Phil Archer when the show began airing nationally on 1 January 1951. During his time with "The Archers", Painting wrote a best-selling book entitled "Forever Ambridge" and wrote over a thousand scripts for the show between 1966 and 1982. Painting was later inducted into the Guinness World Records for being the longest-serving actor, without a break, in a single soap opera. In later years, Painting's appearances on the show became limited due to his ill health. On 29 October 2009, two days after he had gone to the recording studio, Painting died. BBC Radio 4 controller, Mark Damazer, said "Norman Painting was
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