It is the gentle rural drama that makes its millions of listeners smile every week.
But it seems all is not well in The Archers’ fictional Ambridge village after bosses reduced the number of episodes featuring their top stars, in what they see as a cost-cutting drive.
Sources told the Mail on Sunday that the move, which has caused unrest among the cast, means more popular characters, who are paid more, are used less.
Fans of the show have noticed that characters often disappear for long periods and vented their frustrations on The Archers Facebook group.
One of them said: “The actors were always guaranteed a minimum number of episodes, but that’s all changed and the cast is furious.” Characters disappear for weeks at a time, as some actors are not used as much, especially if they are paid more.
‘It is becoming de rigueur to use cheaper actors in soap operas and this is what is happening here.
‘We also hear that there is talk of more characters but they don’t actually appear.
“There is a lot of anger behind the scenes, but everything has been kept to a minimum and there is a real fear about its future (of the drama).”
It seems all may not be well in The Archers’ fictional village of Ambridge after bosses reduced the number of episodes featuring their top stars. Pictured: Pat Archer played by Pat Gallimore.
Sources told the Mail on Sunday that the move, which has caused unrest among the cast, means more popular characters, who are paid more, are used less. Pictured: Ruth Archer played by Felicity Finch
The BBC has denied cutting the budget. But when asked about the reduction in cast episodes, a spokesperson said: “Actors are used according to the requirements of each individual story.” Pictured: Jill Archer played by Patricia Greene.
The BBC has denied cutting the budget. But when asked about the reduction in cast episodes, a spokesperson said: “Actors are used according to the requirements of each individual story.”
Last year, the BBC launched an official podcast for the show in what could be seen as a desperate attempt to attract younger audiences to the drama which has an average listener age of 56.
The soap opera features well-known characters such as Jill Archer, played by Patricia Greene, David Archer, played by Timothy Bentinck, and Felicity Finch’s Ruth Archer.
Last week the BBC was forced to come out and say the drama would feature the government’s farm inheritance tax raid, after being accused of downplaying it last November.