Last of the Summer Wine series 31

Last updated

Contents

Last of the Summer Wine
Series 31
No. of episodes6
Release
Original network BBC One
Original release25 July (2010-07-25) –
29 August 2010 (2010-08-29)
Additional information
Filming dates
  • Series 31: 2009
Series chronology
← Previous
30
List of episodes

Last of the Summer Wine's thirty-first and final series was aired in 2010, beginning on 25 July. [1] 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.

The series was the first in 19 years to be only six episodes long, due in part to the BBC axing the show and then recommissioning it. [2] Actress Juliette Kaplan (Pearl) wrote on her website that the series was a result of fan response to rumours of the show's axing in December 2008, [3] whilst director Alan J. W. Bell also credited the series to fan reaction. [4]

The series continued with the same trio from series 30, with Russ Abbot (Hobbo), Burt Kwouk (Entwistle), and Brian Murphy (Alvin). Peter Sallis (Clegg) and Frank Thornton (Truly), who were previously central characters, remained, but were now secondary characters, only taping studio scenes owing to the cost of insurance for actors of their advanced age on location. Jane Freeman (Ivy) also filmed only in-studio scenes.

The series contains a loose story arc of Pearl throwing Howard out of their house and his attempts to return. [5]

On 2 June 2010, the BBC announced that the 31st series would be the last, despite the show still having a loyal fan base. To commemorate the show's final appearance, the BBC broadcast Songs of Praise from Holmfirth, and a special edition of Countryfile about Holmfirth and the surrounding area (where the series was primarily filmed). [6] The Countryfile special aired on 25 July straight after the first episode of the final series. [1] [7] Songs of Praise from Holmfirth aired on 29 August, the day the last ever episode was broadcast. [8]

That final episode, "How Not to Cry at Weddings", was dubbed "The Very Last of the Summer Wine" in the Radio Times edition dated 28 August – 3 September 2010. However, that title modification was not used when the episode was transmitted. The Radio Times edition also included a feature on actor Sallis, headlined "It never occurred to me that I could be an actor".

In an interview conducted several years after the series' end, Roy Clarke revealed that, although he knew the series was ending, he did not want to write a definitive ending: "I knew by that time that it likely was [the end], but I still didn’t make a huge splash about it. Just in case, you know?" [5]

Outline

The trio in this series consisted of:

ActorRole
Russ Abbot Hobbo
Burt Kwouk Entwistle
Brian Murphy Alvin

Last appearances

This being the last series, all twenty remaining cast characters made their final appearances. Ivy and Nelly's final appearances were in the penultimate episode, "Look Whose Wheel's Come Off". The remaining eighteen signed off in the final episode, "How Not to Cry at Weddings", most notably Norman Clegg, who appeared in every one of the 295 episodes and who spoke the last line of the series. Barring his role in Wallace and Gromit's World of Invention later in 2010, the episode was also the final acting turn for Clegg's actor Peter Sallis before his death in 2017.

