Last member of the original Archers cast dies aged 105

June Spencer voiced much-loved character Peggy Woolley

- JACOB STOLWORTHY

Actor June Spencer, who delighted listeners to The Archers including royalty - for decades with her role as strong-minded Peggy Woolley, has died at the age of 105. She was the last surviving member of the original cast of the BBC Radio 4 serial.

Her many fans over the years included Queen Camilla, who in 2021 invited her to Clarence House to mark the show’s 70th anniversary, calling her a “true national treasure who has been part of my life, and millions of others, for as long as I can remember”.

Spencer first appeared in The Archers’ pilot episode in 1950, and on air, her storylines saw her character deal with the fallout from alcoholism, gambling and bereavement.

A few years after the show’s launch in 1951, Spencer took a break to focus on her young family, and Thelma Rogers replaced her in the role. She returned in 1961 and remained in the role until her retirement in 2022.

Peggy was often viewed as a traditionalist, a conservative character in the long-running drama, which charts the ups and downs of life in the fictional village of Ambridge. Peggy’s first husband, Jack Archer, was a gambler and an alcoholic, and her second, Jack Woolley, played by Arnold Peters, suffered from dementia, which led to her being involved in a moving storyline long before the condition became a national talking point.