Archers falls prey to virus as lockdown hits Ambridge

THE residents of Borsetshire may have been blissfully unaware of the pandemic sweeping the globe, but Ambridge will have its first Covid-19 storyline in May, producers of The Archers have revealed.

With the situation moving rapidly and recording done weeks in advance of broadcast, it proved impossible for writers of the BBC Radio 4 drama to reference coronavirus in time.

The pre-recorded episodes will run out on May 4, so characters will begin to have Covid-19 fears and lockdown written into their storylines.

Voice actors are expected to record episodes from their homes, so their characters may also be in self-isolation.

They will slip into soliloquy as writers avoid scripts involving multiple characters at once, perhaps hinting at a lockdown.

Coronavirus will be referenced in the show in the same way as other prominent events such as the foot and mouth crisis and the World Cup.

Episodes are going to be reduced again, down to four a week rather than six, with the Sunday omnibus shortened as a result.

Despite the changes, the BBC has assured listeners Ambridge will still offer a comforting escape, and a necessary treat in these troubling times.

“For nearly 70 years, Ambridge has been a haven for our audience, and so it continues to be,” said Jeremy Howe, editor of The Archers.

“While coronavirus might be coming to Borsetshire, listeners can still expect The Archers to be an escape, and the residents to be bickering and as playful and witty as ever. We want this new approach to The Archers to still be a picture of the way we live now in rural England that it has always been.

“However, these are unprecedented times and the team has worked tirelessly to make sure we can continue to visit Ambridge.”

The virus has reached royalty and its centrality to contemporary life will be reflected in the show, but in “a way loyal listeners would expect”.

The BBC has warned listeners that The Archers will sound different, and be a simplified version of the programme they are used to. How much impact the virus will have in Borsetshire has not been confirmed. Mr Howe added: “I am enormously grateful to the production team, the cast and the crew for all their magnificent efforts and creativity.

“I think keeping the show running and giving us all an opportunity to hear from beloved characters will be a treat loyal listeners will want and need.”