Judi Dench joins 100 Archers cast members urging BBC to stay in Birmingham

Dame Judi Dench has joined more than 100 current and former cast members of The Archers in urging the BBC to keep recording the programme in Birmingham.

Actors, scriptwriters, directors and sound staff have written to the BBC's director general, Matt Brittin, after the corporation dropped plans for a dedicated studio at its new home in the Tea Factory in Digbeth.

"Akin to Corrie leaving the north west"

In their letter, dated 16 October, the signatories warned: "The Archers leaving the Midlands is akin to Corrie leaving the north-west, or EastEnders the south-east."

They said the decision risked "ripping out the heart of Ambridge", the fictional village where the programme is set.

"An existential threat"

The letter said many Midlands actors get their first professional credits on the programme, and that it provides work for local writers, directors and technicians. It warned that separating the cast from the production team could harm the quality of a show broadcast six days a week all year round.

"Removing the recording of The Archers from the Midlands and divorcing the production team from the cast will have a tangible impact on the quality of the programme and represents an existential threat to its future," they wrote.

Challenging the costs

The signatories questioned the BBC's financial case, saying a dedicated studio would cost about £1.2m to £1.5m, compared with the cost of relocating staff or hiring a new team elsewhere.

They called on the BBC to reverse its decision and recommit to the Digbeth studio, suggesting it could also become a training facility "for the next generation of radio actors, writers and technicians".

"We love working in Birmingham and are proud to be custodians of this magnificent programme, which belongs to everyone, and has its roots deep in Midlands soil," they wrote.

The BBC's position

The BBC has said it is looking for "a more cost-effective solution" and is assessing both its own studios around the UK and private studios in the region. Mr Brittin has said the BBC is working with the mayor, Richard Parker, to find a future recording venue, and that The Archers is "going nowhere".

"We're going to explore how we can best house The Archers where they need to be and at the moment, we have other studio space around the country which could accommodate them," he said.

A national treasure

Dame Judi, one of Britain's best-known actors, is among many famous names to have appeared in the programme over its long history. The Archers has been made in Birmingham since it began in 1950 and has about five million listeners a week.

The decision has united politicians, the actors' union Equity and the show's many devoted listeners in calling for it to stay in the city. The programme will continue to be recorded at the Mailbox until the BBC moves to the Tea Factory in 2028, so there is still time for a solution to be found.