Only a couple of weeks after its networks became infected (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/56/28860.html) with the ExploreZip virus, the BBC has managed to mail a copy of the Sobig worm to fans of the long-running Radio 4 show, The Archers.

The worm was "erroneously" sent to recipients of the Archer's mailing list last Wednesday night (January 29), according to a BBC spokeswoman.

It's unclear how many subscribers on the moderated list received the pathogen.

Protection for the Sobig (http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/analyses/w32sobiga.html) virus (which normally appears to come from the email address big@boss.com) has been available since mid-January, so hopefully the impact of Aunty's latest computer virus blunder is minimal.

Nonetheless the corporation has apologised for the slip-up and promised an internal investigation into preventing a repetition of the gaffe.

Ironically, a current Archers storyline features Jolene showing silver-surfer Joe Grundy how to send emails in the new cybercafe set up in The Bull, Ambridge's local pub.(How did you know that, you sad man? - Ed) ®

For the benefit of our overseas readers, The Archers (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/archers) ("an everyday story of country folk") was first broadcast in 1951. The radio soap has been running ever since.
Other virus problems (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1186014.stm) residents of Ambridge have faced in recent times.

Related Stories

BBC in ironic virus infection (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/56/28860.html)
bet365 sends Avril Lavigne worm to punters (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/56/28979.html)
Today's latest mass mailing worm (Sobig) (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/56/28832.html)