The Archers Ysanne Churchman, who played Grace, sent them a congratulatory card signed "Grace Archer". In 1996, William Smethurst recounted a conversation with Baseley in which he reveals his real motivation for killing off Grace Archer: Churchman was encouraging the other actors to join a trade union. The actor Norman Painting played Phil Archer continuously from the first trial series in 1950 until his death on 29 October 2009. His last "Archers" performance was recorded just two days before his death, and was broadcast on 22 November. He is cited in "Guinness World Records" as the longest-serving actor in a single soap
Paul Mayhew-Archer Paul Mayhew-Archer Paul Mayhew-Archer (born 6 January 1953) is a British writer, producer and script editor for the BBC. Before becoming a script writer for the BBC, Mayhew-Archer worked in radio as a producer of comedy programmes including "I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue", and before that as an English teacher. His most notable works are "The Vicar of Dibley" (main co-writer with Richard Curtis, the series' creator) and "My Hero" (main co-writer with creator Paul Mendelson), although he has also script-edited "Old Harry's Game" (which he also produces), "Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps", "Grownups", "Home