The Archers

BBC Radio 4
  • 4.4 (15)
  • DRAMA
  • UPDATED DAILY
The Archers

Contemporary drama in a rural setting.

  1. 7 HR AGO

    10/01/2025

    Writer: Shaun McKenna Director: Peter Leslie Wild Editor: Jeremy Howe Ben Archer…. Ben Norris David Archer…. Timothy Bentinck Henry Archer…. Blayke Darby Jolene Archer…. Bufffy Davis Kenton Archer…. Richard Attlee Ruth Archer…. Felicity Finch Leonard Berry…. Paul Copley Harrison Burns…. James Cartwright Justin Elliot…. Simon Williams Brad Horrobin…. Taylor Uttley Tracy Horrobin…. Susie Riddell Khalil Malik…. Krish Bassi Kirsty Miller…. Annabelle Dowler Lily Pargetter…. Katie Redford Fallon Rogers…. Joanna Van Kampen Inspector Norris…. Bharti Patel Scarlett…. Beatrice White

    13 min

  2. 1 DAY AGO

    09/01/2025

    Ruth and David worry over Leonard’s revelation yesterday that he’s considering moving to his son’s home in Singapore. Leonard seems animated when he talks about it, but Ruth detects doubt in his voice. Ruth comments Jill will be devastated. Leonard ends the speculation by announcing that Jill thinks he should go if he wants to; she won’t stand in the way of such a golden opportunity. Nothing more to say then, shrugs David. Ruth presses Leonard and they agree to wait a couple of days before taking any action, and Leonard goes to think things through. David and Ruth agree this could be a disaster, wondering how to keep Leonard and Jill together. When Leonard returns he has news; he’s spoken to Jill again, and instead of moving to Singapore she’s asked him to move into Brookfield. He’s staying. David and Ruth are overjoyed, and Leonard says he’ll help out at Brookfield. And as it’s Fallon’s first evening doing food at The Bull, Leonard insists on taking them for dinner. Harrison wonders to Inspector Norris if there’s been any follow up on the case of the young girl they attended on Tuesday. Norris confirms it’s in the system. Later she questions whether Harrison's heart’s in his work and has concerns over his objectivity, particularly in cases regarding children. He seems to be struggling. Is he sure he still wants to be a police officer? Harrison can’t imagine being anything else, but admits he sometimes feels like he’s drowning. He’s not happy. Norris wonders whether a change might be worth considering. She has a suggestion for him.

    13 min

  3. 2 DAYS AGO

    08/01/2025

    Ben and David accompany Leonard to his old friend Frank’s funeral. As Leonard reminisces, telling them it was Frank who got him into ballooning, Ben declares him a dark horse. Just an old horse, replies Leonard. People see grey hair and don’t look any further. They learn the funeral is delayed due to the family being held up, and David and Leonard retire to a café to wait. When Ben joins them he has news that the family won’t make it, and rather than reschedule they’d like Leonard to step in. He’s apprehensive. He’s not much good at this sort of thing; what should he say? David and Ben tell him he doesn’t have to do it, but he galvanises and prepares to make some notes. Later at the funeral Leonard speaks well of his friend, talking about their shared adventures and what he learned on their journey. Frank made Leonard brave, and even encouraged him to court his future wife. Afterwards Leonard reports Frank’s niece Gaynor was thrilled by it all all after Ben had set up a live stream for her family. Gaynor told Leonard that Frank had lain undiscovered for three weeks after he died. This gives Leonard pause for thought. You lose people as you get older and it’s sometimes hard to keep on, knowing you could be forgotten about. He’s reluctant to elaborate, but later reports he’s spoken to his son Simon, telling him how he’s been feeling – discombobulated, and sometimes lonely. Simon has suggested that Leonard should go and live with him in Singapore. And Leonard thinks he might go.

    13 min

  4. 3 DAYS AGO

    07/01/2025

    Fallon thanks Tracy as she sets to work in The Bull kitchen. Tracy chats with Lily about Brad and realises that all’s not well. Later at home, Brad admits he’s struggling and he's finding Tracy’s constant praise a pressure. Tracy promises to calm down, but Brad says he wants to quit University. Tracy comes up with all sorts of ideas, like a private tutor – they can raise the money. But he says no. She asks Brad to wait until he’s absolutely certain before quitting. Lily calls Brad, who realises she has spoken to Tracy. Lily has some useful details to help Brad, and he relents. He doesn’t want to quit. He’ll just have to make it work. Harrison and his boss Inspector Norris attend a domestic disturbance. Norris asks Harrison to speak to the young girl who’s alone outside the house, while she talks to the man and woman inside. The girl, Scarlett, is quiet and reticent, but opens up a little as they discuss her outfit and the Christmas gifts she received. Norris returns to tell Scarlett she can go back to her Mum now. Frustrated Harrison shares his feelings at how they have to let Scarlett return to a dangerous home environment. Norris points out that professionally they have done what they can, outlining standard next steps. Emotional Harrison walks away as Norris calls after him. Later Fallon’s buzzing about her new opportunity at The Bull, but Harrison seems quiet. When Fallon wonders what’s wrong and asks how his day's been, Harrison replies it was fine and nothing out of the ordinary.

