Patricia Greene

Patricia Honor Greene (26 January 1931 – 9 July 2026) was an English actress best known for voicing matriarch Jill Archer in the radio serial The Archers. She played the role from 1957 until her death in 2026, making her the world's longest serving actor in a soap opera in any medium (radio, television or internet). Greene also briefly acted in television and film.

Early life Greene was born in Allenton, Derby, England, on 26 January 1931, the second daughter of Edward Greene, a piano salesman, and Agnes Johnson, a housewife. Her family moved to Campion Street in the New Zealand part of the city, where she attended Ashgate Infants School on Ashbourne Road. Later she moved to Kirk Street, Chester Green, attending St Paul's Junior School and the Parkfields Cedars Grammar School.

She began working as a ward orderly at the Derbyshire Children's Hospital and in the sheet metal factory of Hawk Industries, but noticed her father crying at a theatre performance. She credited that moment with her wanting to become an actress as she wanted to make people emote. During a microphone technique class, a teacher told her that she would never be on television due to sounding like a "fairy in hockey boots". Greene said she found the first six weeks of appearing on The Archers tough due to her inexperience; she recalled that on her second day, she took stage directions too far and threw a glass of water over Norman Painting, who portrayed Phil Archer, and nearly electrocuted him. This impressed series creator Godfrey Baseley and he kept her on the series.

Outside of The Archers, her other roles included a small role in the television film A Man For All Seasons in 1957. In 1961, she appeared as Anne in the British film The Kitchen, and in 1964 she played Mary in the TV series It's a Woman's World. Greene also played various characters in the ITV soap opera Crossroads between 1965 and 1969.

In March 2000, she appeared in the first episode of the BBC medical soap opera Doctors as Margaret Richmond. She reprised the role a month later, as well as appearing in an episode of the BBC medical drama Casualty later in 2000.

Personal life and death Greene married English actor George Selway in 1959. They later divorced, and she married Cyril Austen Richardson in 1972, with whom she had a son, born in 1972. She was widowed in 1986. Greene was tempted to leave The Archers when her son was a toddler, but felt a loyalty to the programme, and stayed. on 9 July 2026, aged 95. and was conferred an honorary Master of Arts degree by the University of Derby in 2017.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1957–2025 The Archers Jill Archer (voice) Radio series; regular role 1957 A Man for All Seasons Woman Television film 1961 The Kitchen Anne Film 1964 It's a Woman's World Mary 1 episode 1965–1969 Crossroads Margaret RobsonMrs. LynchMrs. Grey Various roles 1990 One Foot in the Grave Jill Archer (voice) 1 episode 2000 Doctors Margaret Richmond 2 episodes 2000 Casualty Ivy Watson 1 episode Sources:

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