She highlighted the specialist requirements of the programme, such as acoustic flooring, bespoke sets and a dead room to simulate outdoor scenes.
Ms Riddell also argued that Birmingham had been “consistently left at the bottom of the heap” by the broadcaster, calling The Archers “the last of the homegrown programmes that’s left in the region.”
Her concerns echo those made by castmates in a letter sent on October 16 to director-general Matt Brittin, signed by more than 100 current and former actors, scriptwriters, editors and sound engineers, along with representatives from Equity UK and the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain.
Dame Judi Dench, who once appeared on the programme as Pru Forrest, was among the signatories, alongside Oscar-nominated actress Felicity Jones, Bridgerton’s Adjoa Andoh, Hugh Dennis, Mark Bonnar, Lucy Davis, Claire Skinner and Kellie Bright.