More than 100 current and former cast and crew members of The Archers, including Dame Judi Dench, have called on the BBC to keep the programme recording in Birmingham.
The appeal follows the BBC's decision to shelve plans for a dedicated studio at its new Tea Factory headquarters in Digbeth. The corporation said the move is part of wider cost-saving measures and alternative options are being explored.
What the supporters are arguing
In a letter to BBC director general Matt Brittin, actors, writers, directors and sound engineers argued that moving recordings away from the Midlands would have a "tangible impact" on the programme. Signatories included actors Felicity Jones and Kellie Bright, alongside representatives from Equity and the Writers' Guild.
The letter compared the prospect to "Coronation Street leaving the north-west, or EastEnders leaving the south-east", adding that it risks "ripping out the heart of Ambridge".
Supporters warned that separating cast and production teams from Birmingham could affect the way the programme is made. "A flagship show deserves flagship facilities, from which both the BBC and the city of Birmingham would benefit for decades," the letter said.
The Archers, set in the fictional West Midlands village of Ambridge, has been recorded in Birmingham since it began and celebrated its 75th anniversary earlier this year.
BBC response and next steps
BBC director general Matt Brittin defended the decision, saying the corporation needed to make savings but remained committed to the programme. "We're going to explore how we can best house The Archers where they need to be," he said. He added there was "other studio space around the country" which could accommodate the programme, while alternatives in the West Midlands would also be considered.
West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker called for the show to remain in Birmingham, describing it as a key part of the region's broadcasting heritage.
Equity general secretary Paul Fleming said cast members were "angry" at the proposals. "It's beyond offensive, I think, for any Midlander, the idea that you would record something that is so iconic and so ironically about the Midlands, anywhere other than in the region where it's set," he told BBC Radio 4.