June, who has played Peggy Woolley in The Archers since it first aired in 1950, has addressed the anonymity of the actors in the long-running BBC Radio 4 drama.
Speaking about when she first started on the show, June, 98, said: “It was a tuppenny-ha’penny thing. And very badly paid.
“But you do whatever comes up.”
The star went on to explain why the voice actors were not credited for their roles, telling the Radio Times: “At the time, we were told that it wasn’t a drama programme, it was 'real life overheard', which is why, of course, the cast list is never read on air."
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“We’re anonymous voices,” she said. “So, although Peggy is well known, the present generations have never heard of June Spencer.”
But The Archers stalwart isn’t partial to her lack of recognition, adding: “It would be nice to be acknowledged, actually.
“Particularly when you have an emotional episode, such as Peggy’s goodbye to Jack [her husband who passed away in 2014].
“I worked a lot on the line where Peggy says, ‘Goodbye, my darling’,” she explained. “And, at the end, they read out who it’s been written by and who the editor is, but there’s no mention of the actress.”
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She appeared placated by the fact that fans could find out the actors’ names by looking them up in listings, however.
June went on to praise the show for giving her a “breath of life” and something to work on to keep her mind young.
Speaking about the devastating storyline which tugged at heartstrings across the nation when Jack (played by Arnold Peters) passed away after battling Alzheimer’s Disease, June opened up about the tragic echoes of her real life in that of her character’s loss.
June’s own husband, Robert, suffered from the disease for five years before passing away following a stroke in 2001.
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Read the full interview in this week's Radio Times [RADIO TIMES]
She called the storyline where Peggy had to say goodbye to her husband the highlight of her time on The Archers.
“It gave me great scope as an actor and it was a subject very dear to my heart because my husband Roger also had Alzheimer’s,” she said.
The heartbreaking instalment where Jack passed away is one of the show’s most memorable moments.
Peggy was heard listening to the song they used to share together, Love is the Sweetest Thing, on her record player, before whispering softly: “Goodbye, Jack. Goodbye, my darling.”
Read the full interview with June Spencer in this week’s Radio Times, out now.
