“It’s a ferret ferris wheel!”: Depictions of Human–Animal Interactions and Animal Welfare in The Archers - Tamzin Furtado and Tamsin Durston

Welcome to the fifth series in the annual podcast programme from Academic Archers, bringing you papers from our 2024 conference.

This episode examines the many ways animals shape life in Ambridge and what their stories reveal about both farming practice and human relationships.

“It’s a ferret ferris wheel!”: Depictions of Human–Animal Interactions and Animal Welfare in The Archers - Tamzin Furtado and Tamsin Durston

Animals are central to Ambridge life, whether as livestock, wildlife or family pets. This paper explores how The Archers uses animals to convey messages about farming practice, ethics, personality and community.

Examples range from Mia’s veganism and the disruption of the Ambridge Hunt, to Lilian’s unruly Ruby, Peggy’s demanding Hilda Ogden, Pip’s herbal lays, Freddie’s abattoir stint and the Rewilding project. The paper also considers how real-world issues such as the 2021 pig slaughter crisis and equine obesity are reflected in the programme, alongside the grief of losing beloved animals like Stella’s dog Weaver or Bartleby the horse.

Through these depictions, the paper invites listeners to recognise the role of nonhuman animal actors in shaping the village’s stories and our understanding of Ambridge residents.

About the speakers

• Dr Tamzin Furtado and Tamsin Durston - The Tams of The Am - both work in animal welfare science with a focus on the intersection of human and animal wellbeing and are equally devoted to life in Ambridge.

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