Queen says Archers star June Spencer was ‘much-loved part of people’s lives’

The Queen has said The Archers histrion June Spencer volition beryllium “greatly missed” pursuing her decease aged 105.

Spencer had played matriarch Peggy Woolley successful the BBC Radio 4 amusement since its archetypal occurrence successful 1951, and was credited arsenic being the longest-serving quality successful the programme erstwhile she announced her status successful 2022 – astatine the property of 103.

Her galore fans implicit the years included Camilla, who invited Spencer and her co-stars to Clarence House for a reception marking the show’s 70th day successful 2021.

Camilla besides made a cameo quality arsenic herself successful a peculiar occurrence marking the 60th day of the show.

“For implicit 70 years, June Spencer was a much-loved portion of truthful galore people’s lives, brilliantly combining successful Peggy Woolley the roles of reassuring matriarch and ‘gangsta granny’,” the Queen said successful a connection shared connected the authoritative Royal Family societal media accounts.

“She volition beryllium greatly missed and I nonstop my heartfelt condolences to her family.”

Spencer archetypal joined The Archers for a aviator occurrence successful 1950, and on-air her storylines saw her quality woody with alcoholism, gambling and bereavement.

Peggy was often viewed arsenic a traditionalist, a blimpish quality successful the long-running play charting the ups and downs of beingness successful fictional Ambridge.

A connection released by the BBC, connected behalf of the family, said: “June Spencer, aged 105, champion known for playing Peggy successful BBC Radio 4 The Archers, died peacefully successful her slumber successful the aboriginal hours of this morning.

“Her household would similar to wage peculiar tribute and acknowledgment to the unit squad astatine Liberham Lodge (care location successful Surrey), who truthful lovingly cared for her successful the past 2 years.”

Jeremy Howe, exertion of The Archers, said moving with her was “one of the large privileges of my clip astatine the BBC”, and added that speech from performing arsenic “the eventual matriarch of Ambridge”, she was a “brilliant actress”.

He besides said: “One of the formed erstwhile remarked that successful each her clip successful the amusement helium had lone ever heard her fluff her lines the once.

“She was an histrion who revelled successful her craft, idiosyncratic who could people a bullseye with a mildly insulting cough arsenic if it were a bon mot from Oscar Wilde.

“She was besides a large institution subordinate – funny, sharp, warm, ne'er gossipy, but with fantastic stories of the aboriginal days of vigor drama, self-deprecating and a large companion.”

Mr Howe besides hailed her arsenic “the queen” of the soap, and said with “her decease The Archers has mislaid its nexus with the commencement of the amusement implicit 70 years ago”.

“It is simply a humbling infinitesimal for america all,” helium added.

The BBC said The Archers volition people her character’s 100th birthday adjacent week.

Peggy had been a soundless quality since the Nottingham-born actress’s retirement.

Mohit Bakaya, controller of Radio 4, called Spencer a “longstanding beingness and companion for Radio 4 listeners during her exceptional run” connected the vigor soap.

“Many person grown up with June arsenic Peggy and listened arsenic she journeyed done life’s galore chapters, with each of its ups and downs,” Mr Bakaya added.

“In her aboriginal years, her portrayal of a devoted woman caring for a hubby with dementia, including their precise moving last goodbye, was profoundly poignant and almighty radio.

“We nonstop each our emotion and condolences to June’s household and the galore radical whose lives she touched.”

Peggy’s archetypal husband, Jack Archer, was a gambler and alcoholic, and her second, Jack Woolley (Arnold Peters), suffered from dementia, which prompted a moving storyline agelong earlier the information became a nationalist talking point.

Spencer’s husband, Roger Brocksom, died successful 2001 aft suffering dementia, soon earlier her on-air hubby successful The Archers had Alzheimer’s.

Her adopted lad David, a classical dancer, died aft a conflict with alcoholism.

Peters died successful May 2013 aged 87 after suffering from Alzheimer’s.