Being David Archer

'[Bentinck] recounts his enormously varied life with his own brand of wry, self-deprecating humour . . . a funny and thoughtful account of how to survive the insecure life of a jobbing actor' CountrysideWhen Tim Bentinck landed the part of David Archer in BBC R4's The Archers in 1982, he had no idea that thirty-five years later the young son of Britain's most famous farming family would have grown up to be a father of three, facing similar problems to those his parents and grandparents had faced before him.From playing David Archer to voicing 'Mind the Gap' on the Piccadilly Line, Tim Bentinck's acting career has taken in hundreds of radio, film, stage and television parts, including voiceovers, narrations, audio books and film dubbing, and the ultimate accolade - a Time Lord in Doctor Who. But an actor's profession is never a secure one. Bentinck has found 'other unusual ways of earning a living' that include HGV trucking, driving tourists around America, computer coding and website design, inventing, and working as a farm labourer and electrician.Self-deprecating and highly entertaining, Being David Archer is a dual biography of character and actor, juxtaposing the simple life of farmer David Archer with the roller-coaster ups and downs of being an actor.'Frank and realistic . . . ought to be required reading for all drama students' The Lady