Editing The Archers (section)

===Longevity===
The actor [[Norman Painting]] played Phil Archer continuously from the first trial series in 1950 until his death on 29 October 2009. His last ''Archers'' performance was recorded just two days before his death, and was broadcast on 22 November.<ref name="bbc-obituary">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8331558.stm|title=Voice of Phil Archer dies aged 85|work=BBC News|access-date=28 December 2014|archive-date=29 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141229001004/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8331558.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> He is cited in ''[[Guinness World Records]]'' as the longest-serving actor in a single soap opera.<ref name="bbc-obituary"/> Under the pseudonym "Bruno Milna", Painting also wrote around 1,200 complete episodes, which culminated in the 10,000th episode.

[[June Spencer]], who celebrated her 100th birthday in 2019, played Peggy Archer (later Woolley) in the pilot episode and continued in the role until 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/biographies/biogs/radio4/junespencer.shtml |title=Biographies: June Spencer OBE, The Archers |access-date=1 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106073640/http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/biographies/biogs/radio4/junespencer.shtml |archive-date=6 January 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=8 August 2022 |title=June Spencer: Last original Archers cast member to retire |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-62462139 |access-date=8 August 2022}}</ref>