Ben Norris, who plays Ben Archer in the BBC Radio 4 rural soap The Archers, says he received hate messages after appearing to back “farm tax” as part of the show’s storyline. Norris said some messages came from farming friends and from young people in farm families who disagreed with the character’s position.
Norris’ comments, reported by the Daily Mail, describe the backlash as personal and targeted, with people “massively” laying into him through messages. The reporting frames the issue as a reaction to how a fictional character is portrayed, rather than a direct political campaign by the actor.
While outlets focus on the volume and personal nature of the messages, the accounts converge on one point: the online responses are linked to the farm tax debate presented in the programme. The sources do not add further detail on specific statements, who sent the messages, or whether any formal complaints follow.
