大象传媒

Her marriage to Sid disintegrated following first her affair with policeman Dave Barry and then Sid's with Jolene Archer (then Rogers). No sooner had she picked herself up from that shock than she was left reeling by a cruel rape attack at the hands of a former colleague. She slowly recovered and found solace in her son and her relationship with Kenton Archer.

Her unexpected grief at Sid's death, at a time when Kenton was overwhelmed with the conversion of Jaxx bar, put an end to their partnership. Ironically, Kenton soon ended up with Jolene, as Sid had.

In 2013, new broom Martyn Gibson's continual criticism of her work at the golf club forced her to resign. But she wasn't out of work for long as Caroline soon employed her at Grey Gables. She worked there until it closed in 2022 and is now travelling the world.

• Likes - Cooking, a glass of red
• Dislikes - The way went off the rails
• Highs - Triumphing through the dark days of her rapist's trial
• Lows - Discovering Sid's affair, her rape in 2004, Sid's death, being bullied at work by

• (Son)
• (Step daughter)

• Kenton Archer (Ex-partner)
• Pat Archer (Friend) - gave her shelter after her marriage split
• Jolene Archer (Sort-of friend) - they were strangely united by Sid's death

Kathy has had a tough time. After divorcing Sid, Kathy went to live at April Cottage with her little boy Jamie. Kenton Archer started going out with her and made her laugh but they quarrelled when he brought his three year old daughter, Meriel, back to Ambridge and expected Kathy to look after her. Miserable and alone Kathy befriended Lower Loxley chef, Owen King, but he raped her just before Christmas 2005.

Hedli says: 鈥淚t was a horrible story to do and I found it a difficult challenge. But people responded very well to the storyline, and hopefully it makes victims of similar events in real life feel a little less alone.鈥�

Hedli was born in Buxton, Derbyshire. Her father’s family is Swiss French and her mother’s background is Welsh so she says she’s quite a mix! The family moved down to Devon in 1953, when her father became professor of French at Exeter University. Her mother, Thelma Niklaus, was a model, then teacher, and finally a writer.

Hedli graduated in drama from Manchester University. Her first job was with Brian Way’s Central Theatre Company bringing plays into schools. Then it was repertory work, stage managing and acting major roles in all sorts of plays; Ginny in Relatively Speaking, Florence in Spring and Port Wine, Dolly in You Never Can Tell, and Ida in Pool’s Paradise. All good preparation for The Archers!

Hedli first came into The Archers playing the part of Libby Jones, a milk recorder. She was there to flirt with Tony, and annoy Peggy while Pat was away (the actress Pat Gallimore, who played Pat, was having a baby). She also managed to save young Adam Macy’s life with her prompt action when he was bitten by an adder!

Libby departed Ambridge but Hedli returned, this time as feisty, flighty Eva Lenz, the German au pair for Home Farm. Eva had a great time being courted by the local yokels, throwing beer over Eddie’s head and wedding local policeman James Coverdale (played by real life husband, actor Leon Tanner).

Off the newly-wedded Coverdales went to Portsmouth but that could keep Hedli away from Ambridge either. In 1983 she took up the role of Kathy Holland, a teacher who went on to marry publican Sid Perks. (Interestingly, we don’t know what her maiden name is as she was already separated from husband Steve before she came to Ambridge.)

Hedli said: “I’ve done all sorts of jobs while ‘resting’ – in an antique shop, selling toys at Selfridges, and filing. You name it and I’ll have a go! I’m a speaker, worked in rep, done a little telly work, loads in radio, The Archers of course, and then I had a crash course in running a business , Archers Addicts, the official fan club for the series.”

This was a golden time, meeting fans, organising events and conventions, mounting two theatre tours, and sourcing new Archers memorabilia. Hedli is co-author of ‘The Book of The Archers’ and ‘The Archers Annuals 2000 and 2001’. She wrote ‘The Archers Quiz Book’ with friend and colleague Trevor Harrison (who plays Eddie Grundy) published in October 2003.

Hedli said: “Major influences on my life are my father, who taught me about the bigger picture, and my mother, who very much wanted me to act. Then there’s Yung, Fred Astaire, C S Lewis, Enid Blyton; I suppose today’s version would be J K Rowling - you just have to turn the page to find out what happens next! And of course, there was my husband, Leon. He was very different from me, so our marriage extended all sorts of horizons!”

Hedli and Leon were together for 40 years until his death. “He was fascinating and distinguished and taught me so much’, she said. Their two children Nick and Kate, are grown up and Hedli has two grandchildren, Charlie and Tess, who have brought her great joy. Hedli says she loves to stroll round her town, when she has time on her hands, chatting to people she’s got to know over many years. “That’s all that counts really, people, friendship and love.”