Last of the Summer Wine - or maybe not...Will The Summer Wine Chronicles get off the ground?
TV DIRECTOR Alan J W Bell has more reason than most to mourn the end of Summer Wine.
It has been his life for more than two decades, as he has been in charge of filming and producing series after series.
He is still very angry that the BBC decided to axe the series earlier this year – without even having the courtesy to see how the current series fared with the viewers.
But he also had a glimmer of hope for the show’s legion of fans.
Actor Ken Kitson, who has played a policeman in Summer Wine for many years, is exploring the idea of new episodes, featuring some of the cast.
Bell said: "It could not called Last Of The Summer Wine but could become The Summer Wine Chronicles.
"There have been some marvellous actors who have given a large chunk of their lives to the show and it would be a shame if they were not able to work together again.
"I’m not downhearted about tomorrow’s final programme, but disappointed they had not told us it would be the last and we could have done something special.
"But I am angry; angry that they have ignored the wishes of a large part of their broad-range audience – the people over 35 who watch the shows.
"And I will miss Holmfirth. I totted it up and I have spent four years in all in Holmfirth, and I hope I can count many of the people there as my friends".
Having amassed 31 series over 37 years and put the village of Holmfirth firmly on the tourist trail, Last of the Summer Wine has become the world’s longest running sitcom.
The comedy has endured over decades in which tastes in television, programme styles and audience numbers have changed.
