22 years of The Archers: Editor Vanessa Whitburn's Top Storylines

In anticipation of Vanessa Whitburn’s retirement after nearly 22 years as Archers editor, we asked her to select some of the storylines of which she is proudest.

Elizabeth and Cameron

This was the first big story under Vanessa’s editorship. They are getting on well in this clip. But Cameron Fraser was soon to prove a fraudster and abandon his pregnant girlfriend. Elizabeth felt she had no option but to have an abortion.

Save the Ambridge One

Having been forced to assist her brother Clive who was on the run, Susan Carter is arrested and imprisoned for seeking to pervert the course of justice. Vanessa says: ‘This caused a national outcry, campaign and debate, with excellent ripples into real life. The Archers at its best.’

Racism in the countryside 

During Usha’s first few years in Ambridge, she was subjected to a campaign of intimidation by a gang of thugs. Young and impressionable Roy Tucker was one of them, although this attack (in which he did not take part) made him realise his mistake.

John’s death

Movingly acted by Colin Skipp. John’s death still resonates across this family to this day.

Tom trashes Brian’s GM crop

Vanessa says: ‘A controversial subject for us to tackle but one at the heart of the countryside. In the end Tom was found not guilty, using the same defence later used in real life by Lord Melchett'. This episode set in the jury room is, we believe, the only one to feature no regular Archers characters.

The Grundys evicted

A poignant  story which went on for many months and showed the real economic struggle for our much-loved tenant farmers.

Brian and Siobhan

As with all these stories, we could have picked many crucial scenes. In this one, we borrowed from Shakespeare. Brian’s handkerchief proves to Debbie that her father is an adulterer.

Fortress Brookfield

Vanessa says: ‘I was very proud of the Archers team during the terrible Foot and Mouth epidemic which unfolded over several months in 2001 and devastated farmers and the countryside in the UK. For many months we had to operate almost like a newsroom, changing our story to respond to fast-moving real life events. Eventually we decided to tell the story of how Brookfield responded to the threat of the disease.

Who’s the daddy?

...as the press dubbed this popular story. Will marries Emma but she is really in love with brother Ed. She gives birth to Will’s son but thinks it is Ed’s. A blood test reveals the truth but by then a rivalry has developed between the two brothers which could last a lifetime.

Jack’s  decline

We received many awards and accolades for this story, as we charted the progress of this heart-breaking illness over several years.

Lilian and Paul

And we come right up to date with this story. What seemed like a simple fling has become a nightmare for Lilian, as Paul turns out not to be the uncomplicated, kindly man he initially appeared.

Marmalade Wars

Vanessa chose a selection of the biggest stories which have been  threaded through the programme over, in most cases, a large span of time. They tend to have a big impact on the community and are life-changing for the characters. But she also has a particular affection for the story in which we portrayed the gentle rivalry between Jill Archer and Ruth’s mum Heather Pritchard.

As Vanessa says, that was also The Archers at its best, but in a completely different way.

We wish her the best in her retirement.

Keri Davies is an Archers scriptwriter and web producer.

• Read the full Marmalade Wars story
• Discover more about major Archers characters with our Who's Who
• Stephen Fry's introduction to The Archers