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
Grace Archer "Sunday Mercury" called Grace's death "One of the most controversial events in Ambridge history." Nick Collins, writing for "The Daily Telegraph", named Grace's death as one of "The Archers<nowiki>'</nowiki>" most shocking storylines In 2011, listeners voted Grace's death as their fifth most potent "Archers" memory in a poll conducted on the BBC's "Archers" website. The storyline received 9.7% of the vote. The scene is mentioned in the British comedy The Good Life series 3 episode 1. 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