little house” where they would care “for all the feral cats that had come to know June’s home as a place of refuge”.

“Her warmth and kindness, as well as her excellent work at the microphone, will remain with me for ever. A delightful and true friend”, says Brian.

Both Louiza and Brian admire June’s willingness to talk about her own life story. “I feel very privileged to have been given that confidence”, says Brian. And Louiza can see how June has drawn on some of her own challenges in her portrayal of Peggy.

Listen to June’s Desert Island Discs (recorded in 2010)

One instance when art very closely imitated life for June was when Peggy’s (second) husband Jack Woolley was diagnosed with Alzheimers. The storyline started a year after her own husband, Roger, had passed away with the same condition. Looking back on this storyline, June said, “To start so soon after Roger's death was hard. It gave me wonderful opportunities as an actress, of course, but it was difficult."

David Troughton (Tony) and Sunny Ormonde (Lilian)

June’s final appearance in The Archers was broadcast on Sunday 31 July alongside David Troughton, who plays Peggy’s son Tony. He gives special thanks to June for helping him integrate into the programme following Colin Skipp’s retirement in 2012. He says, “Under your protective wing any anxiety I could have felt melted away. Your kindness, professionalism, your sense of fun and caring understanding eased me seamlessly into the Ambridge way of life. For that, I shall always be truly grateful…. You are an amazing woman and your legacy will live on forever.”

Another cast member who is “devastated” to no longer be acting alongside June is . For 22 years June and Sunny have been on-air mother and daughter as Peggy and Lilian. “To still actually be recording at 103 is totally unbelievable and completely inspirational and she will always be a great source of inspiration to be both as an actor and as a human being. I’m going to miss June terribly, terribly in studio and on the microphone but we’re still going to be in contact”, says Sunny.

Judy Bennett (Shula) and Charles Collingwood (Brian)

Judy Bennett remembers meeting June on her first day at The Archers, the 7 June 1971. Judy says, “I was terrified of her and called her Miss Spencer! She very kindly gave me a lift to New Street Station, and to my terror left me! I also heard from June that one day as she arrived at Pebble Mill she noticed ‘a young girl crossing the road, holding the hands of her two little brothers’ and she thought what a kind girl she was. Guess what? It was me with my sons! June is a star and is quite incredible. Bless you, June.”

For Charles it was three years later. He recalls, “My first sight of dear June was this very attractive lady swimming up and down in the pool at the Holiday Inn in 1974. Never did I think I'd have the honour of working with her for all these years. As Brian I am proud to have had her as my mother-in-law but as Charles I salute her as a wonderful actress and friend.”

The Editor of The Archers, Jeremy Howe, says that working with June “has been one of the greatest privileges” of his career. He adds, “I have rarely worked with such an inventive, focused and technically brilliant actor, or such a lovely person.

“Myself and The Archers team and cast wish June a well-deserved and long retirement – and I know that if she doesn’t think the show is up to the mark, June will be letting us know. Bravo the legend that is June Spencer.”

Louiza Patikas adds, “June is the very definition of a class act, and she will continue to dazzle beyond Ambridge - I'm absolutely certain of that.”

June Spencer was already known and respected actress before joining the cast of The Archers and another string to her bow was writing for Cyril Fletcher on “That’s Life!” On becoming Peggy, June says, “I’d been cast before I even knew!” The founder of The Archers, Godfrey Baseley, is said to have been talking openly about who was going to be in the programme and the news reached June while she was in a queue in a 大象传媒 canteen. June recounts, “A girl I didn’t know said to me, ‘Oh, you’re going to be in The Archers aren’t you?’ And I said, ‘Am !? What’s The Archers?’”

Not long after The Archers had started, June was shockingly threatened with the sack after turning down an invite to a party for the programme. June describes Godfrey Baseley as a “domineering man” who “if he got an idea would carry it through”. Colleagues tried to persuade June to change her mind but she refused. “I didn’t go and I’m still here”, she says. Godfrey Baseley may have been a strong character but he was no match for the tenacious June Spencer.