To conduct the funeral of Peggy Woolley

Hugh Dennis is to appear on The Archers, Chortle can reveal.

The comedian is playing Father Crispin, a one-off character who appears in the long-running Radio 4 soap opera tonight and tomorrow.

His character comes to Ambridge to conduct the funeral of Peggy Woolley, who had fallen out with the village vicar Alan Franks over his controversial decision to facilitate the baptism of the villainous  Rob Titchener.

Before she died, Peggy – whose passing was revealed in an episode a month ago – met Father Crispin at her home, The Laurels, and made the arrangements for her funeral.

An insider said Dennis - whose acting credits include Outnumbered and The Couple Next Door–  ‘promises to bring a touch of comic relief as listeners prepare to bid farewell to one of Ambridge’s most iconic residents’.

He’s pictured above recording his role with Perdita Avery, who plays Peggy’s granddaughter Kate Madikane and Paul Venables as her partner Jakob Hakansson.

Peggy was played by June Spencer for more than 60 years, from 1950 - when the soap began – to 1953 and then again from 1962 to 2022, by which time she was the only remaining member of the original cast. Spencer died last year at the age of 105

Dennis joins a varied list of guest stars who have featured in The Archers, including Dame Judi Dench, Queen Camilla, Alison Steadman and Jackie Weaver, who gained fame for taking control of the Handforth Parish Council Zoom meeting during lockdown. 

From the comedy world, Griff Rhys Jones appeared as himself in July 2004, backing a campaign to restore the Cat and Fiddle pub; Dame Edna Everage appeared in 1998, when there characters Robert and Lynda went to see her on stage and she picked on Lynda and future I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue legend Humphrey Lyttelton opened the village fate in 1957.

Dennis’s episodes airs on BBC Radio 4 at 7pm tonight and tomorrow.

Published: 9 Jun 2025