Norman Painting Norman Painting Norman George Painting (23 April 1924 – 29 October 2009) was an English actor, broadcaster and writer. He played Phil Archer in the BBC Radio 4 soap opera "The Archers" from the pilot episodes aired on the BBC Midlands Home Service in summer 1950, after the series went national on the Light Programme on 1 January 1951, until his death in 2009, when he was the longest-serving member of the cast. His last episode, recorded two days before he died, was broadcast on 22 November 2009. The character lived on until Phil was "found dead" in his armchair
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