The Archers cast recreate first episode for 75th anniversary

The cast of The Archers have re-enacted the opening scene from the first ever episode to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the BBC Radio 4 drama.

The Archers launched on 1 January 1951, but the original recording of the first episode did not survive.

The current cast have recreated the opening scene, stepping into the shoes of their original counterparts, as part of a day of special programming on Radio 4 to mark the show’s birthday.

The Archers’ editor Jeremy Howe praised the soap’s “timeless appeal”, adding: “We look forward to seeing what the next 75 years will bring!”

The series, which is recorded in Birmingham, is the world’s longest-running radio soap opera.

Despite its vintage, The Archers has a considerable following among young audiences and often tops the list of most popular programmes on BBC Sounds for listeners under 35.

To mark the show’s birthday, a 45-minute special called The Archers: Truth and Lies will be broadcast in instalments throughout New Year’s Day, before being played in full at 19:15.

The Archers Podcast, which is hosted by Emma Freud and launched in 2024, will also air on Radio 4 for the first time.

Meanwhile, New Year’s Day editions of Woman’s Hour and This Week in History will celebrate the enduring appeal of Ambridge, the show’s fictional village.

In a statement, Howe said: “The first baby born in the show, Tony Archer, has lived his whole life in The Archers – as have many of our listeners, who have tuned in for the whole of their lives.

“What is brilliant is that the programme continues to attract new listeners and appeal to a whole new generation. That ability to connect with listeners is what makes The Archers so special.

“It has timeless appeal, and yet it manages to speak to the times we live in today.”

The recreation of the opening scene from the original episode will star actors Timothy Bentinck, Felicity Finch, Daisy Badger, Ben Norris and Wilf Scolding.

They play Dan, Doris, Grace, Philip and Jack Archer, who gather in the kitchen of Brookfield Farm to ring in the New Year.

The re-enactment will be available on Radio 4’s social channels and also feature in The Archers Podcast.

Back in the current Archers timeline, fans were left on tenterhooks by the cliffhanger broadcast on New Year’s Eve, when a dramatic attack shook the village.

Radio 4 has promised Thursday evening’s episode will delve deeper into the mystery, with the search for the culprit now under way.

The Archers was originally conceived to educate farmers and the public about modern agricultural methods.

It has evolved over its 75 years on air, but still aims to reflect contemporary rural life in England.

In recent years, it has tackled topical issues such as domestic abuse, climate change, economic challenges in farming, alcoholism and modern slavery.

Radio 4 controller Mohit Bakaya described The Archers as “one of the cornerstones of British broadcasting”.

“The world today is very different to when it was first broadcast in 1951, and I’m delighted that the programme continues to be such a huge hit with audiences of all ages,” he said.

To mark the anniversary, Radio 4 has also announced that episodes of The Archers will now be available on BBC Sounds for five years after broadcast, an increase from the previous 30-day window.