The Archers listening figures. Partly established with the aim towards educating farmers following World War II, "The Archers" soon became a popular source of entertainment for the population at large, attracting nine million listeners by 1953. "The Archers" is set in the fictional village of Ambridge in the fictional county of Borsetshire, in England. Borsetshire is situated between, in reality, the contiguous counties of Worcestershire and Warwickshire, south of Birmingham in The Midlands. Possibly based on the village of Cutnall Green, various other villages claim to be the inspiration for Ambridge; "The Bull", Ambridge's pub, is modelled on The Old Bull in
Soap opera Network weekday series aired in a daytime slot in 15-minute installments. "The Story of Peter Grey" ran for 164 episodes. The first successful wave of Australian evening television soap operas started in 1967 with "Bellbird", produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. This rural-based serial screened in an early evening slot in 15-minute installments as a lead-in to the evening news. "Bellbird" was a moderate success but built-up a consistent and loyal viewer base, especially in rural areas, and enjoyed a ten-year run. "Motel" (1968) was Australia's first half-hour soap opera; the daytime soap had a short run of 132 episodes.