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
Phil Kennedy Phil Kennedy Phil Kennedy is a British broadcaster who currently presents on BBC Berkshire. Phil's radio career began on Radio Jackie when it was still a pirate radio station, he then moved to Top Shop's instore radio station on London's Oxford Street. Shortly after that he landed a Saturday night show on national BBC Radio 1. Afterwards, he worked at Key 103 in Manchester and Richard Branson's ill-fated ILR sustaining service, The Superstation. During his late-night Superstation show, he hosted features called 'Kennedy's Classic Cuts' and 'PK Nuts'. After The Superstation closed, Phil went to work at BBC GLR, Virgin