BBC Birmingham is giving fans of BBC Radio 4 The Archers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to discover everything they’ve ever wanted to know about their favourite radio drama.

To mark the opening of a brand new Archers exhibition at BBC Birmingham, 200 lucky fans from across the West Midlands and beyond will be selected at random for the special event on Saturday 23 September. The fans will have the opportunity to visit the radio studio where the trials and tribulations of Ambridge are brought to life.

They will also get the chance to hear from Simon Williams (who plays Justin Elliott), Sunny Ormonde (Lilian Bellamy), writer Tim Stimpson and producer Kim Greengrass. The team will be revealing all the tricks of the trade, including how a water melon played a key part in Helen and Rob's domestic abuse storyline.

The fans will also be some of the first to experience the new Archers exhibition. It will showcase the history, milestone moments and celebrity fans of this radio institution, which has always been made in Birmingham.

Exhibits include the Archers script for the pilot episode in 1950, Archers jigsaws and games from the 1960s, and some of the real-life objects used to create the drama’s special soundscape.

Members of the public can register for tickets at BBC Shows and Toursfrom 9.00am on Friday 1 September until 12 noon on Friday 8 September.

Joe Godwin Director of BBC Birmingham, says: “The Archers is the jewel in the crown of BBC Birmingham, it has always been made here and we are very proud of its success and history. I am very excited to welcome fans from across the West Midlands to get up close to their favourite radio drama and be the first to experience our new exhibition celebrating The Archers.”

Huw Kennair-Jones, Editor of The Archers, says: “Ever since the first episode was broadcast in 1951 from a studio in Birmingham, The Archers has been part of the soundtrack of the UK, sparking many national and international conversations over the last 66 years.

"With so much history contained not only within the episodes itself but also the incredible archive that surrounds it, we can’t wait to invite audiences into BBC Birmingham to see how this radio programme about a village called Ambridge has become the world’s most talked about drama.”

The exhibition opens on Saturday 23 September and will be a permanent feature in the BBC Birmingham Visitor Centre which is open Monday to Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday 11am-5pm. Follow @BBCBhamPR and @BBCTheArchers on Twitter and BBC Birmingham on Facebook for updates.

Information around the ticket draw for The Archers Access All Areas on Saturday 23rd September can be found here.