Last of the Summer Wine series 23

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Contents

Last of the Summer Wine
Series 23
No. of episodes11
Release
Original network BBC One
Original release30 December 2001 (2001-12-30) 
10 March 2002 (2002-03-10)
Additional information
Filming dates
  • Christmas Special: 2001
  • Series 23: 2001
Series chronology
 Previous
22
Next 
24
List of episodes

Last of the Summer Wine's twenty-third series aired on BBC One. All of the episodes were written by Roy Clarke and produced and directed by Alan J. W. Bell.

Outline

The trio in this series consisted of:

ActorRole
Keith Clifford Billy
Peter Sallis Clegg
Frank Thornton Truly

Last appearances

List of Episodes

2001 Christmas Special

TitleAirdateDescriptionNotes
Potts in Pole Position30 December
  • June Whitfield makes a guest appearance in this episode, before joining the cast (in a different role) in Series 27. Warren Mitchell also made an appearance in the episode as Whitfield's husband (Not Travis!).
  • Audience of 6.93 million – 44th most watched programme of the week.

Regular series

TitleAirdateDescriptionNotes
A Brief Excursion in the Fast Lane6 JanuaryGlenda begins to worry when Barry becomes interested in a life in the fast lane.
  • Final appearance of Eli. Danny O'Dea left the show due to ill health and died a year after this episode was broadcast.
  • Audience of 5.20m – 54th most watched programme of the week.
The Mystical Squeak of Howard's Bicycle13 JanuaryBilly and Truly compete to prove who has the keener "sixth sense" and Howard seeks a way to deal with his own psychic phenomenon.
  • Audience of 6.09m – 34th most watched programme of the week.
Mervyn Would be Proud20 JanuaryA dedicated groupie follows Billy, who stages a moving demonstration of his inherited skill with a bow and arrow.
  • Audience of 6.48m – 31st most watched programme of the week.
The Incredible Ordeal of Norman Clegg27 JanuaryWhen Howard leaves some picnic items at Clegg's for safekeeping he fails to mention that it includes Marina. Truly and Billy work to help Clegg get Marina out whilst Howard is next door at the ladies coffee morning – refusing to leave!
  • Audience of 5.36m – 52nd most watched programme of the week.
  • Guest appearance of Eli Woods and James Casey as drunks.
Beware of the Hot Dog3 FebruaryWesley brings culinary ingenuity to the Yorkshire wilderness as Howard decides to surveil Pearl and Ros during their day out.
  • Nora Batty's absence is explained by her leaving to visit relatives in Australia; the episode opens with a faraway shot of her departing for the airport.
  • Audience of 6.62m – 32nd most watched programme of the week.
In Search of Childlike Joy and the Farthest Reaches of the Lotus Position10 FebruaryBoth a reluctant Smiler and the police feel the need for speed, and Barry's legs may hold the key to the trio's enlightenment.
  • Audience of 6.29m – 30th most watched programme of the week.
A Chaise Longue Too Far17 FebruaryBarry's rejected romantic gift becomes the only method by which Howard can counter Marina's ultimatum.
  • Audience of 5m – approximately 53rd most watched programme of the week.
Exercising Father's Bicycle24 FebruaryAfter successfully dodging a bill collector, Tom learns of the storied past of Compo's bicycle and wishes to help the legend live on.
  • Audience of 4.82m – approximately 55th most watched programme of the week.
Sadly, Madly, Bradley3 MarchBilly must spend the day with his brother-in-law Bradley, who can't stop spreading around his gloomy mood. With the help of Tom, Smiler, and a raft the trio try to get him out of the doldrums.
  • Audience of 5.37m – 50th most watched programme of the week.
It All Began With an Old Volvo Headlamp10 MarchThe trio latches on to the distraught Kevin, who in response to his being dumped by his girlfriend, wants to become a "Wise Man of the Woods".
  • Final appearance of Wesley, due to Gordon Wharmby's death. Gordon died 2 months after this episode was broadcast.
  • Guest appearance of Hywel Bennett.
  • Achieved an audience of less than 4.82m and was below the 56th most watched programme of the week

DVD release

The box set for series twenty-three was released by Universal Playback in April 2012, mislabelled as a box set for series 23 & 24.

The Complete Series 23 & 24
Set Details [1]
  • 22 episodes
  • 4-disc set
  • Language: English
Release Date
Region 2
23 April 2012

Related Research Articles

<i>Last of the Summer Wine</i> British TV sitcom (1973–2010)

Last of the Summer Wine is a British sitcom set in Yorkshire created and written by Roy Clarke and originally broadcast by the BBC from 1973 to 2010. It premiered as an episode of Comedy Playhouse on 4 January 1973, and the first series of episodes followed on 12 November 1973. Alan J. W. Bell produced and directed all episodes of the show from late 1981 to 2010. The BBC confirmed on 2 June 2010 that Last of the Summer Wine would no longer be produced and the 31st series would be its last. Subsequently, the final episode was broadcast on 29 August 2010. Since its original release, all 295 episodes, comprising thirty-one series—including the pilot and all films and specials—have been released on DVD. Repeats of the show are broadcast in the UK on BBC One, Gold, Yesterday, and Drama. It is also seen in more than 25 countries, including various PBS stations in the United States and on VisionTV in Canada. With the exception of programmes relaunched after long hiatuses, Last of the Summer Wine is the longest-running TV comedy programme in Britain and the longest-running TV sitcom in the world.

<i>Last of the Summer Wine</i> series 1 Season of television series

Last of the Summer Wine's first series originally aired on BBC1 between 4 January 1973 and 17 December 1973. All episodes from this series were written by Roy Clarke and produced and directed by James Gilbert.

<i>Last of the Summer Wine</i> series 2 Season of television series

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<i>Last of the Summer Wine</i> series 4 Season of television series

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<i>Last of the Summer Wine</i> series 7 Season of television series

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<i>Last of the Summer Wine</i> series 8 Season of television series

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<i>Last of the Summer Wine</i> series 9 Season of television series

Last of the Summer Wine'sninth series originally aired on BBC1 between 1 January 1986 and 27 December 1987. All episodes from this series were written by Roy Clarke and produced and directed by Alan J. W. Bell.

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Last of the Summer Wine's twenty-second series aired on BBC One. All of the episodes were written by Roy Clarke and produced and directed by Alan J. W. Bell.

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Last of the Summer Wine's twenty-fifth series aired on BBC One. All of the episodes were written by Roy Clarke and produced and directed by Alan J. W. Bell.

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Last of the Summer Wine's twenty-seventh series aired on BBC One. All of the episodes were written by Roy Clarke and produced and directed by Alan J. W. Bell.

Last of the Summer Wine's twenty-eighth series aired on BBC One. All of the episodes were written by Roy Clarke and produced and directed by Alan J. W. Bell.

Last of the Summer Wine's thirty-first and final series was aired in 2010, beginning on 25 July. All six episodes in series 31 were 30 minutes in length. All of the episodes were written by Roy Clarke and directed by Alan J. W. Bell.

References

  1. "Last of the Summer Wine Series 23 & 24 [DVD]". Amazon. Retrieved 20 August 2016.