    13 min

  5. 4 DAYS AGO

    06/01/2025

    Justin has no idea about Kirsty’s recent meeting to discuss a wild – and illegal - release of beavers, until enraged David explains what he wheedled out of Khalil. Kirsty explains diplomatically that there was a meeting to discuss every option. Justin soothes and thanks David, before berating Kirsty. He’ll have to rethink the whole idea regarding the beaver scheme. Later a calmer David helps Jolene with a plan to put off Tracy and install Fallon in the Bull kitchen instead. Tracy works out what’s going on and tells relieved Jolene she completely understands – Tracy did just barge in and put Jolene and Kenton on the spot. Of course, it should be Fallon. Tracy expected Brad to be around to taste-test her chips, but he’s gone to the library – and Tracy’s full of praise as ever. At the library Lily gets him to join her for a coffee and catch up. She hasn’t seen Brad at Grey Gables recently. Lily’s concerned as Brad admits that helping George means he’s not taking on work shifts and has missed some lectures. His course is so hard, and Tracy keeps saying how brilliant he is, when he feels he’s not. When Brad says he wants to drop out of University, Lily suggests giving it another term before deciding and reminds him that there are people at University he can speak to. There’s also his mum and Jazzer. Brad asserts that he needs to get through this on his own. He tells Lily he’ll give it until week five; he’ll be fine.

    13 min

  6. 5 DAYS AGO

    05/01/2025

    Tracy’s overheard some praise about Wayne’s food at the Bull and suggests a few promotions. But they discover Wayne’s leaving for a six-week cruise on Thursday. It’s a band gig. Disappointed Tracy offers to cover in the kitchen, and Kenton keen to solve the problem agrees. Tracy heads off before Jolene has had time to think it through. She then realises they should have asked Fallon first. When Fallon offers to step in Jolene admits her mistake. Fallon insists it’s fine. As Jill prepares to leave for Sunderland to visit Shula, Leonard feels it’s time he went home. Later concerned Ruth and David discuss it and agree they’d like Leonard to stay with them permanently, for Jill’s sake. When Ruth mentions it to Jill later, she’s shocked to discover that Jill isn’t keen on Leonard moving in. She thinks Jill’s scared, and that she and Leonard are both hiding their feelings. Khalil needs to research an essay he’s writing about farms from a predator’s point of view. When he goes to Brookfield to research the Asian hornets, David invites Khalil to tag along to the winter housing with him. They get chatting about beavers and David’s really scathing about them. Khalil mentions Neo, who he Kirsty and Rex met last week, then clams up. David knows Khalil’s hiding something and persuades him to divulge the information. David returns home in a rage. But Leonard has some news – an old friend’s died and the funeral’s on Wednesday. He’s cut up and David and Ruth sympathise, before David declares he’s ready to read Justin Elliott the riot act.

    13 min

  7. 3 JAN

    03/01/2025

    Hannah catches up with Chris at the playground with Martha. Chris realises they never went for that drink they agreed to. They arrange to meet up this evening for cocktails. Over drinks, they talk about parenting and their own childhoods. Chris apologies for talking so much about Martha. But Hannah’s fine. When Chris leans in for a kiss, surprised Hannah backs away. She’s not feeling it and suspects that what Chris really wants is a family – is he really over Alice? Chris guesses given their history there will always be some feelings there. Hannah encourages Chris to work out what he really wants. Rex finds Kirsty on the phone to Neo, a contact who’s set to help them with the potential beaver ‘wild release’. They’ll meet later. It feels very covert to nervous Rex, who knows as well as Kirsty that the release would be illegal. At the meeting point they spot Khalil, who’s there to check the dormice Henry told him about yesterday. He’s overheard their plans and finds out more. Kirsty’s impressed at Khalil’s knowledge about climate change, and while she’d like to get rid of him, realises they’ll need to let him stay when Neo arrives, as long as he doesn’t say anything. They meet and the upshot is that they can ‘press go’ any time. Super-excited Khalil wants to know when they’ll get hold of the beavers to release. Cautious Kirsty tells him not breathe a word about any of this to anyone.

    13 min

  8. 2 JAN

    02/01/2025

    Mick reckons Rex is keen on Rochelle and enthuses about it to Joy. She points out that Rochelle isn’t as ‘together’ as she may seem, and awkwardly asks Rex not to pursue things with Rochelle. She’s more vulnerable than she seems. Rex is confused but agrees. Helen, Pat and Tony chat about Henry’s birthday. Lee’s stopping by to see him later. Meanwhile, Helen’s anxious to check with her mum and dad that things are okay between them after their chat the other day about retirement. They reassure her that they are. As Henry tends to Hero’s the buck goat's hooves, Khalil admits to being jealous about not having any animals. As Henry gets distracted with chat about dormice at the rewilding, Khalil notices Hero’s escaped. Henry goes to chase him. Lee manages to wrangle the errant goat, and Henry introduces him to Khalil. After Khalil heads home, Henry, feeling chuffed about getting two tickets to a superhero convention in the summer, invites Lee. But this forces Lee to admit to Henry that he won’t be around – he’s moving to San Francisco. Henry’s mature about it and knows it’s right for Lee to be with his kids. Lee’s positive – Henry can come and visit when he’s a bit older. Henry shows Helen, Pat and Tony that he’s totally fine, as he shares something he’s been working on: a promotional plan for ‘Bridge Farm Live in ’25’. They’re stunned and impressed – Helen knows that Henry’s growing up, and her mum and dad herald the arrival of the next generation of farmers!

    13 min
See All (29)

Ratings & Reviews

4.4
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

Contemporary drama in a rural setting.

Information

  • Creator
    BBC Radio 4
  • Years Active
    2007 - 2025
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2025
  • Show Website
    The Archers

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