List of episodes

TitleAirdateDescriptionNotes
"Behind Every Bush There is Not Necessarily a Howard"25 JulyHobbo enlists the services of his 'team' to help Toby win back the affections of his ex-wife. Glenda decides to make it her mission to find Morton a woman. Howard sneaks into the library to tell Marina there's a problem with their bike ride that afternoon - Pearl is going out too. Meanwhile, PCs Cooper and Walsh try out a new in-car fryer.
  • Audience of 4.93m - 23rd most watched programme of the week.
"Happy Camping"1 AugustPearl throws Howard out of the house, but when he goes to Clegg's for sympathy it falls on deaf ears, while Pearl tells Nelly she's going to have to sort out Howard once and for all. Meanwhile, Glenda decides that Barry and herself are fat and that something must be done before Gloria's wedding, and forces Barry to embark on a new fitness regime. And PC Walsh informs PC Cooper that the sergeant is on their back - he's complaining about the amount of crumbs they're leaving in the car.
  • An apparent appearance by Peter Sallis and Frank Thornton in an outdoor scene in this episode is achieved by green screen technology.
  • Audience of 4.14m - 34th most watched programme of the week
"The Rights of Man (Except for Howard)"8 AugustHobbo decides that the still-homeless Howard needs to show Pearl who's boss, but after Pearl slams the door in his face, Howard is despondent. Hobbo is insistent that Howard just needs to remind Pearl of the good times. But will his bicycle skills be enough to win her back? Meanwhile, Marina helps Miss Davenport upgrade her appearance, and decides to seize the moment with Mr Waddle.
  • An apparent appearance by Peter Sallis and Frank Thornton in an outdoor scene in this episode is achieved by green screen technology.
  • Audience of 4.06m - 36th most watched programme of the week
"Howard and the Great Outdoors"15 AugustAttempting to persuade Pearl to take her errant husband back, Howard's friends try to convince her he has become a tramp - but he is far from happy with the prospect of going it alone in the wilderness. Meanwhile, Toby's bid to win back his wife, Monica, is thwarted by a dog, and Marina decides to try dressing down for a change.
  • Howard and Pearl's surname, Sibshaw, (from Roy Clarke's 1987 novel 'The Moonbather') is used for the first and only time in a televised episode.
  • Audience of 4.23m - 35th most watched programme of the week
"Look Whose Wheel's Come Off"22 AugustWondering if Pearl still loves him, Howard asks Hobbo to give her a peck on the cheek from him - only to become even more despondent when he sees his wife deliver a passionate kiss. Meanwhile, Glenda sends Barry off to paint a landscape, hoping the activity will take his mind off his hunger - but fish and chips is the only thing on his mind.
  • Final appearances of Ivy and Nelly.
  • Audience of 4.55m - 29th most watched programme of the week
"How Not to Cry at Weddings"29 AugustIn this final episode of the long-running comedy, everyone is getting ready for a wedding - prompting Howard and Pearl to look back at their relationship. Meanwhile, Alvin flirts with Stella, Toby tries to smarten himself up in a bid to win back Monica, and Clegg worries that he's forgotten something important.
  • Guest appearance of David Ross.
  • Final appearances of the remaining eighteen regular cast characters (see above).
  • Final episode of the series.
  • This episode was referred to as "The Very Last of the Summer Wine" in TV listings and TV trailers, but not in the actual episode itself.
  • Audience of 5.71m - 19th most watched programme of the week

DVD release

The box set for series 31 was released by Universal Playback in August 2016, mislabelled as a box set for series 31 & 32.

The Complete Series 31 & 32
Set Details [9]
  • 18 episodes
  • 4-disc set
  • Language: English
Release Date
Region 2
15 August 2016

Related Research Articles

A British sitcom or a Britcom is a situational comedy programme produced for British television.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Owen (actor)</span> English actor (1914–1999)

William John Owen Rowbotham, was an English actor and songwriter. He is best known for portraying Compo Simmonite in the Yorkshire-based BBC comedy series Last of the Summer Wine for over a quarter of a century. He died on 12 July 1999, his last appearance on-screen being shown in April 2000.

Enlightenment is the fifth serial of the 20th season of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was originally broadcast in four twice-weekly parts on BBC1 from 1 to 9 March 1983. It was the 127th serial of the series, and was written by Barbara Clegg and directed by Fiona Cumming, making it the first serial to be both written and directed by women.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Sallis</span> English actor (1921–2017)

Peter John Sallis was a British actor. He was known for his work on British television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Baker</span> British television presenter (born 1977)

Matthew James Baker is a British television presenter. He co-presented the children's television show Blue Peter from 1999 until 2006, BBC One's Countryfile since 2009 and The One Show from 2011 to 2020, with Alex Jones.

