June Spencer, the beloved actress who starred in the BBC’s soap opera The Archers for eight decades, has passed away at the age of 105. According to a family statement reported by the BBC, she passed away peacefully in her sleep during the early hours of Friday, November 8th.

Spencer’s family told the outlet they wanted to “pay particular tribute and thanks to the staff team at Liberham Lodge. [They] so lovingly cared for her in the last two years.”

Spencer starred in the long-running soap from 1951 until her retirement in 2022 at the age of 103. Her character, Peggy Woolley (formerly Archer), was often seen as a traditionalist and conservative character in the soap opera that showcases the challenges of life in the fictional village of Ambridge.

Spencer was among the show’s original cast members. In the mid-1950s, Spencer left her role as Peggy, which was taken over by Thelma Rogers. Spencer returned to the character in the early 1960s after Rogers departed from the role.