THE cast of the Archers are bringing a bit of sunshine to Colchester later this month.

Actors from the long-running Radio 4 soap will be starring in Come Rain or Shine, which will raise funds for the Help For Heroes-funded personnel recovery centre in Colchester.

The musical anthology, celebrating the British countryside, features poetry, prose, anecdote and song by Alan Bennett, Noel Coward, Roger McGough, Flanders and Swann and many more. There will be an opportunity to meet the actors after the show.

It was devised by Archers actors Malcolm McKee and Gareth Armstrong in 2000 as a way for some of the stars to perform on stage.

Brian Hewlett, who plays Neil Carter in the Archers, has been taking part in the show since 2002.

He says: “Malcolm compiled it as a mixture of songs and words to provide an entertaining night out and then approached a number of members of the Archers cast.

“There is a rolling list of actors taking part and I’ve probably done about 30 in all. They are fun for us and the audience has a great time.”

Born and brought up in Henley-on-Thames, Brian now lives on the Norfolk/Suffolk border.

In 1973 the producers of the Archers were looking for a new young character for the show and cast Brian.

He adds: “I came in as a 16-year-old and he’s 53 now. At the time I remember the programme makers saying ‘we might write a few more scenes in for him’ and 37 years later I’m still here.”