Sunderland becomes unlikely feature in The Archers as BBC drama character heads to city to help people battling addictions

But The Archers has added Sunderland to its list of locations, as long-running character Shula Hebden-Lloyd, played by Judy Bennett, heads to the city to work on a scheme helping people with addictions.

The character, who started her training to become a vicar in recent years, decided after getting ordained she wanted to help others on an outreach project rather than taking up a post at a rural parish church.

Recent episodes of the show, which airs Sunday-Friday on Radio 4, with an omnibus edition on Sunday, and streams on BBC Sounds, featured Shula preparing to leave and making emotional goodbyes, and a phone call from home after the move, as Ambridge’s parish priest Alan Franks rings her for advice.

The fact that Sunderland’s portrayal so far has only extended to it being home to addicts, and afflicted by bitter weather – Shula’s fictional twin Kenton had to assure her it wasn’t the Frozen North as she worried over packing enough warm clothes – has raised eyebrows with some listeners in Wearside, however.

Sir David Bell, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Sunderland, is among them.

He drew reference to the programme in his blog, adding he hopes Shula comes to learn of Sunderland’s many successes and charms.

He writes: "The only hope is that (while) Shula (is working in Sunderland, (the University) chaplain, the estimable Chris Howson, will set her straight on the wonderful things there are in the city. Let’s talk our city up and not down."

However, Ambridge, the fictional West Midlands rural village in which The Archers is set is home to its fair share addicts, drug users and others.

Recent story lines in the series – which producers describe as ‘a contemporary drama in a rural setting – have included Shula’s fictional niece, Alice, fighting back from alcohol addiction.

Her fictional ex-husband Alistair had struggles with gambling addiction. Not to mention fictional nephew Freddie ending up in jail for selling drugs.

The Archers already had some North East connections before Shula’s departure for Sunderland – and has a link with the city’s university.

Felicity Finch, who plays Prudhoe-born Ruth Archer, was given an Honorary Doctorate of Arts by the University of Sunderland in 2017 in recognition of her outstanding career as an actor, radio presenter and reporter.

Another North East-born character in the series is Joy Horville, from Shieldfield in Newcastle, played by Jackie Lye.

Her broad Geordie accent first appeared in The Archers circa 2019 as a resident of a newly built housing estate.

Initially coming across as a chatterbox (and unintentional troublemaker), she has now been taken to the hearts of the other characters and warmed to by listeners (well, perhaps not in all cases).

Of course, Sunderland is not without its own farms, village shows, rewilding projects and rivalries running over leek-growing and cricket.

Neither is the city without medieval churches or the odd old mansion house.

So perhaps Sunderland is not such an unusual fit for The Archers after all.