After more than 70 years on the air waves, June Spencer is leaving her role on BBC radio soap The Archers at the age of 103.
The voice of Peggy Woolley, who featured in the very first BBC Radio 4 episode which aired in 1951, has retired after 72 years.
June’s final episode as Peggy was broadcast to the nation on Sunday, July 31.
Show editor Jeremy Howe described Peggy as “one of the greatest creations of broadcasting” as he wished June a “well-deserved” retirement.
“I think working with June Spencer has been one of the greatest privileges of my many decades in drama,” he said.
“Her Peggy is one of the great creations of broadcasting – utterly charming, utterly ruthless, sharp as a knife and witty in spades.
“To think that June has commanded the airwaves over an Archers career of over 70 years beggars belief.
“I have rarely worked with such an inventive, focused and technically brilliant actor, or such a lovely person.
“Myself and the Archers team and cast wish June a well-deserved and long retirement – and I know that if she doesn’t think the show is up to the mark, June will be letting us know.
“Bravo the legend that is June Spencer.”
When The Archers started, Peggy was a young woman with two little girls. Now she’s a great-grandmother.
She has featured in many important storylines including the harrowing account of her husband Jack Woolley succumbing to Alzheimer's.
It was particularly personal for her as her own husband, Roger, also had the condition until his death. The storyline began a year after her husband passed away.
June says her character had become “weak and unsafe” after over 70 years on air, saying it was “high time she boughed out”.
She added: “In 1950 I helped to plant an acorn. It took root and in January 1951 it was planted out and called ‘The Archers’.
“Over the years it has thrived and become a splendid great tree with many branches.
“But now this old branch, known as Peggy, has become weak and unsafe so I decided it was high time she ‘boughed’ out, so I have duly lopped her.”
Away from Ambridge, June’s love of gardening has won her awards at village horticultural shows for her roses, and she enjoys the peace and quiet of her second home in Menorca.
In 1991 June was made an OBE and in June 2010 she received the Freedom of the City of London.
June was awarded a Lifetime Achievement award at the 2014 BBC Audio Drama Awards. She was made a CBE in the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to drama and charity.
The Duchess of Cornwall is a long-standing listener to The Archers and made a cameo appearance as herself in a special episode marking the 60th anniversary of the show.
“Peggy is a true national treasure who has been part of my life, and millions of others, for as long as I can remember,” Her Royal Highness reminisced.
