Last of the Summer Wine Creator Roy Clarke says he knew this season would be the last

Jul 24 2010 by Kevin Core, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

AS THE final series begins, the creator of Last of the Summer Wine says the upcoming episodes were written in the knowledge they would be the last.

In an exclusive interview with the Examiner, author/ scriptwriter Roy Clarke says that far from the axe coming as a shock, the BBC had made it clear to him that this was the end.

He also says that the final episode does have a “quiet” ending which he believes is fitting for the show, filmed in Holmfirth.

Now aged 80, he says he would never have wanted to do a special final episode because the weight of such projects often undermine the results.

Speaking from his home near Doncaster, he said: “It’s a very nostalgic occasion for me; I think I will sit and watch it on Sunday with more attention than usual.

“I haven’t done an interview since it started getting a lot of coverage.

“A lot of the stories questioned if I had any bad feeling toward the BBC.

“I’m a freelance – who could complain about a company that has given you 40 years of work?

“ ‘All good things must come to an end’ is a cliche but it’s true.

“The end was bound to happen and I’ve got great respect and gratitude for the Beeb for supporting us all these years.

“I’ve also got to thank the audience for being so faithful. We’ve always had respectable viewing figures and that’s because of them; they are the reason it’s lasted so long.”

Roy is frank about one of the main reasons why the show has reached a natural end.

“The timing is right because we’re all getting so doddery!