The Archers which affect farmers nationwide when livestock movements are restricted. Many famous people have made cameo appearances on the programme: The theme tune of "The Archers" is called "Barwick Green" and is a maypole dance from the suite "My Native Heath", written in 1924 by the Yorkshire composer Arthur Wood. The Sunday omnibus broadcast of "The Archers" starts with a more rustic, accordion-arranged rendition by The Yetties. The theme for BBC Radio 4 Extra's "The Archers" spinoff, "Ambridge Extra", is a version arranged by Bellowhead. A library music recording of Barwick Green was used for the pilot and during the early
The Archers pilot series started on Whit Monday, 29 May 1950, and continued throughout that week. It was created by Godfrey Baseley and was broadcast to the English Midlands in the Regional Home Service, as 'a farming Dick Barton'. Recordings were sent to London, and the BBC decided to commission the series for a longer national run. In the five pilots the Archers owned Wimberton Farm, rather than Brookfield. Baseley subsequently edited "The Archers" for 22 years. Since 1 January 1951, five 15-minute episodes (since 1998, six 12½-minute episodes) have been transmitted each week, at first on the BBC Light Programme and