The Archers

Rights Information
Year
1981
Reference
24350
Media type
Audio
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Rights Information
Year
1981
Reference
24350
Media type
Audio
Duration
00:12:12
Credits
RNZ Collection
Alexander, Kay
Bennett, Judy
GITTINS, Chris
PAINTING, Norman
British Broadcasting Corporation

This item features interviews by Kay Alexander with three members of the cast of the BBC's "The Archers", the world's longest-running radio serial.

Actors Norman Painting (Phil Archer), Chris Gittins (Walter Gabriel) and Judy Bennett (Shula Archer) talk of the development of the BBC radio serial which originally began as a way to convey information about farming to radio listeners. It completed 30 years of continuous broadcasting at the end of 1981.

Judy Bennett describes what was like to come into the serial as a newcomer. They say there has been never been bad blood in the cast for the 30 years of the programme. They talk about reaction in 1955 to the death of Grace Archer, their 'mind pictures' of the `Bull' pub and `Brookfield' kitchen. The cast listen to the serial to check on their characters.