"Archers hate figure may stay in exile"
by Alison Boshoff
The Daily Telegraph
27 August 1997
The actor who plays Simon Pemberton, the ruthless landlord from
The Archers, is starting a career in television after his
radio character went to the Middle East to escape recriminations
after beating his girlfriend.
Peter Wingfield, whose character was described by Anna Ford
as "a bit of a shit," is to play a vet's son in a rural
television drama. he will star alongside Anton Rodgers in Noah's
Ark, a six-part ITV series about a veterinary practice, from
Sept 8. Friends of Mr. Wingfield, who is on holiday, said that his
career with The Archers was on hold, perhaps permanently,
while he moved into television.
Mr. Wingfield said he had auditioned for the television role despite
being allergic to animals. "Fortunately my asthma medication
kept the symptoms at bay during filming and after working such a
lot around animals I think I'm starting to be less allergic to them."
In The Archers, Pemberton appeared in court and admitted
assaulting Debbie Aldridge. He was given a conditional discharge
and has settled in the Middle East.
His attempt to evict the Grundys made him something of a national
hate figure and Miss Ford was censured by the Broadcasting Standards
Council after her outburst on the Today programme.
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