The Politics of Ambridge - Episode 1

Two programmes in which the author Michael Dobbs explores the sixty-year relationship between the fictional world of The Archers and real-life politics. The first programme traces the political history of the series from its roots in post-war austerity through the polarised party-politics of the seventies and eighties, and meets a number of heavyweight political fans - including Glenys Kinnock and two former home secretaries, Michael Howard and David Blunkett. The second programme considers how The Archers has tried to reflect changing social attitudes over the decades, tackling issues such as racism, snobbery, and the role of contentious country sports like fox-hunting. Along the way we revisit memorable clips from the archives, and hear contributions from the cast, the editor of The Archers, Vanessa Whitburn, and two of her predecessors, William Smethurst and Liz Rigbey. Producer: John Beesley.