‘When Last of the Summer Wine ran out at last... it felt like being mugged’

While Last of the Summer Wine may have been axed, repeats of the show are still broadcast not just in the UK, but in more than 25 countries across the world.

Rumours the BBC was keen to axe the show began as early as the 1980s, but with even repeats attracting five million viewers, Last of the Summer Wine’s enduring popularity made the decision difficult to justify.

While originally commissioned as a one-off for the BBC’s Comedy Playhouse, at its peak in the 1980s, the programme was attracting 19 million viewers. The final series pulled in around four million.

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Famous fans of the show included the Queen, and Prince Charles.

Last of the Summer Wine – From the Director’s Chair is published by Tomahawk Press. Alan J W Bell will be appearing in person at Holmfirth Museum on Sunday.

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