Archers Medley

Ambridge is in Borsetshire.

Well, actually, neither exists, but after so many years of featuring in The Archers, it seems that they might.

The series was established as 'an everyday story of country folk' in 1950. Trial episodes, aired only in the Midlands, sought to achieve educational aims, with messages rendered more memorable by the skills of the 'Dick Barton' writers, Such was their success, that the programme became a regular feature on the schedule from 1951.

Now, who can imagine life without the Archers? Around the World, thanks to online listening and podcasts, there's always a crumb of the English countryside thanks to the strains of 'tum te tum te tum to tum'. This well-chosen theme, written in 1924, was originally a Maypole dance from the suite 'My Native Heath'.

                                                                         Any suggestion of the removal of the Archers from the Radio 4 schedule would make any other BBC row pale into insignificance.  Hell hath no fury as a Radio 4 listener scorned.