Dame Judi Dench joins Archers Birmingham campaign

More than 100 current and former cast and crew members of The Archers, including Dame Judi Dench, have called on the BBC to keep the programme in Birmingham.

The appeal follows a decision to shelve plans for a dedicated studio at the broadcaster's new Digbeth headquarters.

Supporters say recording the drama elsewhere could affect its quality and future.

The BBC said the move was part of wider cost-saving measures, and alternative options were being explored.

In a letter to director general Matt Brittin, actors, writers, directors and sound engineers argued that moving recordings away from the Midlands would have a "tangible impact" on the programme.

The letter compared the prospect to "Coronation Street leaving the north-west or EastEnders leaving the south-east", adding that it risked "ripping out the heart of Ambridge".

Signatories said Birmingham had been central to the show's identity since it began and warned that separating cast and production teams could affect the way the programme is made.

"A flagship show deserves flagship facilities, from which both the BBC and the city of Birmingham would benefit for decades," the letter said.

It was signed by more than 100 current and former cast and crew members, including Dench, Felicity Jones and Kellie Bright, as well as representatives from Equity and the Writers' Guild.

The Archers, set in the fictional West Midlands village of Ambridge, celebrated its 75th anniversary earlier this year and has always been recorded in Birmingham.

The intervention follows the BBC's announcement that plans for a bespoke studio at its new Tea Factory headquarters in Digbeth would not go ahead.

The Worcestershire village of Inkberrow is believed to have inspired the show's fictional village of Ambridge, while The Old Bull Inn is closely associated with the show's pub, The Bull.

Speaking earlier this week, Brittin defended the decision, saying the BBC needed to make savings but remained committed to the programme.

"We're going to explore how we can best house The Archers where they need to be," he said.

He added there was "other studio space around the country" which could accommodate the programme, while alternatives in the West Midlands would also be considered.

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker also called for the show to remain in Birmingham, describing it as a key part of the region's broadcasting heritage.

Equity general secretary Paul Fleming said cast members were "angry" at the proposals.

"It's beyond offensive, I think, for any Midlander, the idea that you would record something that is so iconic and so ironically about the Midlands, anywhere other than in the region where it's set," he told BBC Radio 4.

A BBC spokesperson said: "We fully understand the strength of feeling about The Archers' legacy and connection to the West Midlands.

"Whilst financial pressures on the BBC mean we are unable to build a new studio in The Tea Factory, we are in active discussions with local stakeholders to find an alternative in the area and will continue to look at other options.

"We have time, as there will be no change until 2028, and we are keen to find a suitable outcome."

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