Even the fictional farmers of radio's The Archers are against Starmer's swingeing tax raid

As he celebrates 50 years in Ambridge this month, actor Charles Collingwood on the perks of playing a cad, proving RADA wrong... and why he has great sympathy for the farming families facing an uncertain future

- Sue Crawford

DISTINGUISHED, cultured, suave and authoritative, actor Charles Collingwood has one of the most recognisable voices on radio after 50 years playing philandering farmer Brian Aldridge in Radio 4's The Archers. But had the actor's tutors at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art had their way, his rich upper-class vocals might have sounded altogether different.

For instead of being praised for his dulcet tones, the aspect of Charles' acting that his teachers found fault with the most was, surprisingly, the way he spoke.

"In shops and supermarkets people very often say, 'You've got such a lovely voice' and it may well have been an asset in my career, though it's no credit to me, it's what I was given," Charles reasons.

"I think it's because my voice is clear. I'm quite critical of people that are grammatically incorrect. I'm not being snobbish, but the voice is such a beautiful instrument, so it slightly grates on me if someone just doesn't care how it sounds.

"But the funny thing about it was that when I was at RADA, the thing I was criticised for all the time was my voice. I was told it was too casual, it was too throwaway, it was too this and too that." He gives a small chuckle. "Anyway, it's served me well and people have been very sweet and said lovely things about my voice.

I'm 82 this May and I might meet God quite soon, so I will thank him for giving it to me!" The voice of course has helped establish Brian as one of The Archers' most notorious lotharios. This month Charles celebrates an incredible 50 years in the show.

After breezing into Ambridge in 1975 and marrying Jennifer, he cheated on her, first with aristocratic Caroline Bone.