The Archers: Live at 75
Organised by : Chichester Festival Theatre
BBC Radio 4s long-running drama The Archers celebrates its 75th anniversary with a brand new live theatrical experience, inviting Chichester audiences to experience the village of Ambridge as theyve never seen or indeed heard it before.
Touring from June to November 2026, this brand-new live production brings the beloved iconic radio drama out of the studio and onto stages across the UK. Hosted by award-winning comedian and Archers devotee Angela Barnes, each performance features a cast of four actors alongside Vanessa Nuttall, The Archers live sound-effects specialist.
Joining the tour are eight of Ambridges most beloved voices and appearing in Chichester will be Tim Bentinck (David Archer), Annabelle Dowler (Kirsty Miller), Charlotte Martin (Susan Carter) and Ben Norris (Ben Archer) known collectively as the tours Flower Cast.
First broadcast on 1st January 1951, The Archers is the worlds longest-running radio drama. Broadcasting six times a week to millions of listeners, the programme follows the everyday lives, loves, and dramas of the residents of the fictional village of Ambridge, deep in the heart of the English countryside. Over the course of more than 20,000 episodes, the show has chronicled significant social and cultural changes in Britain, dealing with complex contemporary issues alongside the traditional rhythms of rural life, earning its place as a cornerstone of the British cultural landscape. Today, it remains one of the BBCs most popular programmes and is currently the top on-demand show for listeners of all ages as well as regularly topping the list of most popular on-demand programmes for listeners under 35 on BBC Sounds.
Set within a playful reimagining of the Ambridge Flower & Produce Show, The Archers: Live at 75 blends theatricality, nostalgia, comedy and behind-the-scenes insight. The evening will include on-stage interviews, insider stories and gossip, live performances with live foley sound effects of specially written scenes created exclusively for the tour, archive treasures spanning seven decades from the BBC vaults, fascinating demonstrations of the sound-effects artistry that brings the fields, kitchens and barns of Ambridge so vividly to life, audience questions, an interactive pub quiz straight out of The Bull and of course, a sing-along to the programmes famous theme tune.
This is a theatrical, one-of-a-kind celebration of, and a unique insight into, the people, stories and distinctive production craft that have cemented The Archers as a beloved British institution for three generations.
The tour offers newcomers an accessible introduction to the dramas world, while giving long-time listeners a rare look into how Ambridge is created revealing the artistry behind the character work, development of storylines, and the unmistakable soundscape that define the series.
Charlotte Martin (Susan Carter) says: Im so thrilled to be part of The Archers tour - bringing 75 magical years of Ambridge to the stage is an absolute dream come true! Cant wait to share the laughter, tears and heart of Ambridge with fans everywhere!
Timothy Bentinck (David Archer) says: Im so excited to be part of the upcoming The Archers national tour of the UK. Well be on stage but the show will be very interactive, and Archers listeners and fans will be just as much a part of it as us. So come and join us at the Flower and Produce Show, and as an added treat get to see how the clever sound effects are achieved. Hint, its all done with yoghurt and ironing boards!
Angela Barnes (host) says:
I am not just an Archers superfan, I am obsessed with all things Ambridge. So to be asked to host The Archers: Live at 75 is like winning a prize at the Flower and Produce Show and being cast as the lead in a Lynda Snell production, all rolled into one. I cant wait to hang out with all of my favourite characters and really immerse myself in Borsetshire life.
Alison Hindell, Drama and Fiction Commissioner, BBC Radio 4, says:
The Archers is one of the BBCs most-loved programmes and we are tremendously proud of it as it reaches its 75th year. We hope that the live show will give fans even more of what they love, joining in the celebrations with an extra slice of Ambridge life.
Listings Information
Venue: Chichester Festival Theatre, Oaklands Park, PO19 6AP
Date: Saturday 31st October 2026
Time: 7.30pm
Cast: Tim Bentinck, Annabelle Dowler, Charlotte Martin, Ben Norris, Vanessa Nuttall, hosted by Angela Barnes
