Philippa sits down with Lucy Speed, who plays Stella Pryor in The Archers, for a deep and wide-ranging conversation about one of Ambridge's most compelling more recent additions.
Lucy talks about what drew her to Stella from the very beginning — a career-minded, self-assured woman who doesn't need to match anyone else's energy. They discuss how Stella has navigated the ready-made family that came with Pip, the hesitancy around the baby conversation, and why Lucy thinks Stella's calm isn't a performance but something genuinely earned through life experience.
Also covered: Stella's complex dynamic with Brian and why she never rose to his bait, what it means to represent women who are strong without fanfare, whether Stella would ever want to return to farming, the possibility of menopause storylines, and Lucy's own experiences playing long-running characters in The Bill and EastEnders.
Plus Lucy's role in Heartstopper, a very important biscuit debate involving Tunnock's Caramel Bars and party rings, and part two with listener questions from the Facebook group coming in two weeks.
Topics covered: Stella Pryor | Pip Archer | Brian Aldridge | Lucy Speed | The Bill | EastEnders | Heartstopper | Farm inheritance | The Archers 2026
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