Welcome to the official fan site for The Archers,

a BBC Radio 4 program that has been in production for decades on end. What once began as a way to educate farmers back in the fifties has now evolved to be a source of entertainment, attracting millions of listeners with each show. Here you will find some fun facts about this spoken word channel as well as other programs you can catch on BBC Radio 4. Have fun!

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.

Godfrey Baseley - the creator of The Archers
The Archers take place in the fictional villige Ambridge

Setting

This program follows events that take place in Ambridge, a fictional village in England. It is evident that this fictional village borrows a lot from regions such as Inkberrow and Hansbury. There are other fictional villages in the program including but not limited to Darrington, Penny Hassett, Lakey Green, Hollerton, Waterley Cross and Edgeley.

Though most of the events take place in these villages,characters in the program also venture into other areas, including those that exist in the real world. For instance, they enjoy shopping in Birmingham, and there have been many references to places such as Hungary, Manchester and South Africa.

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.

Tony and Par run a farm shop.

The Pargetters earned a living from using their home as a public attraction.

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!


Hear more about The Archers

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Read more about The Archers

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Some of the best episodes from The Arcgers

Check out the best episodes

Here are some of the episodes that have had tongues wagging over the decades. Enjoy!

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The Archers take place maily in the fictional village Ambridge

The main village

Once you have listened in on all the exciting things that take place in Ambridge, you would get forgiven for thinking that it exists.

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History of the program.

The Archers history

The Archers used to spread information and advices to farmers about the food shortages that were taking place at the time.

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Frequently asked questions about the radio show.

Questions and answers

Everything you need to know about The Archers.



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