´óÏó´«Ã½

Tim Bentinck - aka the dependable David Archer in The Archers – brings you all the dramas in the history of ´óÏó´«Ã½ radio soaps.

Brace yourself to re-live the all daily goings on from serials past and present:

MRS DALE’S DIARY:

This serial ran for 21 years based on the daily diary of doctor’s wife Mary with husband Jim and children, Bob and Gwen. Starring Ellis Powell.

* The first episode. The Dales are preparing to move to Parkwood Hill. [05/01/1948 ´óÏó´«Ã½ Light Programme]

* JFK has been elected US President as Great Aunt Hester arrives from Canada with some strange sounding visitors... [01/11/1960 ´óÏó´«Ã½ Light Programme]

WAGGONER'S WALK:

This replaced Mrs Dale' Diary on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 2's tackling some tough storylines, It was axed in 1980

* The first episode. 60s London is still swinging with three women sharing a flat in Hampstead. [28/04/1969 ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 2]

* 8 years later. Lyn has managed to marry and divorce her first husband and is on number two. Sister Tracy married an American and has a child. [21/02/1977]

CITIZENS:

´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4's soap opera charting the lives of the residents of Limerick Road in the fictional London suburb of Ditcham. 388 episodes of went out twice a week until 1991.

* The first episode. Hear why the critics at the time weren't too impressed. [27/10/1987 ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4]

* 4 years on and the end is nigh for the residents of Ditcham with shock news of a kidnapping.

WESTWAY:

This was the ´óÏó´«Ã½ World Service's very own soap, set in a health centre, which ran for 8 years, and was branded as "a slice of contemporary London life". It was later re-run on ´óÏó´«Ã½ 7.

* Dr Sampson is the matriarch and heart of Westway Health Centre. Her husband has died - and his funeral plan is unconventional [21/08/1999 ´óÏó´«Ã½ World Service]

THE ARCHERS:

The essential drama from the heart of the country. The world's longest running soap opera began in 1951 on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Home Service and is still going strong on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4.

The first episode was scheduled to detract from the opening of Associated-Rediffusion, as ITV was launched in London.

* The classic melodramatic episode, where Grace Archer - recently married to Phil – gets trapped in a stable fire. Will she survive? [23/09/1955 ´óÏó´«Ã½ Home Service]

* It’s back to Brian's early days of marriage to Jennifer and a blonde siren called Eva, who was their German au pair. [14/05/1978 ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4]

Producer: Jayne Gibson

Made for ´óÏó´«Ã½ 7 and first broadcast in September 2003.

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