June Spencer, who played matriarch Peggy Woolley in BBC Radio 4’s The Archers, has died at the age of 105, her family has said.
Spencer had played the character since the show’s first episode in 1951, and when she announced her retirement in 2022, aged 103, was credited as being the longest-serving character in the programme.
A statement released by the BBC said: “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.
“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.”
Peggy was often viewed as a traditionalist, a conservative character in the long-running drama charting the ups and downs of life in fictional Ambridge.
Spencer first joined The Archers for a pilot episode in 1950, and on-air her storylines saw her character deal with alcoholism, gambling and bereavement.
