Welcome to the official fan site for The Archers,

Overview

The Archers is a soap opera created by Godfrey Baseley. In the beginning, people looked to it as an everyday story of country folk, something which attracted farmers to this exciting series of events. Later on, after some changes in its production, listeners began to look at it as a contemporary drama in a rural setting. It first ran for fifteen minutes, a period which has since gone down to twelve minutes. It airs in English as most of its listeners reside in the United Kingdom. At present, this show boasts of more than eighteen thousand episodes, with six releases each week.

All episodes get repeated the next day, save for the one that airs on Friday. If you want to catch previous shows, you can get them online and get a feel of what these families have been going through over the years.

Who are the characters?

Who gets people hooked to this program all week long? It all began with Dan who set up a mixed farming venture which featured arable farming as well as sheep, dairy and beef farming. He later handed down the farm to his son Phil and his wife, Jill. Currently, the farm is in the hands of their four children. There is David who looks after the farm with his wife Ruth, Shula who is married to a vet Alistair who also owns riding stables, Kenton who runs the pub alongside his wife, and Elizabeth who is a widow. Jill now lives with her son David in Brookfield. With them are David’s wife Ruth and their three children: Ben, Pip, and Josh.

There is the Home Farm ran by Brian, a man portrayed to be driven by money. He lives with his wife Jennifer, and together they have five children. Two are from Jennifer’s previous relationship, two from their marriage and one from Brain’s affairs. Of the prior relationship, there is Adam who is married to a chef and Debbie who farms in Hungary. From the marriage, there is Kate who has a family back in South Africa and Alice who is married to a farrier. There is Ruairi, a son from Brian’s affairs. Also, part of the family is Jennifer’s sister Lillian and Phoebe, Kate’s daughter.

There is the Bridge farm where Tony and Par run a farm shop, a dairy, a farm café, and a vegetable box scheme. They have two children Tom and Hellen, as well as three grandchildren; Johnny, Henry, and Jack. Johnny is the son of John, one of their sons who died.

There are also the Pargetters who earn a living from using their home as a public attraction. They include Elizabeth, who is widowed, her son Freddie and her sister Lily. There are also the Grundys, the Snells and the Carters. Each of these characters has quite a story to them. Take Lynda Snell for example. She is married to a man who has made her the laughing stock in the village. However, her energy and determination are what stand out amidst the struggles.

Each week, there is a twist to the narration such that the audience can never know what to expect in subsequent episodes, something that makes this program very interesting.

Whether they are dealing with tragedy, conversing about a hot global topic or looking for ways to come out on top of their troubles, there is always a lesson to learn at the end of each day. Be sure to stay tuned for more exciting news. You never know what’s going to happen.

At present, The Archers rank highest among BBC Radio 4 programmes. Other exciting shows include Just a Minute, Today, In Our Time, Woman’s Hour, The Now Show, Desert Island Discos, The News Quiz, and Cabin Pressure. Keep coming back for more info on The Archers and the exciting happenings in their day-to-day lives!