Arts

‘THE ARCHERS: LIVE AT 75’  Cast Announced for 2026 Tour 

BBC Radio 4’s The Archers will mark its 75th anniversary this summer with a major live stage tour and Fane Productions are delighted to announce which much-loved and iconic members of the Radio 4 cast will be appearing live on stage.

Joining the tour are eight of Ambridge’s most beloved voices, performing in two rotating casts of four. Named in a nod to the show’s setting, the Flower Cast brings together Timothy Bentinck(David Archer), Charlotte Martin (Susan Carter), Ben Norris (Ben Archer) and Annabelle Dowler (Kirsty Miller), while the Produce Cast features Charles Collingwood (Brian Aldridge), Ryan Kelly(Jazzer McCreary),  Susie Riddell (Tracy Horrobin) and Sunny Ormonde (Lilian Bellamy).

Produced by Fane Productions and licensed by the BBC, The Archers: Live at 75 tours from June to November 2026. Hosted by award-winning comedian and Archers devotee Angela Barnes, each performance will feature a cast of four actors and Vanessa Nuttall, The Archers’ live sound-effects specialist.

First broadcast on 1st January 1951, The Archers is the world’s longest-running drama. Broadcasting six times a week to millions of listeners, the programme follows the lives, loves and evolving fortunes of the residents of the fictional village of Ambridge. Over more than 20,000 episodes, it has reflected social change in Britain while remaining rooted in the rhythms of rural life, and continues to be one of the BBC’s most popular titles on BBC Sounds.

Set within a playful reimagining of the Ambridge Flower & Produce Show, the live production blends theatricality, nostalgia and behind-the-scenes insight. The evening includes on-stage interviews, insider stories, live performances of a specially written episode created exclusively by The Archers’ scriptwriters for the tour, demonstrations of the foley artistry that creates Ambridge’s distinctive soundscape, archive material from the BBC vaults, audience questions, a pub quiz inspired by The Bull, and a sing-along to the programme’s theme tune.

Quote from Charlotte Martin (Susan Carter): I’m so thrilled to be part of The Archers tour – bringing 75 magical years of Ambridge to the stage is an absolute dream come true! Can’t wait to share the laughter, tears and heart of Ambridge with fans everywhere!”

Quote from Timothy Bentinck (David Archer): “I’m so excited to be part of the upcoming The Archers national tour of the UK. We’ll 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, it’s all done with yoghurt and ironing boards!”

Quote from Serena Brett and James Albrecht, Directors at Fane Productions: “When we put our minds to the casting for this tour, we knew it had to truly represent the world of Ambridge. We worked closely with the programme’s Editor, Jeremy Howe, and the wider team at the BBC to bring together actors whose characters span generations of village life – from the Archer family at its heart, to the Aldridges, the Horrobins and beyond. We’ve aimed to reflect the full breadth of the programme: heritage and newer voices, different ages and perspectives, and some of the most iconic characters alongside those driving its current storylines. We hope audiences feel we have done Ambridge justice – and we can’t wait to bring them together on stage!”

Tour dates:

June 2026
 Sunday 7th – Palace Theatre, MANCHESTER (Ryan, Charles, Susie and Sunny)

-Monday 8th – Regent Theatre, STOKE ON TRENT (Ryan, Charles, Susie and Sunny)

-Tuesday 9th – Royal Concert Hall, NOTTINGHAM (Ryan, Charles, Susie and Sunny)

-Sunday 14th – The Marlowe Theatre, CANTERBURY (Timothy, Charlotte, Ben and Annabelle)

-Monday 15th – Corn Exchange, CAMBRIDGE (Timothy, Charlotte, Ben and Annabelle)
-Tuesday 16th – Regent Theatre, IPSWICH (Timothy, Charlotte, Ben and Annabelle)
-Wednesday 17th – Brighton Dome, BRIGHTON (Timothy, Charlotte, Ben and Annabelle)
-Saturday 20th – Hall for Cornwall, TRURO (Ryan, Charles, Susie and Sunny)
-Sunday 21st – Guildhall, PORTSMOUTH (Ryan, Charles, Susie and Sunny)
 
September 2026

-Thursday 3rd – New Wimbledon Theatre, LONDON (Timothy, Charlotte, Ben and Annabelle)
-Friday 4th – New Theatre, OXFORD (Timothy, Charlotte, Ben and Annabelle)
-Saturday 5th – G Live, GUILDFORD (Timothy, Charlotte, Ben and Annabelle)
-Sunday 6th – New Victoria Theatre, WOKING (Timothy, Charlotte, Ben and Annabelle)
-Wednesday 9th – Symphony Hall, BIRMINGHAM (Ryan, Charles, Susie and Sunny)
-Thursday 10th – Cliffs Pavilion, SOUTHENDONSEA (Ryan, Charles, Susie and Sunny)
-Friday 11th – De La Warr Pavilion, BEXHILLONSEA (Ryan, Charles, Susie and Sunny)
-Sunday 27th – Convention Centre, HARROGATE (Ryan, Charles, Susie and Sunny)
-Monday 28th – Royal Philharmonic, LIVERPOOL (Ryan, Charles, Susie and Sunny)
 
 October 2026
-Sunday 4th – King’s Theatre, GLASGOW (Timothy, Charlotte, Ben and Annabelle)
-Monday 5th, Playhouse, EDINBURGH (Timothy, Charlotte, Ben and Annabelle)
-Tuesday 6th – Tyne Theatre & Opera House, NEWCASTLE (Timothy, Charlotte, Ben and Annabelle)
-Wednesday 7th – The Globe Theatre, STOCKTON-ON-TEES (Timothy, Charlotte, Ben and Annabelle)

November 2026
-Tuesday 3rd – Great Hall (University of Exeter), EXETER (Ryan, Charles, Susie and Sunny)

-Wednesday 4th – Swansea Arena, SWANSEA (Ryan, Charles, Susie and Sunny)
-Thursday 5th – Bath Forum, BATH (Ryan, Charles, Susie and Sunny)

-Thursday 19th – International Centre, BOURNEMOUTH (Ryan, Charles, Susie and Sunny)
-Tuesday 24th – Waterside Theatre, AYLESBURY (Timothy, Charlotte, Ben and Annabelle)

-Wednesday 25th – Warwick Arts Centre, WARWICK (Timothy, Charlotte, Ben and Annabelle)
-Thursday 26th – Civic Hall, WOLVERHAMPTON (Timothy, Charlotte, Ben and Annabelle)

Tickets are available from: www.fane.co.uk/the-archers. Price: From £35