The final episode may have aired almost a decade ago, but Last of the Summer Wine is still keeping people entertained today.

The antics of Compo, Cleggy and Foggy are a tonic on a cosy evening when you've had enough of the doom and gloom of the day's news.

Written by Roy Clarke, the show first appeared on our screens in 1973. BBC producers hated the title at first - but the name stuck.

Holmfirth became a tourist destination thanks to the show, with fans visiting Nora Batty's cottage and Sid's Cafe. The Examiner was also a regular feature on the show, with billboards and newspapers showing our branding often appearing.

But what happened to the favourite characters whose adventures keep so many people entertained?

Take a look back and find out all about those famous faces.

Tom Owen

Tom Owen

Tom Owen played Tom Simmonite. The star's appearance on the show continued a family tradition after his father, Bill Owen, portrayed his on-screen father, Compo Simmonite.

Tom started his acting career in the theatre and then graduated to television. He was cast in The Last of the Summer Wine just days after his real-life dad died of cancer.

Tom's family confirmed his death in a statement, which read: "He passed away peacefully and is survived by his two children, James and William, and ex-wife, Mary.”

Compo - Bill Owen

Bill Owen as Compo

Bill played Compo from 1973 until he died from pancreatic and bowel cancer in 1999. His final scenes were broadcast in 2000.

He was a regular in the early Carry On films and during the 1960s was a successful songwriter, with compositions including Marianne, which was recorded by Cliff Richard.

In 1983 he recorded a novelty song with his Summer Wine co-star Kathy Staff, called Nora Batty's Stockings.

He is buried in the churchyard of St John's Parish Church, Upperthong.

Cleggy - Peter Sallis

Peter Sallis as Cleggy

Peter played Cleggy from 1973 to the final episode in 2010. He retired from acting in 2012 and passed away in June 2017.

He took up acting while serving with the RAF during World War II and trained at RADA after the end of the war. He was the only cast member to appear in every episode of Summer Wine.

He is known internationally for voicing Wallace in the Wallace and Gromit films.

He was awarded the OBE in 2007 for services to drama.

Cyril Blamire - Michael Bates

Michael Bates, right, in the first episode of Last of the Summer Wine in 1972

Michael played the 'third man' of the Summer Wine trio between 1973 and 1975. He later appeared in It Ain't Half Hot Mum, from 1974-1977.

He appeared in several films including Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange in 1971.

He died of cancer in 1978 - both of his parents survived him.

Foggy - Brian Wilde

Brian Wilde Actor was in Last Of The Summer Wine Sitting in chair Dbase

Brian played Foggy from 1976–1985 and 1990–1997. He starred as Mr Barrowclough in Porridge from the pilot episode onwards. He left Summer Wine in 1985 to pursue other projects, returning in 1990, leaving again in 1997 after a period of illness.

He died in 2008 after a fall.

Nora Batty - Kathy Staff

Kathy Staff as Nora Batty

Kathy played Nora from the pilot episode in 1973 until 2008, the year she died of a brain tumour.

She left the show briefly after Compo actor Bill Owen died in 1999, but later returned. She also appeared in Coronation Street, Open All Hours and The Benny Hill Show.

Edie Pegden - Dame Thora Hird

Dame Thora in Summer Wine, left, and Last of the Sun, in 2002.

Morecambe-born Dame Thora appeared in Summer Wine from 1986 to 2003. She won BAFTA best actress awards for her rolers in two of Alan Bennett's Talking Heads monologues, and again for TV film Lost for Words.

She was awarded an OBE in 1983 and raised to Dame Commander in 1993. Her last work was for BBC Radio 7 - a monologue written for her by Alan Bennett entitled Last of the Sun.

She died on March 15 that year, aged 91, and in September that year more than 2,000 people attended her memorial service, including Alan Bennett, Sir David Frost, Melvyn Bragg and Victoria Wood.

Ivy - Jane Freeman

Jane Freeman as Ivy, and right, at Kathy Staff's funeral

London born Jane grew up in Wales and was only the second Summer Wine actress to appear on the show from the pilot to the final episode.

Her final television appearance was in 1985 as Florence Jones in Letty, and in film as Mrs Kibble in 1985's Silas Marner: the Weaver of Raveloe.

Jane died from lung cancer aged 81 on March 9, 2017.

Sid - John Comer

John Comer as Sid and Jane Freeman as Ivy

John played Ivy's husband Sid from 1973. He died aged 59 in 1983, from throat cancer.

Howard - Robert Fyfe

Robert Fyfe as Howard, and right, in Cloud Atlas

Scottish actor Robert played hapless Howard from 1985-2010. Since leaving the show he has appeared in Misfits as Harry in 2009, and in Coronation Street in 2012 as Malcolm Lagg. He also appeared in Cloud Atlas in 2012 as Old Salty Dog, Mr Meeks and Prescient 1. His last television appearance was in 2017, when he played Bernard in Sky 1 sitcom Carters Get Rich alongside Dawson's Creek star James Van Der Beek.

Now aged 94, he is one of the only surviving stars of the show.

Marina - Jean Fergusson

Jean Fergusson as Marina, and right, as Dorothy Hoyle in Coronation Street

Wakefield-born Jean acted in Summer Wine from 1985-2010, and also appeared in Coronation Street in 1999 as Mrs Mallett and again from 2010-2011 as Dorothy Hoyle.

In 2014 she auctioned off the famous pushbike that appeared with her in the show. Her death aged 74 was confirmed on November 15, 2019.

Pearl - Juliette Kaplan

Juliette Kaplan as Pearl, and right, out of character

Juliette, from Bournemouth, played Howard's wife Pearl from 1985-2010. She also appeared in a one-actor show as Pearl, touring around British theatres.

In 2015 she appeared in Coronation Street as Agnes Tinker.

In August 2019 her agent said she was 'gravely ill in a hospice'. She celebrated her 80th birthday on October 2, 2019, but she sadly died just over a week later on October 10.

Auntie Wainwright - Jean Alexander

Jean Alexander as Auntie Wainwright, and right, in Southport Library

Jean played Auntie Wainwright from 1988-2010, becoming a regular character in 1992. She also played Hilda Ogden in Coronation Street, from 1964 to 1987.

Jean died in October 2016, just three days after her 90th birthday.

Herbert Truelove - Frank Thornton

Frank Thornton as Herbert Truelove, and right, in later life

London-born Frank joined the show as "Truly" Herbert in 1997.

He was best known for his role as Captain Peacock in Are You Being Served? He also appeared in Gosford Park in 2001, alongside Maggie Smith and Kristin Scott-Thomas. He died aged 92 in 2013.

Clem "Smiler" Hemmingway - Stephen Lewis

Stephen Lewis as Smiler, and right, in later life

Stephen played Smiler from 1988 to 2007, when ill health forced him to retire. He also played Blakey in On The Buses and appeared as a guest in One Foot In the Grave, 2point4 Children and The All New Alexei Sayle Show.

He died aged 88 in a nursing home in Wanstead, London, in 2015.

Look back at his life and work below

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This story was first published in May 2016 but is regularly updated.