The Archers to be more like Eastenders, with 'darker and bigger' plots to come But The Archers moves at a slower pace than EastEnders, which is absolutely right. It's an extraordinarily important programme to a lot of people and you don't want to break it Earlier this year, Richard Bacon criticised the radio show for being "hum drum" and "dull," where "fictional rural people chat aimlessly about their menial chores." "I honestly believe there are two types of people in the world: those who find The Archers boring ... and those who find it boring but pretend to enjoy it as they think it makes them look superior," he added. His comments inspired an impassioned debate, with some quietly expressing support and others leaping to The Archers" defence. Now, after Mr Yorke threatened to invite him to open a fete in the fictional village of Ambridge, he said: "I shall certainly give the show another listen. That's what drama needs: villains, arguments and someone getting their comeuppance. The change in direction is also likely to be welcome news for Prime Minister David Cameron who last year disclosed he preferred Eastenders to the Archers, claiming he was "of the Dirty Den generation." The programme is currently the longest-running serial in the world and the BBC's most listened to radio programme online. Famous fans of the soap, which has five million listeners, include Stephen Fry, Sir Ian McKellen, Kirstie Allsopp and Victoria Wood. According to the BBC's catch-up service, plots last week included "Pip is feeling unsettled," "republican rumblings in Ambridge" and "Adam is causing concerns." Perhaps confirming the importance of occasional high drama, around 70,000 more listeners were reported to tune in last year when popular Nigel Pargeter was killed off in a rooftop fall. Mr Yorke added the most dramatic storylines could still only be written about once a year, to avoid the rural drama becoming "implausible" "I want it to feel like The Archers but as good as it can be," he said.