BBC axes 'Last Of The Summer Wine'

[Perdita]

The BBC has confirmed that it is axing comedy series Last Of The Summer Wine after 37 years.

BBC One controller Jay Hunt promised that the last series, which will air this summer, will provide a "fitting farewell" for the Roy Clarke-penned sitcom.

Following the adventures of characters such as Compo (Bill Owen), Nora Batty (Kathy Staff) and Edie Pegden (Thora Hird), the programme has survived for nearly four decades, despite a large number of the cast members passing away and frequent rumours that the show would be pulled off air.

The final run will feature long-time cast member Peter Sallis as Norman Clegg, alongside Russ Abbott (Hobbo) and Brian Murphy (Alvin).

"It is a testimony to the wit and warmth of the characters that Roy Clarke originally created that this amazing series has endured over several decades," said controller of comedy commissioning Cheryl Taylor.

"The BBC feels enormously privileged to have played host to its many charms for such a long time and we very much respect the affection in which it is held.

"It is very tough to have to call time on such a cherished institution but we are very sincere in our gratitude for, and admiration of Last Of The Summer Wine. It is the undisputed champion of long-running comedy series."

To celebrate the show's finale, special editions of Countryfile and Songs Of Praise will air from Holmfirth, Yorkshire, where the series has been filmed since 1973.

[alan45]

Am I the only person in Britain who found this programme repetitive, boring and totally UNFUNNY

[Perdita]

It was funny when it first started and had Compo and Nora Batty in it but I saw bits of an episode recently after not watching if for quite a few years and it was quite boring.

[moonstorm]

I hated it! Unfunny and boring.

[Siobhan]

Am I the only person in Britain who found this programme repetitive, boring and totally UNFUNNY

this use to kill me as a kid.. My dad loved it and it was always on.. Typical sunday was watching snooker and then Last of the summer wine..

[parkerman]

I never found it an uproariously funny sitcom but the characters were well drawn and it had its own gentle humour. It was like a comfy pair of slippers and made for easy Sunday night viewing.

But I think that it lost its way after so many of the original characters left and the slippers now definitely have too many holes in them to be comfortable any more. Time for the bin, I'd say.

[Perdita]

he final episode of the world's longest running sitcom, Last Of The Summer Wine, will air on Sunday night.

The show, charting the exploits of pensioners growing old disgracefully, first aired in 1973 and has been a perennial favourite ever since.

Spawning much-loved characters such as Compo and Nora Batty, the affectionate series catapulted the picturesque West Yorkshire town of Holmfirth, where it is filmed, firmly into the spotlight.

Peter Sallis OBE, who appeared in the first episode, formed the backbone of the series as the ever-sensible Norman Clegg.

He was joined by a string of co-stars throughout the show's tenure but perhaps it is the late Bill Owen, who played the scruffy yet indomitable Compo, who is the most associated with the programme.

Other favourites were the reliably bad-tempered Nora Batty, played by Kathy Staff, and the equally fearsome Edie Pegden, played by Dame Thora Hird.

But on Sunday night the curtain will finally fall on the programme, which has boasted 295 episodes, and 31 series spanning 37 years.

Greg Christofi, who represents Holmfirth Central for Holme Valley Parish Council, said the town would miss the series but was more than prepared to cope in its absence.

Mr Christofi, whose favourite character is Compo, said: "The programme has been really good for us, it's brought a lot of attention to Holmfirth. We are proud of it.

"It has showcased our town and has been good for the local economy."

[Perdita]

The world's longest-running sitcom, Last Of The Summer Wine, bowed out in typical style with a slapstick gag about policemen's trousers.

And fittingly, it was the character Norman Clegg, played by Peter Sallis, who had the last word when he enquired: "Did I lock the door?"

Clegg is one of the few surviving members of the first series which aired back in 1973. The show, charting the exploits of pensioners growing old disgracefully, has been a perennial favourite ever since.

Spawning much-loved characters such as Compo and Nora Batty, the gentle series catapulted the picturesque West Yorkshire town of Holmfirth, where it was filmed, firmly into the spotlight.

Sallis formed the backbone of the series as the ever-sensible Clegg. He was joined by a string of co-stars throughout the show's tenure but perhaps it is the late Bill Owen, who played the scruffy yet indomitable Compo, who is the most associated with the programme.

Other favourites were the reliably bad-tempered Nora Batty, played by Kathy Staff, and the equally fearsome Edie Pegden, played by Dame Thora Hird.

But the curtain has finally fallen on the programme, which has boasted 295 episodes and 31 series in 37 years.

The biggest laugh of the final episode came when the characters, en-route to a day out in a clapped-out bus, driven by a clapped-out driver, narrowly missed a telling off from two trouserless local policemen whose patrol car they had nearly run off the road.

Greg Christofi, who represents Holmfirth Central for Holme Valley Parish Council, said the town would miss the series but was more than prepared to cope in its absence.

Mr Christofi, whose favourite character is Compo, said: "The programme has been really good for us, it's brought a lot of attention to Holmfirth. We are proud of it. It has showcased our town and has been good for the local economy. It has been a part of our lives for as long as we can all remember and we are going to miss it."