Patricia Greene, Longest-Serving Archers Cast Member, Dies at 95

Patricia Greene, who held the record as the longest-serving cast member of BBC Radio 4's The Archers, passed away at the age of 95. She had been portraying Jill Archer, the beloved matriarch famous for her lemon drizzle cake, since her debut in 1957, marking nearly 70 years on the show. The announcement was made during the Today programme. Mohit Bakaya, the controller of BBC Radio 4, praised her "outstanding" contributions, while editor Jeremy Howe referred to her as "utterly singular, a fabulous and raucously funny raconteur." Greene, who trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, received an MBE in 1997. Her other work included roles in ITV's Crossroads and BBC's Doctors and Casualty. Despite moving to a care home in August 2023, she continued to record for The Archers.