Grace Archer Grace Archer Grace Archer (née Fairbrother) (April 2, 1930 – September 22, 1955) is a fictional character from the BBC's long-running radio soap, "The Archers". She was one of the original characters and was played by Monica Gray and then Ysanne Churchman. The episode depicting her death was broadcast by the BBC on the evening of the launch of ITV, so as to distract from it. Grace is the daughter of a wealthy English family. She falls in love with Phil Archer (Norman Painting), the son of a farmer, and they are married in April 1955. A few months later,
Phil Harding (BBC executive) Phil Harding (BBC executive) Phil Harding is a journalist, broadcaster and media consultant. Previously he was a producer, editor and senior executive at the BBC. At the BBC, Harding held a wide variety of senior editorial jobs. He was Director of English Networks and News for the World Service, Controller of Editorial Policy (responsible for the editorial standards of all BBC output and writing the BBC’s editorial guidelines), and Editor of the Today programme on Radio 4, during which time the programme won five Sony Gold awards. He also headed the project which led to the founding of Radio Five