Controversy of Grace's death.
ONE of the most controversial events in Ambridge history happened in 1955 when Phil Archer's first wife, Grace, died in a fire on the same night that the new ITV was launched.The suspicion was that it was a spoiler to steal ITV's thunder - and the plan worked, with 9.4 million listeners tuning in and the BBC switchboard jammed for 48 hours by heartbroken listeners.
In 1985, the soap's then editor, William Smethurst, made a full confession. "At the June script meeting it was decided to kill a major character - precisely on the night ITV opened. Secretary Valerie Hodgetts was told not to duplicate and distribute minutes as usual, and a shortlist of victims was drawn up.''
CAPTION(S):
LOVE LIFE: After Grace Archer (Ysanne Churchman), right, had been killed off, Phil (Norman Painting) quickly found love with Jill (Paddy Greene), left.
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| Publication: | Sunday Mercury (Birmingham, England) |
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| Date: | Nov 1, 2009 |
| Words: | 143 |
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