Camilla has told how she is an “addict” of long running BBC Radio 4 show The Archers and revealed that she can get “quite ratty” if she is disturbed by Prince Charles while it is on

Camilla has admitted that she can get “quite ratty” with Prince Charles if he interrupts a radio show to which she is addicted.

The 74-year-old revealed she was a long standing fan of The Archers as she hosted a reception for the cast and crew of the popular radio soap opera to mark its 70th anniversary.

The BBC Radio 4 drama is based around life in fictional Ambridge and Camilla said it had been a “faithful companion for a large part of my life,” reported the Express.

During a speech she called herself as an “Archers addict” and said she suffered “severe withdrawal symptoms” after the show “all but disappeared” in the Covid lockdowns.

In an insight into life at home with Charles she said that didn’t like to be disturbed when the show was on the radio.

She said: “For as long as I can remember, I have loved this programme. It has been my faithful companion for a large part of my life.

“Like many other Archers addicts, I have been known to become quite ratty if disturbed between 7pm and 7.15pm and like thousands of others had severe withdrawal symptoms when you all but disappeared during lockdown.”

She said that she was “very glad” the show was back in full swing, before adding “let’s keep it that way”.

During the pandemic, characters had one-way conversations due to lockdown restrictions and there was a reduction in the number of episodes each week.

In her speech, she praised the programme for raising awareness of “challenging topics”, including modern slavery and alcohol addiction.

She said: “For 70 years of raising awareness of others’ hidden struggles, we are deeply grateful.”

Camilla said the show was famous for its “gentle wit, accurate description of rural life and wonderful characterisation.”

The Duchess of Cornwall previously featured in an episode of the drama in 2011 for the show’s 60th anniversary.

She joked with the audience, by saying: “I was thrilled to be asked to appear in an episode ten years ago – although, not being a noted thespian, I was only entrusted to play myself.”

At Tuesday’s event, Camilla watched a scene especially created for the occasion in which Ben Archer, played by Ben Norris, discovers the ferret is missing at Clarence House.

In her speech the Duchess remarked it was a huge pleasure to welcome everyone to her abode for the occasion, adding: “MBEs, of course, are particularly welcome – ferrets rather less so…”

To conclude the event, Camilla cut into a tractor shaped cake and was accompanied by June Spencer, the 102-year-old actress who plays Peggy Woolley.