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Tim Bentinck, aka David Archer from The Archers, with the history of BBC radio soaps

Tim Bentinck (David from The Archers) brings you all the dramas in the history of BBC radio soaps. Featuring Mrs Dale's Diary, Waggoner's Walk, Citizens, Westway and The Archers.

Tim Bentinck - aka the dependable David Archer in The Archers – brings you all the dramas in the history of BBC radio soaps. 

Brace yourself to re-live the all daily goings on from serials past and present:

MRS DALE’S DIARY: 

This serial ran for 21 years based on the daily diary of doctor’s wife Mary with husband Jim and children, Bob and Gwen. Starring Ellis Powell.

*     The first episode. The Dales are preparing to move to Parkwood Hill. [05/01/1948 BBC Light Programme]

*    JFK has been elected US President as Great Aunt Hester arrives from Canada with some strange sounding visitors... [01/11/1960 BBC Light Programme]

WAGGONER'S WALK:  

This replaced Mrs Dale' Diary  on BBC Radio 2's tackling some tough storylines, It was axed in 1980

*    The first episode. 60s London is still swinging with three women sharing a flat in Hampstead. [28/04/1969 BBC Radio 2]

*    8 years later. Lyn has managed to marry and divorce her first husband and is on number two. Sister Tracy married an American and has a child. [21/02/1977]  

CITIZENS: 

BBC Radio 4's soap opera charting the lives of the residents of Limerick Road in the fictional London suburb of Ditcham. 388 episodes of went out twice a week until 1991.

*    The first episode. Hear why the critics at the time weren't too impressed. [27/10/1987 BBC Radio 4] 

*    4 years on and the end is nigh for the residents of Ditcham with shock news of a kidnapping. 

WESTWAY: 

This was the BBC World Service's very own soap, set in a health centre, which ran for 8 years, and was branded as "a slice of contemporary London life". It was later re-run on BBC 7.

*     Dr Sampson is the matriarch and heart of Westway Health Centre. Her husband has died - and his funeral plan is unconventional [21/08/1999 BBC World Service]

THE ARCHERS: 

The essential drama from the heart of the country. The world's longest running soap opera began in 1951 on the BBC Home Service and is still going strong on BBC Radio 4. 

The first episode was scheduled to detract from the opening of Associated-Rediffusion, as ITV was launched in London.

*    The classic melodramatic episode, where Grace Archer - recently married to Phil – gets trapped in a stable fire. Will she survive?  [23/09/1955 BBC Home Service]

*    It’s back to Brian's early days of marriage to Jennifer and a blonde siren called Eva, who was their German au pair. [14/05/1978 BBC Radio 4] 

Producer:  Jayne Gibson

Made for BBC 7 and first broadcast in September 2003.

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