Soap legend dead as tributes paid to 'ultimate matriarch' who captivated audiences
June Spencer has passed away at the grand age of 105, her family announced. The beloved actress brought Peggy Woolley to life on BBC Radio 4's The Archers right since the show's inception in 1951.
Upon her retirement in 2022 at 103, she was celebrated as the longest-serving character in the history of the programme. The BBC released a heartfelt statement, saying: "June Spencer, aged 105, best known for playing Peggy in BBC Radio 4 The Archers, died peacefully in her sleep in the early hours of this morning." They added, "Her family would like to pay particular tribute and thanks to the staff team at Liberham Lodge, who so lovingly cared for her in the last two years."
Her journey with The Archers began with a pilot episode back in 1950, and over the years, her character navigated through some of the most compelling storylines on air. In the series, Peggy often represented traditional values and conservatism, facing challenges such as alcoholism, gambling, and loss.
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Jeremy Howe, editor of The Archers, said working with her was “one of the great privileges of my time at the BBC”, and added that aside from performing as “the ultimate matriarch of Ambridge”, she was a “brilliant actress”.
He also said: “One of the cast once remarked that in all her time in the show he had only ever heard her fluff her lines the once.
“She was an actress who revelled in her craft, someone who could score a bullseye with a gently insulting cough as if it were a bon mot from Oscar Wilde. She was also a great company member – funny, sharp, warm, never gossipy, but with wonderful stories of the early days of radio drama, self-deprecating and a great companion.”
Jeremy also hailed her as “the queen” of the soap, and said with “her death The Archers has lost its link with the birth of the show over 70 years ago. It is a humbling moment for us all."
Her many fans over years include the Queen, who in 2021 invited Peggy and her co-stars to Clarence House for a reception marking the show’s 70th anniversary. Camilla also made a cameo appearance as herself in a special episode marking the 60th anniversary of the show.
