Our April talk

Ambridge in Bethnal Green – Janet Beck on The Archers

Our very own Janet Beck had an enthusiastic audience... so popular is The Archers that comedian Billy Connolly once suggested that its signature tune be used as the national anthem. The signature tune was one of the papers at last year's Academic Archers conference, more of which, later. 

The Archers started on Whit weekend in 1950 but its official start was in 1951 and it's our longest-running radio series, with its own archivist.

Janet became a listener somewhere in the mid-1960s, in the school Summer holidays. Janet's father was looking after her. He would usually switch off the radio after The World at One but this time they listened on – and they were both hooked. There was an Archers-based school rebellion, which resulted in Janet's radio being confiscated. In a year in Germany without access to it, Janet would get letters from her father telling her what was going on – with a bit of family news as a 'by the way'.

Janet entered a competition for the most extreme place in which someone had listened to The Archers: in the Royal Free hospital, while being induced...

Before she worked for Hansard, Janet's job was producing radio commercials and they would try and get Archers actors. 

Janet has been in the Eddie Grundy fan club – and in the winning team at a fan club quiz. Janet spoke of how the show connects people; how its characters feel like mutual friends. That was demonstrated in the lively chat at our meeting, of characters, plot lines, actors, unfeasibly fit and active elderly characters, loves, dislikes, accents and their role in being able to tell characters apart, how characters have been written out, biscuit varieties (we were split on the Garibaldi), bell-ringing protests, influence, disability and how topical stories such as inheritance tax and domestic abuse find their way into the series. Family came into our chat too, whether people gathered round the radio or Archers-listening was part of our family folklore.

The Academic Archers started when two women met at an academic conference, found a shared interest in The Archers, put a call-out for papers and held their first conference in London. The papers are peer reviewed. Janet has been to conferences in London, Sheffield, covered by a Telegraph journalist (Janet has a mention in the piece, pictured above) and during Covid, on Zoom. This grew – they met on Saturday mornings to watch a paper being presented. This grew to in-person gatherings. Janet suggested a conference centre where she went regularly on sewing retreats. Last year, the Saturday group and sewing retreat coincided and the two groups got on well. One of the most exciting papers has been from someone who has been in Afghanistan, on insurgency in The Archers.

There was a question about whether anything similar existed in other countries. The Reardons was mentioned, in Ireland. Australia and New Zealand seemed likely candidates. New Zealand had The Archers, but some years ago, stopped broadcasting. There was outrage... but listeners found other ways to tune in. More on where the show is broadcast on the BBC Radio 4 The Archers FAQ.

Could listeners tell who had written an episode, as crossword regulars recognise the setter? Yes, said Janet, with some insights into writers and into the layout of a script – to the side, with space for notes.

And what about the authenticity of the stories? There are advisors and consultants, including for the 'bury your Y-Fronts' storyline (we are not making this up – it's for soil testing).

The WI gets bad press in The Archers – there are regular complaints about hall use and competing stalls...

New listeners are brought in with current storylines and younger characters. But what of future storylines? Even the actors who know can't tell.

A massive East End WI thank-you to Janet for a very popular, lively meeting. See Janet's quilts in the upcoming exhibition Quilts at the Library, at Swiss Cottage Library, 88 Avenue Road London NW3 3HA, from 3 June to 3 July. 

Our April coffee morning: Friday 25th April – Targa Green Cafe, 137 Tredegar Road, E3 2EU, meet between 10.30 and 11.00

A welcome return to Targa Green Café, conveniently on the 339 bus route or a short walk from the No.8 stop on Parnell Road.