Another row in Ambridge! Former newsreader Jennie Bond condemns The Archers for its 'dreadful grammar' - after rural drama was criticised for underplaying government tax raid on farms

She can usually be found reporting on the machinations at Buckingham Palace, but Jennie Bond has turned her attention to Radio 4’s The Archers.

The former BBC royal correspondent has taken umbrage with the language in Ambridge, the fictional village where the radio soap opera is set.

Bond, 74, wrote on social media website X, formerly Twitter: ‘PLEASE STOP promoting the dreadful grammar of “Me and Philip” “Me and Tom”. 

'You wouldn’t say “me got married” or “me wants to buy the house”.. No wonder our kids use sloppy language. Sort yourselves out!!! “Philip and I”.”Tom and I”. It’s not rocket science.’

The much-loved BBC drama has been on air since 1951 and fans include Queen Camilla, who hosted a reception for the cast at Clarence House for the 70th anniversary in 2021.

Its sloppy grammar is the latest controversy to hit the programme. 

Last month, the radio drama was slammed for seemingly underplaying the government’s inheritance tax raid on farms.

Despite huge protests, the topic was only given a 30-second mention on The Archers, one of the BBC’s flagship rural shows, when it was aired on November 22.

In the episode, farmer David Archer, who is one of the show’s main characters, said: ‘There’s a lot of anger about this new inheritance tax on farms.’

His friend Leonard Berry then replied: ‘But we need those taxes to pay for things like the NHS.’

This was the only time the topic of the inheritance tax changes was approached during the episode.

One listener wrote online: ‘So the whole [massive] issue of the proposal to make inheritance tax applicable to farm land was given just these astonishingly bad three lines of dialogue.

‘It’s what all farmers in every part of the country are talking about incessantly, [including] all the farmers in my family, which is a lot.’

The Archers was previously slammed for seemingly underplaying the government's inheritance tax raid on farms.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer have faced fury from farmers after they announced reforms to inheritance tax in last month's Budget.

Farmers will have to pay a 20 per cent rate on land and property they inherit worth more than £1million or more from April 2026.

It resulted in more than 10,000 farmers and high-profile supporters including Jeremy Clarkson and Lord Lloyd Webber descended on Westminster to protest against the controversial policy in early November.

However, the topic was only given a 30-second mention on The Archers, one of the BBC's flagship rural shows, when it was aired on November 22.