Royston Clarke is an English comedy writer best known for creating the sitcoms Last of the Summer Wine, Keeping Up Appearances, Open All Hours and its sequel series, Still Open All Hours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upperthong</span> Village in West Yorkshire, England

Upperthong is a village approximately 807 feet (246 m) above sea level, in the civil parish of Holme Valley, in the Kirklees district, in West Yorkshire, England, near the town of Holmfirth, approximately 7 miles (11 km) south of Huddersfield. In 2005, Kirklees Council stated that the population of Upperthong was 1,116; by 2019, the figure was 1,938.

<i>First of the Summer Wine</i> British TV sitcom (1988–1989)

First of the Summer Wine is a British sitcom written by Roy Clarke that aired on BBC1. The pilot originally aired on 3 January 1988, and the first series of episodes followed from 4 September 1988. The show ran for two series of six episodes each, with the final episode airing on 8 October 1989. The pilot episode was produced and directed by Gareth Gwenlan. Both series of episodes were produced and directed by Mike Stephens. The show has never been repeated by the BBC but has occasionally been repeated on Gold. The show was broadcast in Australia on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation network in the early 1990s.

Nora Batty is a fictional character in the world's longest-running sitcom, Last of the Summer Wine. Nora became a national icon, recognised by her wrinkled stockings, pinny and distinctive style of hair curlers. She appeared in 243 of the 295 episodes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Freeman (actress)</span> British actress (1935–2017)

Shirley Ann Pithers, better known as Jane Freeman, was an English-born Welsh actress who was best known for her work on British television, mostly notably for her role as Ivy in Last of the Summer Wine.

William Simmonite, better known by his nickname of Compo, was a character in the world's longest-running sitcom, Last of the Summer Wine.

"There Goes the Groom" is the 1997 Christmas special of the BBC sitcom Last of the Summer Wine first shown on 28 December 1997. It was the first to feature Frank Thornton as new third man leader Herbert "Truly of the Yard" Truelove. The episode also marked the final appearance of Foggy. The trio in this episode consisted of: Compo, Clegg and Truly.

<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 8 Season of television series

Last of the Summer Wine'seighth series originally aired on BBC1 between 30 December 1984 and 17 March 1985. All episodes from this series were written by Roy Clarke and produced and directed by Alan J. W. Bell.

<i>Last of the Summer Wine</i> series 30 Season of television series

Last of the Summer Wine's 30th series originally aired 19 April 2009. All eleven episodes in series 30 were 30 minutes in length. A New Years Special aired on 31 December 2008. All of the episodes were written by Roy Clarke and directed by Alan J. W. Bell.

Norman Clegg, often nicknamed Cleggy, is a fictional character from the world's longest-running sitcom, Last of the Summer Wine. He was the only character to appear in every episode of the programme.

"Of Funerals and Fish" is the pilot episode of the world's longest-running television sitcom, Last of the Summer Wine (1973–2010), written by Roy Clarke. It was first broadcast on 4 January 1973 and became the first of 295 episodes. It was aired as the first episode of the thirteenth series of Comedy Playhouse, a comedy anthology series running from 1961–1975. The plot involved the trio going around discussing life and death.

References

  1. 1 2 "BBC One - Last of the Summer Wine, Series 31, 'Behind Every Bush There is Not Necessarily a Howard'". BBC. Sun 25 Jul 2010, 19:30, BBC One & BBC HD
  2. ↑ Leigh Holmwood (26 June 2009). "BBC1's Last of the Summer Wine to return for six episodes". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
  3. ↑ Home
  4. ↑ [ dead link ]
  5. 1 2 Smith, Andrew T.; Fischer, Bob. "An Interview With Roy Clarke". Summer Winos. Archived from the original on 14 January 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  6. ↑ "Press Office - BBC confirms last of Last of the Summer Wine". BBC. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
  7. ↑ "BBC One - Countryfile, 25/07/2010". BBC. Sun 25 Jul 2010, 20:00, BBC One
  8. ↑ "Hepworth's Last of the Summer Wine". 4barsrest.com. 13 July 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
  9. ↑ "Last of the Summer Wine Series 31 & 32 [DVD]". Amazon. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.