British Comedy Guide
30 Years Of Last Of The Summer Wine. Copyright: BBC
30 Years Of Last Of The Summer Wine

30 Years Of Last Of The Summer Wine

  • TV documentary
  • BBC One
  • 2003
  • 1 episode

A celebration of the world's longest-running comedy series. Features Frank Thornton, Alan J. W. Bell, Burt Kwouk, Brian Murphy, Peter Sallis and more.

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Key details

Genre
Documentary
Broadcast
2003
Channel
BBC One
Episodes
1
Features
Frank Thornton, Alan J. W. Bell, Burt Kwouk, Brian Murphy, Peter Sallis, Bill Owen, Duncan Wood, Roy Clarke and more
Producers
Alan J. W. Bell
Company

In 2003, a British comedy institution celebrated its 30th birthday. Last Of The Summer Wine, written by Roy Clarke, was created as a submission for the BBC's Comedy Playhouse in 1973, but before the year was up, a full series had hit our screens. It then went on to become the world's longest running sitcom.

A whimsical comedy with a penchant for light philosophy and full-on slapstick, that first run followed the misadventures of three elderly friends traipsing around the Yorkshire countryside (the town of Holmfirth and its surroundings). In its original incarnation the upper, middle and lower classes were represented: they were Former Royal Signals Sergeant and notional gang leader Cyril Blamire (Michael Bates); flat cap-wearing voice-of-reason Norman 'Cleggy' Clegg (Peter Sallis) and frisky layabout Compo Simonite (Bill Owen). As actors came and went, there was a new influx of talent but the blueprint stayed the same - how a group of elderly friends lived a carefree life in a Yorkshire village.

Here, Roy Clarke and the cast past and present reveal how the show was created, why the village of Holmfirth was chosen as the location, and what happened behind the scenes of this much-loved sitcom.

Additional details

Production
Studio
Picture
Colour

Website links

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Sunday 13th April 2003 at 6:30pm on BBC One
Episode length
45 minutes
Most recent repeats
  • Saturday 26th May 2012 at 10:20pm on U&Yesterday
  • Monday 9th April 2012 at 8:00pm on U&Yesterday
  • Monday 2nd January 2012 at 12:00am on U&Yesterday

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