Online, conversation, debate and comment about The Archers reaches a peak on Sunday mornings when many join the regular tweetalong as the show’s omnibus is aired.

Listeners share their thoughts and feelings – good, bad and indifferent – about the characters and storylines on Twitter and offer an amusing, often irreverent, take on events in the fictional village of Ambridge where the show is set.

I spotted this tweet yesterday from a new listener to BBC Radio 4’s The Archers. If you’ve noticed #TheArchers trending on Twitter most Sunday mornings, you might not be too surprised.

“@nick_hubert: I didn’t think anyone listened to The Archers until I joined Twitter.” I’ve started listening again BECAUSE of Twitter. — Jane Duke (@stoneflowerjane) July 21, 2013

The tweetalong, as it’s affectionately called, started in 2009-10 when two listeners, @JaneSoup and @LucyLyons, would tweet their amusing and sometimes sweary commentary to the omnibus. They picked up a following and it certainly got people talking. Today it centres around the hashtag #thearchers, and tweetalongers follow tweets about the programme and join the conversation with fellow listeners. They demonstrate a pretty sophisticated use of Twitter, with many using tools like Tweetdeck to exclude the hashtag to avoid spoilers until they’re ready to listen and chat.

Of course, the official account for the show, @BBCTheArchers, joins the regular tweetalong around broadcasts, answering queries and adding an extra layer to the listening experience. But it’s the listeners who really make the difference, not only giving valuable and timely feedback about the programme, but enticing others to join in the fun and become regular Archers listeners.

Read more listener discussions on The Archers blog

Find out about the world’s longest running soap opera, The Archers